I know that some people do “fence Friday” where they publish pictures of fences on, as you might have guessed, Fridays. It’s not something I’ve really felt inclined to do, although I think I was member of a couple of Flickr groups for such themes in the past. Anyway, limited to my blog, and probably for today only, it’s “fence Saturday”. 🙂
The fence in the picture is atop the bridge that I shared a photo of yesterday. It’s a fairly new fence that I think was installed not long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and I’ve wondered if there were plans to expand the network of footpaths in this area, with the top of the brige included. I suppose it could just be a health-and-safety thing though.
Wooden fence atop A brick-built bridge from times past Perhaps a new route?
The current COVID-19 lockdown has once again restricted movement considerably. While I believe that short car journeys for the purpose of exercise are permitted (or at least tolerated – given the large number of cars I see parked close to the entrances of the nearby country park), I’ve been sticking to going only to places I can reach on foot. Given enough time, I could venture to a good number of places withing walking distance, although time isn’t always in ready supply due to work and other commitments, so I’ve mostly been staying within a mile or two of home.
The aforementioned country park and the surrounding areas still provide quite a lot of ground to cover though, and while exercise is the primary reason for going out, I’m still carrying a camera with me on these outings – well, with the exception of when I run as part of my C25K plan as, at this stage at least, I have neither the time not desire to make photos while attempting to jog! On days where I just go for a walk though, there is greater opportunity to grab photos.
I tend to find my local area quite uninspiring where photography is concerned, partly due to overfamiliarity, and also because the country park iteself feels a little bland and man-made in a way that open countryside doesn’t (even that land used for various other human activities such as farming or forrestry). However, in these times, “needs-must” takes the forefront and I will have to make do with what I can find. And what I’ve found is that some parts of my over-familiar local area are a lot less familiar than I previously thought, and a walk a few days ago opened up some locations that are full of potential due to my not having fully explored them before.
Even the places I’ve trod many times previously have promise though, and today’s shot is of nothing more extravagant than a tree-trunk stood beside the Trans-Pennine Trail. The section of the trail in question is oft-travelled by walkers, runners, cyclists and dog-walkers, especially at the weekend or in nice weather. Busy locations such as this tend to make me uncomfortable when making photos – I prefer solitude so I can take my time without getting in anyone’s way – but. again, “needs-must” and I shot most of a roll of film while out walking for an hour.
As with many of the photos I make taken in this former coal-mining area, there are signs of industry in one form or another, and in the case of today’s image, it’s the metal fence behind the tree, which prevents access to the railway line ten or fifteen yards beyond. I quite like the fence here though, despite it’s metal utilitarianism. It sets the scene of the place.
Upright spikes of steel Stand guard against trespass On train-tracks beyond
I hope nobody is getting bored of mist yet? There are still more to come – some of them in colour! 🙂
I think the lone tussock of grass in this helps the shot a lot. It would still have had a pleasant abstract nature without, but it being there in the foreground anchors the image.
Apologies for the somewhat short posts this week. I’ve had some other things to keep me occupied so not enough time unfortunately.
Back to the black and white stuff (at least for a roll). While taking a walk on the wetlands beside the River Rother not far from home (luckily, Sheffield is a very hilly city, so we’re in no danger of flooding where our house is) I spotted this lone can of Nourishment left atop a fencepost close to the road where I’d parked. I’ve never drank the stuff myself, but I believe it’s some sort of sugary milkshake thing – not sure just how nourishing it is exactly…
I liked how the lone can looked though and made my first shot of the roll.
I’ve shot several rolls of film through my Olympus OM-2n now and, overall, I’ve been very happy with the results. I have noticed though, on a number of frames, what appears to be a light leak. It normally appears as a slightly brighter column of light at the right side of the frame, although it only appears on an occasional basis. I’ve also only noticed it when shooting black and white film. It’s possible, I suppose, that the leak is minor and it’s the greater sensitivity of the 400asa film that is allowing it to manifest – it hasn’t, as far as I can see, appeared at all on the rolls of 100asa and 200asa colour film that I’ve shot with the camera.
