Pandemic scenes #7

May 30, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

One of the significant changes due to the UK lockdown was the closure of non-essential retail. The local shopping mall, which has a large selection of stores, including big-name reatil outlets, a market hall, and a variety of other independent traders, has been largely shut down as a result. The two photographs posted today were made while queueing to get into Wilkinsons, a store permitted to open during lockdown. I think I went in to buy some anti-viral disinfectant wipes.

As the store was operating the now-familiar system of only allowing a limited number of customers inside at any one time, the queue stretched past a number of other, closed, shops, including ToyTown, where a large plastic knight seemed to be guarding against unwanted intruders.

Once inside Wilkinsons, my route through the store took me down the confectionery aisle, where I noticed the locked down pick’n’mix sweets and made the second picture.

These photographs were made almost six weeks ago now and the UK government have announced that non-essential retail can re-open for business (with social distancing precautions in place) on 15 June. Some members of the government’s own advisory council, SAGE, have warned against this (and other loosening of restrictions). The country is still recording 8,000 new infections each day and the R number is hovering perilously close to 1 (if it goes above this it indicates that each infected person is passing on the disease to more than one other person, which means the numbers of infected will increase). My fear is that the loosening of measures is premature and being done for political reasons, not public health, and that we could very well be paying the price for it before long.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8 mins @ 20°.

Taken on 19 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Sunlight on a closet door

May 29, 2020 fishyfisharcade4 Comments

It’s going to be one of those “Single Image” days today which, in my case, means I’m tired after being at work all week and don’t want to write much. 🙂

So here are some shafts of evening sunlight falling on the closet door.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8 mins @ 20°.

Taken on 19 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Springtime churchyard

May 28, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Following on from yesterday’s photograph of the barred church entrance, here are a couple of photos of the churchyard itself.

The light was very nice on the day these were taken and the blossom on the trees glowed in the sunshine. It was an occasion where I really wished I had a roll of nice colour film in the camera. I had Ilford Delta 400 though, so the colours will have to remain in your minds eye.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8 mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Pandemic scenes #6

May 27, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This photo was actually taken around six weeks ago but the church still remains closed. Like so many other places, there is the now familiar A4 printed sign on the door alerting visitors to the reasons for closure.

Although the UK government is pressing ahead with removing the restrictions imposed undel lockdown (with an announcement that non-essential retail will be allowed to re-open in the middle of June) there is no information yet on the status of venues that allow people to gather.

The church is not a place I visit often and I don’t think I’ve been inside since my children were at middle school and performed a nativity or harvest festival or somesuch in there. I do enjoy visiting churches though and very much admire the architecture, furnishings, artworks and sense of history that they evoke. This church, The Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Beighton dates back to the 12th century.

A little over ten years ago the pews were removed from the building and replaced with modern seating (and a toilet and kitched were installed). While this gives a great deal more flexibility to the building and means it can be used for a variety of purposes beyond services, it does make it far less interesting inside than it used to be.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8 mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Routine stuff

April 24, 2020 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

A long day at work today so we decided to have takeaway for tea – the plan was to get pizzas delivered, but the local pizza shop has closed for the time being apparently, so I ended up going out for fish and chips. Because of social distancing, the queue stretched from the doorway of the shop (where the staff are taking payment and handing over your order) right around the corner with everyone spaced out at sensible intervals. I was stood queueing for at least twenty minutes.

After eating, I had just enought time to clear away my film developing stuff (I developed a roll of HP5+ at lunchtime and after washing the equipment, I left it to dry on the sink drainer), and then grab a quick shower before calling our eldest, who lives in a different part of the country now.

Apologies that this is somewhat concise, but I’m tired and want to just hit the sofa and veg out. 🙂

Today’s picture is of a corner house that I passed while out exercising a week or so back. It’s a bit of a mundane scen, but the way it was lit and arranged called out to me, so I made a photograph.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400 – Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins

Taken on 12 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Passing the signal box again

April 23, 2020April 24, 2020 fishyfisharcade11 Comments

When your movements are limited, as they are during the coronavirus lock-down, you find yourself passing the same places more often than you usually would.

While there are undoubtedly plenty of alternative routes I can take while out exercising, even giving the restricted radius I can stay within on foot, I’ve found myself passing the signal box and level crossing at Beighton Station a number of times in the past week or two. It was only a little over a month ago that I last posted a photograph of the same location in fact.

Perhaps this weekend, when I’ll hopefully have a little more time to spare, I might allow myself a longer walk and venture someplace different for a change.

