Bright or dull, which is best?

February 23, 2024 fishyfisharcade4 Comments

I quite often try and pick days with nice light for photography. Alas, living in the UK, dull weather is never to far away, particularly through late autumn to early spring when it can persist for days on end. There’s nothing that puts me of going out with my camera more than a flat grey sky. But should it?

The two pictures published here today were taken on the same day in Cleethorpes at the end of December last year. When I arrived the sky was bright and clear and strong contrasty light was present. However, as the day progressed, clouds began to gather until they pretty much filled the sky. By the time I set off for the drive home the light had diminished considerably and it was raining.

Yet, despite this and my normal preference for good light, it’s the second photograph made in the supposedly worse conditions that I like the best. It just has bags more atmosphere. I guess the different composition of both could be having some effect, but I don’t really think that’s the reason.

Maybe I should just embrace the grey.

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 28 December 2023

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Bridge across the Foss

February 22, 2024February 22, 2024 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This is Foss Bridge in York. This particular structure dates to 1812, but it replaced an earlier wooden bridge. I thought it looked nice in the winter light.

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 20 December 2023

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Another Shambles

February 21, 2024 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Another look at The Shambles, that is.

Three more shots of York’s most famous street, this time taken with the convenience of the compact little Olympus XA3. The Yashica Mat 124G can produce great pictures, but there’s something freeing about using a small point-and-shoot camera, and the XA3 has been my constant companion for the past few months, just sat in my coat pocket waiting for a picture to present itself while I’m out..

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 20 December 2023

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Clifford’s Tower

February 20, 2024 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

Clifford’s Tower dates to 1245, although a wooden fortification stood atop the raised earthwork mound before then, but was replaced after it burnt down. Archaeological evidence shows activity on the site dating back to the Romans.

I didn’t visit the tower during this trip to York, nor have I visited it on the several other visits to the city over the past few decades. I did get to climb it on a trip when I was a child when visiting with my parents. I can’t remember how old I was and remember little about the trip apart from walking along the city walls, and going to the National Railway Museum. I guess my dad will have a few photos somewhere, and maybe I’ll try and find those one day.

Both the pictures posted here are a little fuzzy for some reason. No other shots from the roll exhibit the same issue, so I don’t know what’s happened there.

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 20 December 2023

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Gert and Henry’s

February 19, 2024February 19, 2024 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This building, standing in the middle of the Shambles market in York, dates back to the 14th century in the oldest part of its structure. It was originally two separate buildings which, over the centuries, have become interconnected and now form a single property.

The building has been in commercial use since 1830 and has been host to a chemist’s shop, a hatters, a cafe, and is now home to Gert and Henry’s restaurant.

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 20 December 2023

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Nailing night-time

February 18, 2024 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I took this photograph, of the Christmas-themed play area behind Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping mall, without much confidence that it would turn out. The light was dark, I only had 400asa film in the camera, and the XA3 only really gives me control of the zone-focus . Everything else is handled by the camera’s small electronic brain.

So colour me impressed by how well this turned out. I have no idea what aperture was selected, but it was good enough to get the important elements in acceptable focus. Likewise the shutter speed – there’s a little motion blur on the figure at left of frame, but it was fast enough to prevent camera shake. The exposure has given me plenty of detail in the shadows, but avoided blowing the highlights. and the sky (which was a muddy, light polluted scud of clouds) also has great definition.

It’s always great when a little camera like this delivers the goods.

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 20 December 2023

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Sun on the tracks

February 17, 2024February 17, 2024 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

I was a little curious as to how the XA3 would handle this scene when I saw it. I’ve shot into the sun before, but this scene had both the sun and the bright reflection on the railway tracks to contend with.

The result was much more flare! However, despite the flare, it’s not too obtrusive I don’t think, and perhaps gives a sense of brightness that you would probably expect when witnessing something like this first hand.

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 9 January 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

At Ladybower

February 10, 2024 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

A couple of shots of the northern branch of Ladybower reservoir in the Peak District. The structure crossing the water is an aqueduct which carries water from Derwent and Howden reservoirs, which are upstream to the north of Ladybower, taking it to a treatment works near Bamford and from there to the cities of Derby and Nottingham.

Yashicamat 124G & Kodak Tri-X. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°

Taken on 9 January 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Interesting house

February 7, 2024 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I take a lot of pictures of buildings of all shapes and sizes, but sometimes I find one that grabs my attention because it has a particularly interesting design.

The photo in today’s post illustrates this quite nicely. I have no idea of the history of this structure, but it’s an unusual shape to be sure. The wedge-shaped roof of the far section, to the oddly narrow middle section, then dropping down to a single storey section that has, what looks like, a more recent extension. It looks like an interesting place to live (I’m not sure, but it might be made up of apartments) and, as I walked past it in late December, I could see the Christmas decorations still present within, giving it a very homely feel.

Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 28 December 2023

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Digging for bait

February 6, 2024 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

An angler digs for bait at low tide on Cleethorpes beach. The beaches around the uk are a prime habitat for lugworm, which are a popular sea fishing bait. They can be bought from fishing tackle shops, but can also be harvested from the sea shore in areas where it is permitted to do so.

The worms are filter feeders and live in u-shaped burrows with a small dimple at one end and a distinctive squiggly cast at the other meaning they are easy to locate when the tide is low.