Queen’s Park bridge

January 14, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This bridge crosses a narrow part of the boating lake in Queen’s Park, Mablethorpe. A sizeable population of ducks, geese, and swans make the lake their home for at least part of the year, and while I took this picture a number of them looked at me hopefully in case I might have some food.

Something good that happened today…

It’s quite difficult to find a good thing today. Our team was notified that a restructure is taking place which will remove around 70% of current roles. While I had some expectation that something like this was probably going to happen, I didn’t expect it to be so significant, or to happen so soon. Obviously the affected people are shocked, frightened, and unhappy about the situation.

I have some hope that my role may be spared, but won’t find out just yet so all I can do is hope for the best. While this is obviously better than hearing my job is definitely being removed, it’s still been a challenging day.

I’ve reached out to colleagues to give support. I know how difficult these situations are, having gone through it before, and I think knowing there are people in a similar situation who will listen and share is a beneficial thing and much better than feeling alone with your concerns. I’m anxious myself, but I hope that I’ve been able to make others feel a little better by lending them an ear.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Donkeys

January 13, 2025January 13, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

It took a little effort to get this picture of these donkeys on Mablethorpe beach. There were plenty of people taking rides on them, so I had to wait for a gap. The lady looking after the donkeys kindly corralled them for me after I asked if it was ok to get a picture. I think I’ve front focused by a tiny fraction (although you can’t really tell unless you zoom right in), but I did quite well considering the rangefinder patch om my GW690 isn’t the easiest thing to use, especially on moving subjects.

Something good that happened today…

This isn’t a particularly good thing in itself. We received notification about a mandatory team call tomorrow and the feeling is that it won’t be good news. I guess the worse case scenario is that jobs are being cut, although I don’t know that for certain. Whatever the case, I don’t think they will be announcing inflation busting pay rises or anything.

I guess the good thing is that, while I feel unnerved about it, I don’t feel as anxious as I have when similar announcements have been made in the past. This is a small mercy, but I’ll take it. I guess I’ll know more tomorrow.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Mablethorpe Rock

January 12, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Another Mablethorpe location that I’ve photographed many times before. It kinda shouts out to be photographed though.

Something good that happened today…

I was going to develop a roll of film today, but I couldn’t be bothered. Rather than beat myself up about this, I put it to one side and spent the day watching TV (Squid Game today). Sometimes it’s good to just relax, and I feel better for doing one thing, rather than ending up frozen by indecisiveness and doing nothing. My dad visited this morning too, which is always a good thing – he generally comes over every Sunday but I visited him last week as the weather was snowy.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

St. Joseph’s, Mablethorpe

January 11, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic church in Mablethorpe.

I often end up photographing the same subjects on my annual trips to Mablethorpe, and this church is no exception. Here’s an earlier post about it from a few year’s ago.

This year I did something different, and walked to neighbouring Sutton-on-Sea, but I still photographed a few familiar sights in Mablethorpe nonetheless. I think I might attempt to walk around some of the parts of the town I’ve not explored on my next visit. I’m sure there are lots of interesting things to be found.

Something good that happened today…

Quite mundane, but I vegged out on the sofa most of the afternoon catching up on episodes of Silo that I’d not watched. Still got a couple more to catch up before the season finale this Friday, but it felt like I achieved something. I think the volume of things to entertain us that are available nowadays is both a blessing and a curse. I remember as a child being bored because I had nothing to do (mostly on rainy days when I couldn’t go out). Now I have more things that I will ever have time to watch, read, listen to, or participate in, which can feel overwhelming sometimes, especially when the hand of FOMO falls upon my shoulder.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Chalet post this or not?

January 10, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I think that seaside chalets / beach huts are perhaps a bit of a cliched subject for photography, but they just make such attractive subjects.

Something good that happened today…

I made a stew today, although I almost forgot. My wife had left instructions for this evenings meal. As is often the case, our fussy-eater sons would be having something different, and I had both of their selections sorted out. It was only as I was making my lunch that I realised I had to chop the onions, carrots, turnip, and celery to go in the slow cooker along with the beef (which I had to brown in the frying pan first). This could have been a disaster had I not remembered as stew isn’t something you can really hurry when it comes to cooking it. Everything worked out though and it was hearty and tasty. Proper winter food.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Looking in at The Lookout Cafe

January 9, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Another shot from Mablethorpe. This one is The Lookout Cafe which sits on the promenade overlooking the sandy beach and the North Sea beyond.

