Tag: black and white

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Bolton Street Railway Station

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I visited Bury in Lancashire a couple of months ago for my, now regular, visit to Bury Arcade Club where myself and a large group of other middle-aged blokes meet up for a curry, and then a full day playing arcade games.

Before I was able to check into my hotel on the first day, I decided to wander around Bury town centre and take a few pictures. I might share some of the others, but I’ve grouped the ones below as they were all taken at Bolton Street Railway Station, which forms part of the East Lancashire Railway heritage line upon which all manner of vintage locomotives and trains operate.

There were no locomotives present when I visited, just a few carriages, but the station itself still offers plenty of nice photographic opportunities. I was stuck with quite harsh light, but things haven’t turned out too badly.

Bolton Street railway station
Bolton Street railway station-2
Bolton Street railway station-4
Bolton Street railway station-3
No way out
Luggage

Olympus OM-10, Zuiko Auto-S 35mm f/2.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 16 May 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Office space crop

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I don’t tend to crop my photos all that often. I’ll occasionally trim a little from the edge if something distracting has crept into the scene or, on occasion, reduce a 6×6 square image to a 6×4.5 (3:2) ratio if there’s a lot of empty space, but it’s quite rare that I perform more significant crops, especially on a 35mm image.

This shot is one of those unusual occasions where I did. I cropped it to a 16:9 ratio, keeping the upper part of the picture while removing a chunk of bland and empty foreground. The photo looked unbalanced without the crop, but I think it works much better in this “widescreen” version. The Reflecta ProScan scanner I used has got enough resolving power to mean there’s still plenty of detail in the reduced frame.

Office space

Olympus OM-10, Zuiko Auto-S 35mm f/2.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 18 May 2025

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Giving the Holga some light

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My Holga has sat unused (but not unloved) for quite some time. I almost always like the lo-fi results that it produces, so I really should shoot it more often, but I guess having a bunch of different cameras means that some of them have to wait awhile to get their time in the sun (or overcast).

Fellow blogger Dave Whenham posts Holga pictures on a fairly regular basis, and it’s from reading his posts that the urge to Holga took hold.

Here are the results from a roll of Fomapan 400 I shot back in March. Apart from one picture that I wasn’t happy with, it’s the full roll. I don’t think this represents my most successful outing with the Holga, and there’s some element of shooting stuff because it was there rather than being more careful in my choice of compositions, but there are a few that I really like, such as the Thai Boxing gym, the underpass, and the church.

I’m also very pleased with the results of the semi-stand development. I sometimes find that Fomapan 400 needs more light (something you can’t particularly control with the Holga), but the Rodinal has pulled out a full range of tones from every image. I’ll certainly semi-stand Foma 400 again in the future.

Bunting and marquees
Milk flat
Milk float
ERF
ERF and canal
Thai Boxing
The Hope Centre
Under and out
St. John's Park church
Near the bottom of the Parkway
What remains of the Durham Ox

Holga 120N & Fomapan 400. Rodinal 1+100. 1 hour semi-stand development.

Taken on 28 March 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Not as hot…

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The temperatures have cooled noticeably today and I can feel a pleasant breeze from the window as I type this (yesterday my office was unbearably stuffy). However, I went out today and despite the fresher air outside, the house was considerably warmer inside than out when I got back, although it does seem to have cooled somewhat now we’ve aired it some more.

I decided to go out and make some photographs today. I’ve had the last couple of days free to do this but the hot weather really put me off. I also think I’ve been having a bit of a dip in my photography mojo recently too, finding it difficult to work up enthusiasm to get out with a camera. I expect that the drive to take pictures will return, but it’s a bit frustrating to have time for photography but not the inclination – it feels like I’m wasting opportunity.

My lack desire for picture taking was still evident this morning, but knowing it was the last day of my long weekend, that the weather was more inviting, and that I’d probably feel guilty for not going out, I gave myself a kick up the backside and headed out. I had half-a-roll of HP5+ in my OM-10, plus I took my Yashica Mat 124G and three rolls of film for that too (better to have too much film and not shoot it, than to run out).

In the end, I managed to finish the roll in the OM-10, and also most of a roll of 120 HP5+ in the Yashica Mat. Not only that, but I’m quite looking forward to seeing the results, which is a positive sign.

Next weekend is the annual Sheffield Steam Rally, so I’ll be heading there to get yet more shots of steam engines, classic cars, and suchlike.

Another digital picture today. I like the simplicity of this scene – the window seems almost to float.

Window box

Ricoh GR III

Taken on 6 June 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Hot again

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Another hot and sticky day here again. It’s nothing compared to the temperatures and humidity in other parts of the world, of course, but it’s the UK and we’re not really geared up for much beyond drizzle and overcast skies. One thing we are very adept at, however, is moaning about the weather, whatever shape it comes in. 🙂

Here’s a shot I took during our recent trip to Spain, where it was very warm, but we were on holiday so it didn’t feel the same somehow.

What Three Words

Ricoh GR III

Taken on 6 June 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Narrow street (and post holiday thoughts)

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Today was my first day back at work after a week’s holiday in Spain. I did have yesterday as a buffer between the travel and the resumption of working life, which I’m thankful for, but I’ve felt pretty tired all day. I thought holidays were supposed to leave you feeling refreshed?

Thankfully, my usual post holiday blues didn’t last very long, perhaps because we were only away for a week, or maybe because I’m growing out of that particular sadness as I get older. I’m glad about that too – it used to affect me pretty badly when I was younger and leave me feeling a profound sense of loss for several days after a trip. This time, however, it only took a couple of hours back at work to pretty much erase any sense I’d been on holiday at all! Still, I’ve a couple of rolls of film and some digital photos to remind me of the trip when I get them developed / processed. I’ll post some of those here, of course.

Another picture from my Lincoln trip today – there’s probably only one more shot that I’ll post from this roll of 135 Agfa APX 100 – but I do have a bunch of colour medium format pictures still to come…

Where the roll of film ran out

Olympus OM-10, Zuiko Auto-S 35mm f/2.8 & Agfa APX 100 (@400). Rodinal 1+100 (+2ml) semi-stand 1 hour @ 20°

Taken on 1 March 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Timelessness

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This picture was taken half way up Steep Hill in Lincoln. I really like the timeless feel it evokes. Maybe the cyclist’s helmet gives it away but, apart from that and the lone cable (and possibly the bike, whose evolution I’m not familiar enough with to say how it might date the image), it feels like it could have been taken any time in the last century.

Halfway up Steep Hill

Olympus OM-10, Zuiko Auto-S 35mm f/2.8 & Agfa APX 100 (@400). Rodinal 1+100 (+2ml) semi-stand 1 hour @ 20°

Taken on 1 March 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Water tower and streetlamp

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You may have noticed, but I’ve been posting a bunch of pre-scheduled stuff for the last week because I was on holiday. I’m back now and will resume the usual manual posting from tomorrow (although I guess this counts too). For anyone who’s commented on my posts and I haven’t replied yet, I will seek to do so soon.

I bet you’re bored of this water tower by now (even though it’s quite a photogenic subject, I think)… 🙂

Lamp and water tower

Olympus OM-10, Zuiko Auto-S 35mm f/2.8 & Agfa APX 100 (@400). Rodinal 1+100 (+2ml) semi-stand 1 hour @ 20°

Taken on 1 March 2025