Yashica Mat 124G & Fujichrome Provia 100. Lab developed and home scanned on an Epson V850.
Taken on 30 March 2025
Jade’s Ice-cream Parlour
Tag: Fence
Oddballs
I was going to write more about photography stuff today but, just as I sat at the computer, one of the fence panels on the back garden blew over. It’s not really windy, but a stray hazelnut tree has sprouted behind the panel and has grown over the past few years. The wind on it’s leaves is pushing the branches against the fence and applying extra force.
I’ve fashioned a very makeshift repair (I’ll be surprised if it lasts the night) and also cut a few of the tree’s branches back which will hopefully help. I think I need to cut the tree back more though and also find a more permanent repair for the fence panel.
Anyway… Here’s a crazy golf hut that I photographed a few months back.
Yashica Mat 124G & Fujichrome Provia 100. Lab developed and home scanned on an Epson V850.
Taken on 30 March 2025
Fencepost climbing frame and a new scanner
I went for a long drive (for me, at least) today. I had the opportunity to buy an Epson V850 Pro scanner for a very good price and, rather than have it shipped, I agreed with the seller to meet up and collect in person. As he lives right down on the south coast, and I’m in Yorkshire, halfway up the country, we met at a service station in Oxfordshire, which was a little over 2 hours each way for me. I took the opportunity to listen to podcasts during the journey, and the time passed quickly as a result.
The scanner is now set up and will replace the Epson V700 I’ve used for the last few years. The V700 is still in full working order but, given the recent news that Epson may be cutting manufacture of it’s film scanners, I decided to future-proof myself with a more recent model.
I’ve already scanned a roll of 120 film this afternoon to put it through it’s paces and the results are good. One thing I’m not sure about are the film holders that come with the V850. These have anti-newton inserts to hold the film flat, which is a good thing, I thought. However, what it also means is that it’s quite easy for dust to get between the film and the inserts where it can’t be removed with an air blower, resulting in marks on the scan. I guess I could be extra cautious to remove any dust each time, but this is some extra faff I’d rather avoid (I don’t really have issues with dust when scanning with other methods). Luckily, the V700 film holders can also be used with the V850, so I think I will keep hold of those and use them instead (unless I get a particularly curly strip of negatives!).
Today’s picture was scanned on the V700 a couple of months back. A fencepost gradually being colonised by ivy. You can already see the hopeful feelers reaching out for the next piece of real estate.
Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Tri-X. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°
Taken on 28 December 2024
A bike on the prom
There’s something about a bicycle, especially one propped against a fence, that seems to attract my eye. I don’t think I’m alone in this, and there are countless photographs of bicycles, both ridden and riderless to be found. I wonder if anyone has put down in words why they are a popular subject?
My own theory is that they make for a pleasing combination of geometric forms, a combination of circles, triangles and other polygonal shapes. They also make for interesting subject matter whether seen in full, or as detail – a wheel, a saddle, a chain for instance – and different points of view give even more variety – from the side, from the front, from above.
And once other factors are added to the mix there’s an almost limitless variety of pictures to be found. Every change of light, of type, of surroundings brings more into play.
The shot below is pretty simple. A bike leaning on a fence with the North Sea behind. I like the contrast of the dark bike against the bright railings. I also like the little incidental details caught by the shutter – the couple in the sea, the distant boat, and the kite that has fluttered into the edge of the frame.
Olympus OM-10 & G.Zuiko 35mm f/2.8 on Ilford FP4+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 10mins.
Taken on 2 August 2024
Beach huts
Today was the day I picked for my annual pilgrimage to Mablethorpe on the Lincolnshire coast. Although the weather forecast stated good weather for the location, it was drizzly, grey and even foggy for much of the 80-odd mile journey there, only brightening up after I crossed the Wolds to the coastal area. By the time I arrived it was a beautiful day with nary a cloud in the sky. Although, being a photographer, a few clouds to give the skies some interest wouldn’t have gone amiss. 🙂
Normally I tend to stay in Mablethorpe itself during these day trips, but today I set off early so that I could walk down the coastal path to Sutton-on-Sea, where I shot the picture below.
I shot four rolls of B&W film (using the GW690, so 32 shots in total), but none of those are developed or scanned yet. So in the meantime, here’s a digital photo from the outing.
Ricoh GR III
Taken 21 September 2024
Girl on a wall
Nikon F80, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 11 May 2024
Washlands when wet
One of the interesting features about Woodhouse Washlands is how it can change noticeable when flooded. As it’s a floodplain (with a flood barrier at the northern end to boot), this is to be expected and, to be honest, it becomes somewhat challenging to navigate without getting wet and muddy in these circumstances. It does allow for different photographs to be found though. What were previously just grassy fields, now become ponds.
Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Tri-X. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°
Taken on 3 March 2024
Writer’s block
I’ve been struggling to find things to write the past week or so. Or, in some cases, I’ve had something to write, but not the time to do so. Either way, a lot of my posts of late have been pretty short. This has happened before (and my posts are rarely particularly verbose anyway), so I expect the situation will self-correct at some point. I guess it’s just a side-effect of daily posting.
Anyway, today is not really any different, so here’s a picture of a tree for no reason at all. 🙂
Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 11 February 2024
Fence posts and pylons
This landscape shot, taken on a walk along the Cuckoo Way a couple of months back, turned out pretty nicely, I think. The pylons and the concrete fence posts (no actual fence though) belie the area’s industrial heritage, but that’s fine. I think the concrete posts work as well as weathered wooden ones would, and I’ve always got room in a photo for a pylon or two. 🙂
Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 27 January 2024
A short post
Sunday has become the day where I write up my thoughts on the album I’ve been listening to this week on my other blog. As those tend to be much more wordy affairs than what I post each day about photography, Sunday’s posts here are likely to be somewhat short.
I can say, even though I’ve not written how I feel about this week’s album yet (Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden), that it’s a great piece of music.
Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Tri-X. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°
Taken on 11 February 2024
Steel City Snapper photography 