Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
I had to work fast to get the sheep in shot before they became obscured by the gate. As soon as they saw me they began to bleat and make an approach. Perhaps I look like a farmer. Or maybe they’re used to passersby giving them treats. I had no sheep snacks upon me, alas.
Fujica GW690 & Kentmere 100 (@400) Rodinal 1 hour semi-stand development. 1+100 in 500ml of water, with a couple of extra ml of developer added.
Taken on 2 August 2025
On the day I went out and made this batch of pictures, I started in a poor frame of mind. I was feeling grumpy and a bit depressed about stuff, so most of the first part of the day just involved me driving aimlessly about, too annoyed to spot potential compositional opportunities, much less take any photos.
This was the first shot I took during the outing (it was shot just before, and just down the road from, the picture I posted yesterday), and while it didn’t completely clear my low mood, it did get me started with some photography. The first shot is often the one that unclogs the gears, and I was able to then finish off the rest of the roll (albeit only eight frames with the GW690) and even make a start on another.
I’d started out thinking I was just wasting my time, but by the time I got home I felt much better about things.
Fujica GW690 & Kentmere 100 (@400) Rodinal 1 hour semi-stand development. 1+100 in 500ml of water, with a couple of extra ml of developer added.
Taken on 2 August 2025
Unlike yesterday’s photograph, this was a location that I’d never passed before. It’s not a lane that can be traveled as, although you can’t see it in my picture, it’s blocked off with a metal gate. Looking on Google Maps, it’s possible to see where the track leads (to a farm) and that there are two other entrances to the same track. For some reason I find “mystery” roads like this interesting, or rather I like to know where they might lead (it’s very often a farm though…).
Anyhoo, despite the lack of access, it was a scene I felt would make a good photo, what with the leading lines of the track and power wires.
Fujica GW690 & Kentmere 100 (@400) Rodinal 1 hour semi-stand development. 1+100 in 500ml of water, with a couple of extra ml of developer added.
Taken on 2 August 2025
While not the first time I’ve taken a photograph on this particular road, it’s the first time I’ve photographed this particular scene.
I like the rows of power and telephone lines that run down either side, they make me reminisce on the time when most roads had rows of telegraph lines beside them, even though they were likely mostly defunct when I witnessed them.
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
This house was just down the road from the irrigation hose in the shot I posted yesterday. I liked how it rose from behind the hedge. I have quite a few shots of scenes like this that are slowly spiraling around the germ of a project idea.
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
I spotted this irrigation hose through a gap in the roadside hedge as I drove past. Something about the way the light fell upon the reel made me feel it might be worth photographing, so I turned around, found somewhere to park, and walked back to get the image. There’s a slight, but easy to miss, juxtaposition between the crops in this foreground field, and the solar farm just visible in the middle of the frame.
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
Another photo from my mini road-trip. This was a deliberate destination though, rather than my happening upon it by chance. I’ve driven past this water tower in the Derbyshire town of Bolsover a few times in the past and thought it might be a good subject for a photo, and on this day I finally got a picture. I like the shot but I’m a tiny bit disappointed that the figure in the centre of the image is in a slightly awkward pose rather than catching them mid-stride. still, they aren’t the subject of the picture, so I guess I can live with it.
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
I shot this whole roll of Ilford HP5+ while driving randomly around the countryside. I’d love to do a proper roadtrip where I just set of and explore the country but, alas, it’s not something I have the time or resources to do at present. Maybe when I retire at some point I’ll get more of an opportunity.
But even without an extended trip, it’s still possible to just head out into the unknown, taking random roads with no particular destination in mind, and just stopping and photographing things that catch my eye. Both photos from the last couple of posts were made in this way, as was today’s picture.
The house pictured is painted a pastel pink but I had black and white film loaded, so you’ll have to take my word for it, and it was a combination of the colour, plus the house standing solitary on a bend in a country road (not a quiet country road, but not racing with traffic either at the time I was there) that caught my attention.
I drove past the house and saw a place to park a short distance further on, so stopped and walked back along the verge to take my picture. As I got closer, I noticed a solitary woman just across the road from the house and said hello when I got closer. She was stewarding some sort of fun-run event that was taking place in the area and we chatted for a few minutes as I explained why I’d suddenly appeared from nowhere to take a photograph.
I’m posting these shots out of order for some reason, and this was the penultimate picture from the roll (the final phote being the one of the pylons I posted yesterday. The day before that was the first shot of the roll.)
Another random picture to come tomorrow…
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
Steel City Snapper photography 