Digital · Photography

I’ve moved sites (well, sorta, sorta not…)

Yesterday I wrote about how I was upgrading my site and that I’d migrated all the posts, media, comments, and subscribers. That all went well, except for one thing…

My plan had been to upgrade my existing free WordPress site to the paid-for Personal tier, mostly to remove ads that visitors see, and also to take advantage of some of the additional features a paid site provides.

What I actually somehow managed to do was create a whole new site! While almost everything moved across ok, I soon realised that all my stats etc. were gone and I effectively had a brand new site, albeit fully populated with thousands of posts. I debated whether to just leave it like that – stats are not my primary reason for the site, far from it, and they’re not exactly earth-shattering in any case. But it niggled me somewhat that, even though all my previous content was there, it somehow felt like I was starting again at day one.

So, to cut a long story short, I cancelled the purchase of the new Personal site, re-directed all my subscribers back to the original free site, got a refund, and then did the upgrade properly. Now my pre-existing free site is correctly migrated onto the Personal plan level and all my stats are exactly as they should be. Next time I do something like this I’ll take more time to RTFM before clicking the button. 🙂

Hopefully, as a benefit, you should now be able to read this, plus any new and previous posts free from the scourge of adverts, and I can have a poke around the extra stuff I’m paying for to see if any of it is of use.

Following yesterday’s sunset, it feel’s appropriate to go with a sunrise for the launch of my new (although really mostly just the same old) blog.

Kit Kat stones

Nikon D3200 & Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 DX.

Taken on 2 November 2018

Photography

I’m moving sites…

This blog post is a little bit different than usual. Let me explain…

I’ve decided to purchase a WordPress personal plan which will remove ads from my blog for readers and also provide me with some other features not available on the free version. At present all my existing site posts are being imported to the new site so fingers crossed that all goes well there. Once that has finished I’m hoping that anyone following my current blog will automatically be following the new version. I’m pretty sure that this will be the case, but fingers crossed!

I may also change the title of the blog too, although I’m not yet decided on that. The main reason is that there is another photographer from Sheffield going by the Steel City Snapper title, although they tend to post elsewhere (although I’m pretty certain I got the name first). They are quite prolific in promoting themselves locally though, which I don’t tend to do all that much, so changing the name of my blog might be a way to avoid any potential confusion down the line.

At the time of typing this, there are still over 5,000 posts and other bits and pieces still to transfer as part of the import process. It’ll probably take all night to finish.

I’m not sure what will happen with this post – I think it will miss out on the currently running import, so I’ll probably re-post it on the new site when it’s up and running.

Anyway, apropos of nothing, here’s a picture. As the sun sets on my free blog, I’ll prepare for the new one to be born. See you all on the other side, I hope!

At sunset

Panasonic Lumix GX7

Taken on 20 September 2019

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Backlit trees

I spotted these trees backlit by the autumn sunshine after dropping my son of at work. I don’t tend to take my camera out when doing this, but on this occasion I had a few frames of film still waiting to be shot so had it with me on the off-chance.

Something good that happened today…

Nothing particularly good happened. Nothing particularly bad happened. It’s been an average day.

I sometimes (often!) struggle to find something to write in this slot on the blog, especially if my mood is low – the things I use are often trivial – but in reality I have so much to be thankful for and, while I’m often unhappy about all manner of things, I am grateful for what I have. It’s good for me to recognise this.

Five trees

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Kodak Ultramax. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 11 November 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Back before Christmas

Early November in Sheffield, and the Christmas stalls were already present but not yet quite ready for the public, so they were still locked away by fences (in a festive shade of red, at least).

I like how the girl in the first picture is, at first glance, dressed in what looks like a Santa coat.

Something good that happened today…

I watched the second episode of the new period drama, A Thousand Blows, which started airing on Disney+ this afternoon. I watched the first episode last night and it quickly caught my attention and drew me in. It’s a fictional period drama that is based on actual characters in the underworld of Victorian London, following two new migrants, Hezekiah and Alec from Jamaica and how they become embroiled up in the escapades of The Forty Elephants, a real-life female criminal gang, and also bare-fist boxing (with a muscular Stephen Graham portraying boxer “Sugar” Goodson. It’s from Steven Knight, the man behind Peaky Blinders, and is similarly violent, but the characters are interesting, they are portrayed well by the cast, and the story has its hooks in me. Hopefully it will keep it up through the full six episodes.