I’ve looked at the camera and it has seals fitted in the slots where the back closes into the body, but there was a mssing seal where the hinge is, so I’ve replaced that (and also added a little extra bit of seal into the slots in a place where it looked a little thin). I’ve yet to shoot another roll since doing this but hopefully it will resolve the problem.
Today’s photo is possibly affected by the same issue, albeit to a much larger degree than the others. There’s noticeable flaring at the top of the frame, perhaps enhanced by the leak – although much of it is probably down to the bright sunshine that was burning through the morning mist – I had to shoot towards the light to get the illumination on the cobweb. Whatever the fact, in this case I think it makes for a better photograph.
These three shots will probably mark the end of my North Leverton windmill photos for now. I still have a few more, but they’re quite similar to what I’ve already shown, so will probably stay in the archive for now.
I think these three are pretty nice pictures though (despite the over-developing problems) and the last of the trio is maybe my favourite of all the photographs I made at the location.
I sometimes wonder at the purpose of these windows placed in the barriers that surround construction projects. Is there a specific purpose for them? Or are they there, as might seem obvious, to allow passers by to have a nosey at what’s taking place on the other side of the fence?
It seems that the obvious reason in this case is the actual reason. The windows are there for public engagement to allow them to see what’s happening on the construction site from behind the safety of a barrier.
I’m not sure that I would want someone to have a little window to peep in on me doing my work whenever they felt like it. Then again, my work is likely far less interesting to the average passer by. Perhaps I should buy an excavator…
I’ve often wondered what the purpose is (if any) of this short section of fence that extends a few feet into the lake. There’s a gap on the shore (with the remains of a latch where a gate presumably once stood) so it serves no purpose in preventing passage. I guess it could be a holdover from before the lake was there (when it used to be a quarry) and was never removed when it was filled with water and the country park developed.
Whatever the case, it makes a nice subject for the occasional photograph.
Back to work today after four days off. No photography stuff today other than a bit of scanning.
The coronavirus situation in the country continues to apall with the shameless incompetence and double-standards at play in our so-called government. Apologies for mistakes are not a sign of weakness, they are a sign of strength. Respect is earned by those who accept and learn from their errors, not by those who obfuscate and pass the blame, no matter whether I support their broader views or not.
I wonder how long deceit, failure to accept responsibility and lack of accountability can last until something has to give? Sadly, I suspect a long time. There’s a tribalism in politics that has grown in recent years where groups of people hitch their allegiance to one wagon or another and refuse to get off, no matter the road it takes. It’s a terrible “us and them” situation that fosters the worst in people. I despair of it.
Anyway, this is a photography blog, not some political rant, so here’re some flowers.
I got up early this morning for a pre-work walk. The weather has turned nice again, although at the time I went out it was quite chilly and at points on my route there was frost on the ground in shaded areas. I decided to take the Bronica ETRSi with me in case there was something worth photographing as the camera has a part-used roll of Fomapan 100 loaded and I though I might grab a few more frames as I walked.
I took a few shots – one of the local signal box, one of some wildflowers beside a tree, and then some dew-coated cobwebs in the vegetation next to the river. After taking this last shot I checked the frame counter to see how many shots remained and was surprised to see that it still said 5, the same number that had been displayed when I set out on my walk.
Puzzlement, and concern that there was some problem or fault causing this quickly turned to realisation as to the true cause of the issue.
A couple of days ago I’d used the camera to make a still-life of some ornamental fruit that we have in a display bowl in the kitchen. As the light was dim in the kitchen, and as the film is quite slow at 100asa, I’d mounted the camera on a tripod, inserted a shutter-release cable, and then locked up the mirror before taking the shot. Or so I thought. What I’d actually done is switched off the camera’s multiple-exposure protection. The switches for this and mirror lock-up look practically identical and sit next to each other on the side of the camera body, and I’d obviously forgotten which was which.
So, as a result of my mistake, I now have a frame that has (I think) four shots exposed upon it. Maybe it will reveal some sort of wonderful happy accident, but I’m not going to get my hopes up.
After rectifying the situation I managed to grab a couple of extra shots on the remainder of my walk, although I suspect the better ones are on the ruined frame.
Today’s photo is from my trip to Magpie Mine in March. It has little to do with the content of today’s post, but was shot on a roll of the same film.
Steel City Snapper photography 