Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
Many pubs have shelters for their customers who choose to sit or stand outside the premises with their drinks, often in the form of gazebos or large umbrellas. The Hop Monkey in Halifax has taken things to a whole new level though, placing a shelter over the entire pub…
Yashicamat 124G & Ilford XP2 Super. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 16 August 2025
Another batch of pictures from Halifax, including at least one more that mimics one of Bill Brandt’s compositions from almost a hundred years previously. While the usage of this area has changed, much of the architecture remains the same as it would have been way back then.
Yashicamat 124G & Fujifilm Acros. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°. (except the final image, which was shot on Ilford XP2 Super and lab developed)
Taken on 16 August 2025
Back in the early 1930s, German-born photographer Bill Brandt moved to the UK and began to document British society. Part of this work took place in the norther English town of Halifax, and included a photograph of a cobbled snicket (a narrow alleyway) which has become quite famous. Brandt’s version, which can be seen in this article was photographed in 1937, when the mills and factories were still in full industrial operation (indeed, you can see a small cloud of smoke at the top of Brandt’s picture from a chimney obscured by the top of the mill building).
The buildings in the area still exist today, although their occupancy has moved from industry (one of the world’s largest carpet factories at the time) to hotels, offices, and leisure spaces.
Brandt’s snicket still exists too, and has undoubtedly been photographed by many other photographers since, so while I was there, I made my own version. The snicket has a lot more weeds these days!
Yashicamat 124G & Fujifilm Acros. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.
Taken on 16 August 2025
I thought I’d post something befitting the date today.
This stand of pumpkins and squashes was beside the road in a village I passed through on my way to Mablethorpe, and I turned the car around so I could go back and get the photograph.
Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 400. Lab developed, home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 11 October 2025
Murdoch’s Connection is the name given to this new bridge connecting Hull town centre with the marina area (which are separated by the busy A63 dual-carriageway). It was named after Dr Mary Murdoch, who was the city’s first female GP. Her name was chosen by school students following an essay competition to determine which of the city’s iconic figures should be honoured.
Dr Murdoch was first associated with hull when she worked as a surgeon at the Victoria Hospital for Sick Children, before later founding the Hull Women’s Suffrage Society. She died at the young age of 51 in March 1916.
Nikon F80 & Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD on Ilford FP4+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 10mins
Taken on 9 August 2025
These two pictures were taken on the same mini-road trip as the ones I shot in Eaton (such as this). I’d finished the roll of Kentmere 100 and switched to Fomapan 400 at this point. I took three photos at the village of Askham, and then shot the rest on a later outing (yet to feature on the blog).
Sadly, after developing and scanning the pictures I was presented with disappointing results.
Firstly, the images all displayed fine white speckles of the sort I’ve encountered before with Fomapan films. They are probably unnoticeable when viewing the images here on the blog, but are scattered liberally across the entire results – far too many for me to remove with Photoshop (I would need the patience of a saint!).
Secondly. despite using the same semi-stand technique used previously (and successfully) on another roll of Fomapan 400, this roll showed very noticeable signs of bromide drag. I’ve been able to mitigate the worst of this with Photoshop, but it’s still faintly visible in both these pictures if you look carefully (it was much worse before editing). I’m not sure what caused it on this occasion when there was no sign of it at all the last time, but I may take some additional precautions the next time I semi-stand Fomapan (an additional inversion or two at 15 minute intervals, perhaps…).
Despite all this, I do still like the pictures, especially the way the clouds are rendered.
Fujica GW690 & Fomapan 400. Rodinal 1+100. 1 hour semi-stand development.
Taken on 2 August 2025
Despite it’s appearance, this horse lorry contained no horses. Instead the rear of the vehicle has been converted into a living area. It’s possible you could house a horse in there I suppose, but it might make a mess of the furniture…
Nikon F80 & Nikkor 28-80 f/3.5-5.6 AF-D on Ilford FP4+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 10mins
Taken on 29 June 2025
Sadly, for any thrill-seekers in attendance, there was no sign of a constructed Wall of Death at the steam rally, so I had to make do with pictures of its transportation instead.
Nikon F80 & Nikkor 28-80 f/3.5-5.6 AF-D on Ilford FP4+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 10mins
Taken on 29 June 2025
Nikon F80 & Nikkor 28-80 f/3.5-5.6 AF-D on Ilford FP4+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 10mins
Taken on 29 June 2025
Nikon F80 & Nikkor 28-80 f/3.5-5.6 AF-D on Ilford FP4+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 10mins
Taken on 29 June 2025
Steel City Snapper photography 