Before Christmas arrived
Before Christmas arrived-2

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Kodak Ultramax. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 November 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Remembrance

In a perfect demonstration of the finger-on-the-pulse, timely nature of my blog, today’s pictures are of last year’s Remembrance event at Barker’s Pool in Sheffield which I photographed while I was in town on the 10th November. It was very busy and not really possible to get a good viewpoint amongst the crowds, but I particularly like the picture of the poppy seller, and the Kodak Ultramax has produced some nicely vibrant colours.

Something good that happened today…

I had planned to drive to Lincoln today but a poor night’s sleep meant I didn’t get up in time. Instead I drove into Sheffield city centre and then took a long hike up towards the Woodseats area before dropping down to Abbeydale Road and back into town again, where I wandered around further.

My plan was to try and finish off the remaining frames from the roll of Ilford HP5+ that I started shooting last weekend, but also (if possible) to finish the Kodak Gold that was loaded in the Kodak H35N half-frame camera that I received at Christmas from my generous Secret Santa. In the end, I achieved both goals and now have the HP5+ to develop, while the Gold has been posted off (along with a previously exposed roll of Lomo CN400) for processing at a lab. I’m not sure if there are any prize winners from the H35N as it was the first roll I’ve shot with it, so it was a bit of a test, but fingers crossed.

The walk was a good one and I recorded over 13,000 steps, so I treated myself to a latte and a (rather large) cinnamon bun in a cafe. I felt I’d earned the treat so it was very pleasant to take the weight off my feet for a while and enjoy the coffee and bun.

Remembrance Sunday-5
Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday-2
Remembrance Sunday-3
Remembrance Sunday-4

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Kodak Ultramax. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 November 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Tacos

Something good that happened today…

I’m feeling pretty down today and was going to post this with no words at all, but that felt petty and childish. So the fact I’m making myself do so is a good thing, I guess, and better than being completely deflated.

Tacos

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Kodak Ultramax. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 November 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Court House

This Court House building stands at Renishaw, Derbyshire. The building to the right and out of frame is the attached Constabulary. The property was up for sale a few years ago and the Sheffield Star website ahd an article showing what it looked like inside, with the former courtroom and even the jail cells converted to living accommodation. I presume it sold, and I read somewhere that there are plans to convert the building to apartments, but I saw no sign of that being the case when I made this picture.

Something good that happened today…

Have I already posted about having made a stew with dumplings for one of these? I think I might have. Anyway, we made another stew (with dumplings) today, and it was good also, and my belly is full.

Court House-2

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Tree like a torch

I’m still months behind with posting pictures, so it’s still got a somewhat autumnal feel here on the blog, including today’s post of this strikingly coloured tree on the gradually-reverting-to-nature Renishaw Golf Course.

Something good that happened today…

A piece of work that I’ve been procrastinating over for the last few days suddenly took shape today. It’s not finished yet, but it’s in good shape now, so that’s good.

Autumn torch

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Ploughed and littered

The field in today’s picture had been freshly ploughed (although this corner at the edge is more churned, I think). The rich brown of the turned soil contrasted nicely with the scattered orange fallen leaves that littered the surface. I don’t think the shot would have worked without the pylons.

If you want to see what the field might look like as springtime arrives, I have a shot from the same location here.

Something good that happened today…

I went to the cinema to see Captain America: Brave New World after work today. I’ve been steering clear of any reviews and opinions as much as possible (although I had seen a few people mention that these weren’t favourable) because I wanted to form my own opinions without being swayed by others. I sometime wish for the simpler times where the entire world didn’t feel the need to be seemingly harshly critical of almost everything.

I enjoyed the film. It’s not the best MCU movie, but it’s far from the worst, and I had a solid couple of hours of solid entertainment, which is all I really want from this sort of film.

Freshly ploughed

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Autumnal bridge crossing

Another picture from my Trans Pennine Way walk back in October, albeit this is a bridge that crosses the trail, rather than carries it.

Something good that happened today…

Our eldest son and our daughter-in-law came over for tea* today, which was nice.

*Not the drink. Tea is what we call dinner around these parts. And to confuse matters more, dinner is what we call lunch.

Over the TPT

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 26 october 2024