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

Rural transport and the making of memories

May 5, 2020May 6, 2020 fishyfisharcade4 Comments

Yep, it’s a bus stop. It’s quite a nice stone-built one though, and it’s in a beautiful location.

This is one of those photos that I like without it being of a traditionally photogenic subject. A bus stop is mundane, but this one looks like some sort of miniature bothy sat on a wide grass verge beside a country road.

I like the way the telephone wires lead out of the scene to destinations unknown.

I like the white laundry blowing on the washing line as it reminds me of the freshness in the air on the day I made the photograph.

I sometimes wonder how much a photograph engages it’s creator because it triggers memories? For other people, the stories need to be created. For me it brings the day I visited this place back to the front of my mind, and reminds me of the other things that happened on the day: How I was cross that it was cloudy on the morning I left the house, despite the weather forecast promising otherwise; how my mood lightened as the sun began to break through the cloud cover; remembering a long-ago school trip to one of the villages I passed; thinking my little car might struggle to carry my weight up a very steep hill; how myself and another walker struggled to follow the footpath (and he climbed a dry-stone wall and nearly did himself an injury on some barbed wire; how a man videoing Magpie Mine asked me if I would let him record my thoughts (I did); waiting ten minutes for clouds to move across the sky and balance out one of my compositions…

Maybe not a thousand words, but it’s not the half of what this picture says to me either.

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 16 March 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

The size of a tree

May 4, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I took these two photographs on my way back to the car after visiting Magpie Mine back in March. The light in the village here was lovely and I finished the roll of Delta 400 that was in my (somewhat tempremental – it sometimes decides that it’s won’t fire, until suddenly springing back into life a few minutes later) Sure Shot Supreme making photographs of some of the scenes.

I didn’t really pay heed at the time, but on seeing the scan of this first image it really brought home to me just how big trees can grow in comparison with their surroundings. This one towers above the house it stands beside and I wonder which of the two came first?

It’s not really a tall tree in the scheme of things either, there are much larger ones to be found – including true titans such as the giant sequoia’s that grow in the western US. I think that this one is a sycamore (judging by the texture of the bark at least), but it’s very possible that I’m wrong. There was a time when I was younger that, in true boy-scout fashion, I could readily identify a whole range of trees from their shapes, leaves, fruit, bark etc., but it’s a skill that has faded over time. I still know the obvious ones – oaks, chestnuts, maples – and I would recognise sycamores from their leaves and seeds – but I’m not sure I’d know an ash from a birch these days without looking it up. I have a book of British flora and fauna, so maybe I’ll see if I can refresh my knowledge.

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 16 March 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Developing, scanning and remembering a trip in the countryside

May 3, 2020 fishyfisharcade10 Comments

I’ve remained mostly housebound today, with the exception of a quick trip to the local shops for some food and other essentials – and as my wife was with me, that was in the car rather than walking it there as I usually do these days. I was amused to see that the car parked beside ours had been converted into an “RV”. I’ve seen plenty of vans that have been converted, but this was a family estate car that had a cooker, cupboard and fridge, along with electrical sockets fitted in the rear. It looked like a fairly professional job had been done, but I can only image the amount of back-twisting maneouvering that would be required to carry out tasks in a space maybe three feet wide by three feet high!

I spent the rest of the day doing some other film-related tasks.

Firstly, developing a roll of Delta 400 that I finished shooting about a week ago. The process went smoothly and the negatives look good (although I haven’t scanned them yet). Some of them do look like they have noticeable dust on them though, which hasn’t happened before, so I might have issues when I do get around to scanning them.

I also scanned a roll of Fomapan 100 that I shot during my trip to Magpie Mine a little while before the country entered lockdown. The shots on that roll look quite nice, and I will post some here later in the week. The camera I used for the roll, my Yashica Mat 124G, has developed some haze on the taking lens and is currently away for a service, but the shots on this roll aren’t, for the most part, showing any signs that they’ve been affected.

Today’s photo was taken on the same day as visiting the mine as I walked back to where I’d parked my car.

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 16 March 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

The birth of a thought-bubble

May 2, 2020 fishyfisharcade4 Comments

The house needed it’s top-to-bottom celan today so the morning was taken up with that uninviting task. After that was done, I needed to mow the grass. Then, as it’s been a nice day today, I decided that I would go on a walk after completion of the morning’s chores. After being in a poor frame of mind when making photos while out on a walk a couple of days ago, I was hopeful that I might feel a little more inspired today. I think that one of the reasons for trying to make more pictures was that I could then develop the roll this weekend – I already have a roll of Delta 400 sat waiting and was thinking about getting them both processed at the same time. I’m not sure if this impatience is necessarily the best reason to try and shoot photographs…

As the weather was nice, and as it’s the weekend, there were quite a lot of people out, so it was a case of playing 2020’s no.1 game – Social Distancing. I kinda feel I’m trapped, Tron-style, in a game of Pac-Man. Except instead of avoiding ghosts, I’m trying to not collide with or get too close to any other humans. I wonder how many extra miles I’m walking as a result of all the times I cross the street to avoid oncoming people? Probably not many…

Anyway, my walk took me on a slightly different route and onto some heathland that I’ve not visited many times in the past. It didn’t offer much in the way of readily-available photographic opportunities unfortunately, but I’ve got some photographs of wildflowers, fenceposts and, er, barbed wire on the roll. Maybe they will look nice when I develop them…

I finished the film on my walk. I was slightly surprised when it ended at around frame #34, so that might be something else to look out for when I see the negatives. I don’t think I mis-loaded it, so I don’t know why it reached the end a couple of frames early.

