35mm · Film photography · Photography

King’s Lynn Custom House (plus an early Christmas present for me)

I’ve been studying for a technical qualification for the past few months (an IT networking qualification that I need to achieve to progress some other training) and today was my exam. I was pretty nervous about it – I don’t do any practical hands-on networking stuff, so everything is theoretical to me and probably harder to memorise as a result. The exam had a few scenario-type questions that I struggled with and I was pretty certain that I was going to fail, so it was with a big sense of relief when I found out that I’d passed. I’m even more happy that I don’t need to keep up my revision over the Christmas break. 🙂

The photos today are all of the Custom House in King’s Lynn, a charming building that I’ve already posted a medium-format shot of on the blog here. It’s one of those structures that begs to be photographed, and you can see below that I certainly obliged.

Customs House-2
Customs House
Customs House-3
Customs House-4
Customs House-5

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Ilford Delta 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10 mins 30 secs @ 20°

Taken on 19 September 2024

4x5 Large Format · Film photography · Photography

Inside King’s Lynn Minster

A quartet of pictures that I took while inside King’ Lyn Minster. While I don’t think the photos themselves are particularly outstanding, I am extremely impressed by the vibration control on the Tamron lens.

It was pretty dim inside the minster, as such places often tend to be, and I was shooting Ilford Delta 100 film, hardly the best choice for handheld photography in such conditions. The available light meant that I was getting shutter speeds of 1/10 sec to 1/20 sec, even with the lens as wide open as I could get it (f/3.5 is the widest it will go, but that drops down if you start to use even a small amount of zoom). I did brace myself against walls and columns where I could but, even so, those are impressively slow shutter speeds for handheld pictures.

The fact that these pictures are sharp (although with a little drop-off in focus because of the aperture) is a big confidence boost for my trust in this lens’s capabilities.

Inside King's Lynn minster
Inside King's Lynn minster-2
Inside King's Lynn minster-3
Inside King's Lynn minster-4

Nikon F80, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD & Ilford Delta 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10 mins 30 secs @ 20°

Taken on 19 September 2024

4x5 Large Format · Film photography · Photography

King’s Lynn streets

When I visited King’s Lynn, although there were plenty of people about, and lots of traffic, the roads close to the quayside were often devoid of pedestrians and traffic. Not completely empty, but quiet enough that it was easy to bide my time and get a photograph of the street scenes without anyone around.

A narrow street in King's Lynn
Empty street
A gate on a curved wall

Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Kodak Tri-X. Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 19 September 2024

4x5 Large Format · Film photography · Photography

King’s Lynn Custom House

This attractive old building is the Custom House in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. It dates all the way back to 1683 where it was originally a merchant’s exchange. It took on the role of Custom House in the 1700s and continued to do so through to 1989. The bottom of the building used to be an open arcade serving as a meeting place for merchants, the upper part of the building supported by supported by columns, but the arches have since been filled in, and the columns replaced by masonry.

Custom's House

Zeiss Mess-Ikonta 524/16 & Kodak Tri-X. Adox Rodinal 1+50 13mins @ 20°

Taken on 19 September 2024

Digital · Photography

Salvation Army citadel

Another cheeky digital picture today – mostly because I’ve been out at the cinema* and don’t have time to write about the pictures I’d originally intended..

This is the somewhat derelict former Salvation Army citadel in Sheffield city centre. There has been some sort of legal wrangling over the use of the building for years now, all while the building slips into further disrepair. This is a shame as it’s a handsome looking building, something that the city should cherish. I hope it can be repurposed to some good use while maintaining the beautiful architecture.

* to see The Substance, which was gruesome fun.

Salvation Army citadel

Ricoh GR III

Taken 16 August 2024.

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Huddersfield library and art gallery

Another set of pictures taken while wandering around Huddersfield town centre with my wife back in April. This impressive structure is the library and art gallery. It’s currently closed for redevelopment, with the facilities moved to temporary locations before the building reopens to the public next year.

The grade II listed building was originally opened to the public in 1940.

Huddersfield Library and Art Gallery
Library and Art Gallery
Sat outside the library

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+ (@800asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°

Taken on 20 April 2024