Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
I think, when I took this picture, I’d intended for there to be some seperation between the two figures. However, as I was using the waist-level finder on the camera when I took this (hey, it’s still a novelty, ok? 🙂 ) I didn’t quite manage it. Nonetheless I quite like the way that it looks like their faces are touching in the shot. The light was gorgeous too – gotta make the most of a sunny day in the wintertime!
Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.
Taken on 8 February 2020
I’m pretty happy with the way this photo turned out. I noticed the shaft of sunlight in the underpass and decided to wait for a figure to pass through it. I used the Sure Shot Ace’s waist-level finder so I’m very pleased that I managed to time it so the figures are illuminated by the sunshine, but their heads are in shade and framed against the sunlit wall at the far end.
Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.
Taken on 8 February 2020
Eek! I almost forgot to post something today – for some reason I thought I’d uploaded something earlier. I’m clearly losing it! Still, I caught it in the nick of time.
Here’s a photo I took because I liked the way the sun cast shadows of the writing on the windows all across the furniture in the store.
Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.
Taken on 8 February 2020
This is a photo I’d forgotten I’d taken until I scanned the negatives. I think it was the sunlit buildings reflected in the glass that attracted me and I completely missed the stain on the ledge at the time. I’m not sure why, but I don’t think the photo would work half as well without the stain.
Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.
Taken on 8 February 2020
Another couple of photographs from the Sure Shot Ace – the top and bottom of a block of flats close to the city centre.
I started scanning this roll yesterday and, after a couple of strips, I was a little disappointed – a lot of the images looked distinctly soft. While the camera is otherwise basic, the remote trigger and – especially – the waist-level finder are useful and unusual features for a camera of this type, so for it to have a poor lens would be a disappointment.
However, to my pleasure, after scanning another couple of strips the results from those frames are much sharper. I’m thinking that the earlier results were down to user error or my overloading the AF system by shooting into the light (the camera flares badly if this is done, at least from the few shots I took in this way).
I don’t think it’s quite as sharp as the other Sure Shot models I’ve used, but it’s not bad and I will certainly be using it again.
Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.
Taken on 8 February 2020
A street shot from the first roll I’ve put through the Canon Sure Shot Ace that I picked up recently. It’s a curious camera – a very basic point and shoot, but with the addition of a waist-level finder AND a detachable shutter remote. I may do a review at some point when I’ve figured it out a bit.
Canon Sure Shot Ace & Ilford Delta 400.
Taken on 8 February 2020
A short distance south from Haggler’s Corner (see yesterday’s post) is a short row of businesses, only one of which remains trading – a wooden staircase manufacturer and supplier called Heeley Stairparts. Alas, this too is soon to close its doors. The reason for this is that there is a plan to widen Queen’s Road at this point, meaning that this row of buildings needs to be demolished.
I discovered this when a lady across the street from me noticed me taking photographs and asked what I was doing. As the road here is very busy, I couldn’t make out what she was saying so crossed the road once the way was clear. It turned out that she was the owner of the staircase business and thought I was from the council – she’d heard that the council sometime photograph buildings that are due for demolition (I have no idea if this is the case or not).
I quickly reasured her that I wasn’t there in any official capacity and had just been attracted by the low sunlight on the buildings (although these shots are B&W, the storefront is a light green colour that was glowing in the light), and we chatted for awhile about the reasons for the demolition and how it was a shame that so many older buildings in the city are torn down for re-development rather than being repaired and restored.
I’m not a stick-in-the-mud who opposes all new development – far from it in fact – and understand that sometimes buildings pass their useful lifespan, or are simply unsuitable for restoration, and this row of shops doesn’t stand out for any particular reason amongst others in the city – apart from than the staircase store, the other buildings seemed pretty run down. Nevertheless it’s a shame that the woman’s business is going to disappear and I wish her well in her future endeavours.
Pentax Espio 140M & Kentmere 400.
Taken on 18 January 2020
Hagglers Corner is a multi-functional space just on the outskirts of Sheffield city centre. It hosts live music and other events, has a cafe, a shop and provides spaces for local makers of things. I didn’t get chance to go in on the outing, but will try and make sure I give myself time to do so next time I pass.
Although this picture doesn’t really indicate so, Queen’s Road is a busy thoroughfare, being one of the main arteries into and out of the city centre. I managed to find a brief spell with a gap in the traffic to take my photo that emphasises the road leading into shot (and the zig-zag road markings denoting the Pelican Crossing.
The two towers above the roof of Haggler’s Corner are minarets belonging to the Madina Masjid that sits a short distance beyond.
Pentax Espio 140M & Kentmere 400.
Taken on 18 January 2020
Last year, Postcard Cafe, a blog I follow, posted a number of pieces featuring photographs made on train journeys. The first of these I came across was a post titled “Jumping someone else’s train” and I commented on their post how I liked the idea and that I might borrow it at some point.
Today’s post is the first attempt at doing something along similar lines (badum-tish!).
If I’m to be critical, then Postcard Cafe’s posts are much better than my attempt here, but I’ll admit to making life more difficult for myself by a) using a compact film camera that struggled with camera shake, and b) attempting to fit picture making in around some work I had to do on the train, thereby probably missing some opportunities (plus I had a window-frame next to my seat, which limited my field of view somewhat too). Anyway, enough with my excuses and on to the photos.
For the purposes of this post, I’ve limited my photos to ones taken station-to-station. I shall also leave them without narrative, and just let them tell whatever story you see fit to make up. They are in chronological order though, both outbound and homeward.
Pentax Espio 140M & Kentmere 400.
Taken on 15 January 2020
Another shot featuring reflections (albeit, mostly of the sky in this one) making up a trio of posts over the last three days. I like the ambiguity of this shot, it making it look like the faceless person walking away has forgotten or abandoned their bags.
One thing this roll shot with the little Pentax Espio has taught me, is that the camera falls back on slow shutter speeds very quickly in low light. Several shots on the roll were largely spoiled because of subsequent camera shake (although in some cases, the motion blur has added a great sence of movement to the images too). This said, I have used it in dim light before without any noteable camera shake, so I wonder if it’s somehow mis-read the Kentmere’s DX coding (or maybe it’s just faulty)? Where I’ve used the camera in sunny conditions, it’s a capable little performer though, so I shall bear that in mind for future reference.
Pentax Espio 140M & Kentmere 400.
Taken on 15 January 2020