Today marked the first time that I’ve loaded a roll of 120 film into my developing tank. Mt previous experience consists only of the tow 35mm rolls I’ve loaded and developed (and a few tests with a sacrificial 35mm roll). While both of those produced successful outcomes (today’s photos amongst them), loading the film onto the spirals was not straightforward, with both rolls requiring several attempts in the changing bag.

With that in mind, I was expecting the roll of 120 HP5+ to be a bit of a headache given its broader width and potential to flex more, but I needn’t have worried. It loaded easily and the whole task took me about 5 minutes from putting my hands in the bag. Of course I’ve yet to develop the film, so I maybe shouldn’t count my chickens just yet, but all being well, I’m pretty happy with how it went.

I’ve also changed the blog theme today. I think the new one has slightly larger images as standard, which is good. I’ll see how it goes though, and I might change it back if I decide I’m not keen.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400 – Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins

Taken on 12 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Pandemic scenes #4

April 22, 2020April 24, 2020 fishyfisharcade1 Comment

One of the things I’ve heard mentioned on more than one occasion since this whole thing started – and particularly since the lock-down began – is that this feels like something from an apocalyptic movie.

In many regards though, things are much the same as normal – especially for someone like myself, who worked from home before this started anyway – the spring weather is nice, the air is clear and, if you venture outside, every day feels like you’ve gotten up early before anyone else is out and about, such is the reduction in traffic and pedestrains. It’s quite pleasant really.

And then you see the signs.

Affixed to cemetery gates, and on the noticeboard at the local park.

“STAY AT HOME” they proclaim. Adherence is a requirement to “protect the NHS and save lives”.

And the seriousness of the situation is re-cemented in the forefront of your mind.

Stay safe and keep well everyone.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400 – Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins

Taken on 11 & 12 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Standard

April 21, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I’ve taken a LOT more images around the house since the lock-down began. Some work, some don’t – and I’ve got a whole bunch of colour shots that haven’t even been sent for developing yet, so who knows how those will turn out? Hopefully not too far from how I envisaged them through the viewfinder but, again, who knows? I’ll just have to wait and see.

Today’s photo of the standard lamp is one of three I made one evening a couple of weeks back when the urge came upon me. The effects of the lamps in the living room on various ornaments and parts of the room appealed. Sadly, the Sure Shot that was loaded with film at the time perhaps wasn’t the right tool for the job – even mounted on a tripod and using the self-timer, it struggled to make focus on two of the images. I’ve included both of those here too – they’re out-of-focus but hopefully you can see my intent (plus, despite the focus being out, I do kinda like the shot of the aerial socket and the cable shadows).

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400 – Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins

Taken on 4 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Abandoned bridge

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 fishyfisharcade10 Comments

The area close to where I live was once occupied by coal mining. The local colliery – Brookhouse Colliery – closed for good in 1985. While the colliery land has been re-purposed in the intervening years – much of it as a country park with large lakes where opencast workings once were – there is still plentiful evidence for it’s industrial past.

In the area around the Trans-Pennine trail there is a network of railway lines, one still active for passenger and goods use, but the others now disused with the tracks and the other equipment removed. Their presence can be felt in the various cuttings and bridges that still remain though.

Today’s images are of one of the surviving bridges – this one crossing the River Rother. Once, while exploring the surrounding area, I found myself atop this bridge and walked its length – a process that became significantly hastier when I noticed holes in the metal beneath my feet! I’ve not been atop the bridge since then, but there is a footpath that runs beneath it beside the river, which is where these were taken.

Canon Sure Shot Telemax & Ilford Delta 400 – Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins

Taken on 4 April 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Pandemic scenes #3

April 19, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The majority of the hospitality industry in the UK has now closed. After a period where the government advised people to avoid socialising in groups and that they shouldn’t go to pubs -something that caused dismay to the owners and operators of the establishments as, apparently, without a formal government order for them to cease business, they were inelligible to make claims against their insurance policies that would pay out necause they were unable to trade because of the situation – the government formally ordered their closure.

A number of pubs in my local area (although I suspect it to be a widespread thing across the nation) placed messages of support to NHS and other key-workers on their notice-boards when the closed. Today’s photo depicts one of these messages.

During the lock-down, with significantly less opportunity to go out, I’ve started to make progress on enjoying the large (and continually growing) stack of photo books that I’ve bought. Today I chose one of the books further down the pile that must have been there for a significant amount of time now: Portraits of America, by William Albert Allard. The book contains images from his National Geographic work in the US. I’ve only looked at the first set of images so far: a series on the Amish shot back in the 1960s, but the photographs are beautiful and I’m looking forward to enjoying the rest of the book.