Something good that happened today…

Nothing major stands out in terms of good things today. I had a relatively pleasant day at work where I got a few things done and cleared off my (continually increasing) to-do list, so I guess I’ll take that. It would be lovely if some wonderful good thing happened every day, but I guess that there will be always be days where it’s a little more difficult to find something that warrants a mention.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Chalet shops

January 8, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The Mablethorpe Carnival took place on the day of my visit, although I somehow managed to miss pretty much all of it. I arrived quite early and then took a walk down the seafront to the neighbouring town of Sutton-on-Sea. I’m not sure if this resulted in my missing the actual parade, but I saw nothing of it on my return, despite walking into the town centre for my usual fish and chips from Monty’s. Thinking about it, the carnival might have been the reason for the coastguard helicopter activity that I spoke of in yesterday’s post. Perhaps there was a demonstration of the coastguard and lifeboat responses for the visitors.

Today’s picture shows a series of chalets acting as shops selling various goods. This was probably about as much of the actual carnival events that I saw!

Something good that happened today…

While I had to contend with some potentially worrying news at work (although maybe I’m reading too much into it), I did manage to clear a few more things from my lengthy to-do list, which I’ll take as positives. I’ve also lost a little weight since yesterday. While this is nothing to get too excited about, it was nice to see as I’ve put on quite a few pounds over Christmas. We still have quite a few Christmas goodies to get through before the diet begins in earnest though. At least I weigh less than I did this time last year, so I already have a head start towards reaching my goal.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Mablethorpe lifeboat station (and a gift from my Secret Santa)

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Another of the Plus-X shots (I shot two rolls of it during the visit to Mablethorpe, although, using the GW690, that only gave me sixteen frames). This is the lifeboat station at Mablethorpe. Later in the day the boat was put out to sea and a coastguard helicopter landed on the beach before circling along the shoreline. I thought it was some sort of display taking place but then got the sense that it might be an actual emergency. The seafront was lined with people watching the scene unfold. It happened just before I left to set off home and I didn’t find out any more.

Something good that happened today…

My Emulsive Secret Santa gift arrived! It came all the way from Hong Kong, so didn’t arrive quite in time for Christmas. I also had to pay a customs charge and VAT on the package before it could be delivered. It was all worthwhile though as I got a very generous gift comprising of a lovely notebook, five rolls of film, and a Kodak Ektar H35N half-frame camera! I’m very much looking forward to using these. It arrived neatly packed with each item individually wrapped, and with a cute Christmas card featuring a picture of some festive wonton and pak-choi. I feel blessed to have received such a nice gift, so thank you to my Secret Santa. 🙂

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Churros, ice cream, and bouncy slides

January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I’ve been very happy with the photos I’ve taken with this expired (in 2008) Kodak Plus-X. I bought it several years ago, five rolls in a pro-pack, and stored it in the freezer. Being conscious that it’s a stock that’s no longer available, it was another film in my stash that I was saving for “special occasions”, but I’m fighting against that urge to store such film for occasions that never seem to arise and instead just shoot the stuff.

Plus-X is quite nice, but I’d probably get a very similar look by using Ilford FP4+, so while I now have none of it left, it’s not something that I will miss too much.

Something good that happened today…

Today was my first day back at work, which I wasn’t looking forward to after a couple of week’s off over Christmas, coupled with the loss of a number of colleagues who all left the business at the end of December. The good thing is that it hasn’t been a bad day at all. I took the advice that you should try to ease yourself back into work gently, and spent the day catching up on emails, and also pulling together a to do list. The list got up to about fifteen items, some small and easy to achieve, others that will require more work, and a couple that are projects that I’d like to kick off. I managed to clear a number of the low-hanging items from the list, so I finished the day with a sense that I had achieved something.

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Plus-X (expired January 2008 and shot at 100asa). Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 21 September 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Mablethorpe fish & chips

January 5, 2025 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I’ve definitely posted pictures of this fish & chip / ice cream shop in Mablethorpe before, but I don’t think any shot on the Fujica GW690, and definitely not on expired Kodak Plus-X.

It stands on a small promontory so is very apparent on the otherwise straight Mablethorpe shoreline. I’m not sure when it was built, but it’s been there as long as I remember, so I expect sometime in the 1960s, or maybe even earlier.

Something good that happened today…

I finally got around to resetting my old PC, which has been sat on my office floor since early 2024 when I bought my son’s PC as a replacement. I’m not sure what I’ll do with it now it’s reset, but the fresh install of Windows means it is now actually useable again and doesn’t take nearly ten minutes to boot!