My route home took me through Rother Valley – somewhere I’ve mostly been avoiding for fear of higher numbers of people enjoying the park. The weather and weekend meant that my fears were confirmed and there were a signigicant number of people there. Not as many as might be expected in normal times, and not so many that it wasn’t easy to avoid close proximity, but I’ll definitely avoid the place in future unless the weather is foul, or I go very early.

Before writing this post, I decided to load my film into the developing tank, ready to sort out tomorrow. My plan had been to develop two rolls of B&W 35mm together but, after getting the first roll (the Delta 400) onto the spiral and into the tank, I had a sudden thought that I best check the times for both rolls. I’d gotten it into my head that Delta and HP5+ have the same dev times, but was now doubting myself so, after making sure the first roll was safely light-sealed in the tank, I removed my arms from the changing bag and checked Massive Dev Chart. This was the right thing to do as HP5+ needs and extra minute over the Delta. Phew!

It’ll now mean two seperate developing sessions (plus all the boring cleaning up that is necessary afterwards – I’m making sure everything is thoroughly washed and dried after I’ve finished to ensure I don’t run into difficultie in future due to badly cared for equipment), but I’m in no great rush. I think I’ll wait until next weekend to develop the second roll now.

I thought today’s picure befitted the post as, thanks to the positioning of the lights in the store where the strange “Superman in drag” mannequin was stood, it looks like it’s in the process of forming a thought-bubble, with the though about to pop into view. Maybe that thought is “Do Delta 400 and HP5+ have the same dev times?” 🙂

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 14 March 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Making photos in the wrong frame of mind

May 1, 2020June 2, 2020 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

Yesterday evening, after I finished work and had something to eat, I decided to go for a walk. Despite dry weather throughout the day, it had begun raining shortly before and, for a while, I thought I might have to put the walk off for the day. I don’t mind walking in the rain, but this would have soaked me through.

Looking to the west though, from where the clouds aere approaching, the sky was brighter, so I took the decision that the shower would soon abate and so went to put on my coat and walking boots. By the time I was ready to leave the house the rain had all but stopped.

I’ve not walked around the nearby Rother Valley Country Park since before the lock-down took place, mostly because I expect it to act as a magnet for joggers, cyclists and other people taking their allowed exercise. Yesterday, however, I thought the rain might have put people off and that it would be mostly free of people.

I planned out a route in my head that would take me along the main lake, past the smaller lake, then over a footbridge across the river. The path here would follow the river, then cross back over where it met the railway. Frome there I could use the footbridges across the railway tracks and head back into the houses and back home. A distance of around 2.5 miles.

I took my Pentax P30T fitted with a Rikkenon 50mm f/2. This aperture priority SLR is compact and light, and would do the job for any opportunistic photos that might present themselves during the walk. I made a number of pictures while out, but I began to realise that I wasn’t really feeling it and that the images were for the sake of it, rather than from my seeing something that might make a good photo. I may yet surprise myself, but at present I’m expecting these to be lacklustre photos when I finish the roll and develop them. Hopefully my next opportunity to grab a few pictures will see me in a more inspired frame of mind. Nontheless, if any of yesterdays photos have merit, I’ll post them here when I’ve developed the roll.

While I can’t in any honesty say that the lockdown is particulalrly taxing for me and my family at present, five weeks in and I’m really craving the ability to just go somewhere different, or at least to be able to go out for the sheer pleasure of it rather than the focus being primarily on getting some exercise.

Today’s photograph is of some boats and barges moored up on the River Calder close to The Hepworth. It’s a slightly odd composition – mostly because it was the only location and angle I could use to make the shot.

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 14 March 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Outside The Hepworth

April 30, 2020April 30, 2020 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

I think I’m suffering from pandemic-induced weight-gain. I spent the first few months of the year cutting back on what I eat and had lost about 15lbs in weight before the lock-down was enforced. I’ve now seen my weight slowly creep back up and it’s now increased by maybe 4lbs.

My lifestyle hasn’t changed significantly since the introduction of the lock-down and, if anything, I’ve been going out for regular walks more frequently than before (although longer hikes have been curtailed). The problem is that I’m eating more, which I suspect is down to some underlying stress and anxiety about the pandemic.

This is clearly something I need to get a handle on – the thought of those months of dieting being wasted is not something I really want to deal with, so I think I’m going to have to start being properly strict with myself about it from now on.

Today’s photos are of The Hepworth gallery and were made back in March. Not everyone is a fan of the building’s brutalist architecture, but I like it and it offers a lot of possibilities for making photographs.

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 14 March 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Look up

April 29, 2020April 29, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Today’s photo is of the West Yorkshire History Centre in Wakefield, UK, which I walked past on my way to The Hepworth gallery when visiting the city back in March.

The building stands next to the busy A61 road. It is clad in a series of perforated metal panels and at ground level there are a number of interesting concrete supports next to the entrance. It makes for an interesting photographic subject but, because of its location, unless you use a wide angle lens, it will probably be difficult to frame it in a way that avoids a busy and cluttered background.

However, take a moment to tilt your gaze upwards and the clutter is removed and a stark geometric shape is instead presented.

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 14 March 2020

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Pandemic scenes #5

April 28, 2020 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Taken about a week-and-a-half before the UK was placed under lock-down, today’s photo is of a local doctor’s sugery. During the winter months this large banner is prominently displayed, encouraging those most vulnerable to seasonal flu to get a vaccination.

The sign has since been removed. I’m not sure if this is because the surgery are no longer offering vaccinations on-premises during the lockdown; if the time for these seasonal flu vaccinations has now passed; or if it’s just to avoid confusion for people who may believe that the vaccine is for Covid-19.

I wonder how long it will be before a sign advertising Covid-19 vaccinations appears?

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Ilford Delta 400

Taken on 12 March 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.