A walk in the country

August 6, 2026 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The black and white pictures I’ve been sharing over the past week were from a walk I took near Carlton-in-Lindrick, a village in Nottinghamshire not too far from where I live. It’s a place I’ve visited for a walk and some photography three times now. The first was in 2025 on a day where the ground was waterlogged and muddy, which made for a less than pleasant walk (especially when it began to rain), but still produced some nice pictures. On that occasion I’d planned on a longer walk that took in the countryside to the west and east of the village, but I only managed the western side due to the conditions.

The third visit took place in mid-June, and was when I took the shots I’ve posted this past week. That walk took me to the east of the village, out past Hodsock Priory, and was a nice hike spoiled only by the fact that my film was underexposed, spoiling many of the pictures as a result.

So here today are the results from my second visit (I know, I’m posting these out of order, a fact that niggles me somewhat). This was almost a mirror of my first hike, with me walking much (but not all) of the same route, only in reverse and, thankfully, in far more pleasant conditions, passing through a mix of farmland and woodland, before finishing at the church close to where I’d parked my car.

I only shot with my Yashica Mat 124G, and here are the pictures that I saw fit to upload (the full roll except for a slightly boring picture of some crops – imaging the first picture but without the interest of the footpath). I shot a roll of Ektar, a film that normally gives me pleasing colours straight out of the scan, but on this occasion I really had to faff around with it to get the colours looking correct (and I’m still doubtful that they are). Further tweaking may resolve things, but I haven’t had the time or inclination to do so. Yet, at least.

But, apart from the slight concerns about the colours, I do like most of the pictures I got.

Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 160 & Kodak Ektar. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 2 May 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Gathered Leaves

July 11, 2026July 11, 2026 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

My plan for today had originally been to meet up with a bunch of other photographers for a wander around a midlands heritage museum. Alas though, due to the continuing hot weather, it was decided it was best to postpone until later in the summer. So, with time on my hands, I decided to drive instead to Newark where I knew there was an exhibition on featuring the work of a photographer whose work I enjoy: Paul Hart.

The Gathered Leaves exhibition is in the newly opened Vibrant Matter gallery, and details can be found here. While there were some framed prints from artists featured, the exhibition was focused on publications rather than prints – you can see where it got it’s title – and I browsed most of what were on display as well as having a nice chat with the owner, Daniel Rapley, whose work was also on display (in the shape of experimental images formed from found photographic images, creating a colourful and eyecatching display of overlaid scenes. There was a feeling of Christopher Nolan’s Inception in some images, where inverted cities loomed above foreground figures). While there were a number of photography books present, the scope was wider, and there were publications dealing with more experimental art, design, and typography.

After my visit to the gallery I wandered around Newark taking pictures of my own, finally finishing a roll of Kodak Pro Image that’s been in my Olympus XA-3 for a couple of months now, as well as starting on rolls of Portra 160 (which I’d forgotten was in my camera bag – not sure how long it’s been cooking in there. It’s a good job Portra doesn’t cost much, eh..?), Ektar (in my Yashica Mat 124 G), and some expired Ilford Delta 400 in my Olympus OM-10). I took a new camera bag with me which has space for more stuff. I’m not sure if that is a good or bad thing just yet…

Newark is a nice place to wander around. The architecture is pretty, with lots of charming red-brick buildings, a colourful market square, the River Trent, and the ruins of a castle (although it is currently undergoing some sort of renovation so could only really be viewed from across the river).

I also bought myself a new book from a used book seller in the market. They had a few photography books, but none that really interested me, so I bought a book on the life of Edward Seago which is full of his beautiful paintings. I first came across his work while admiring the work of fellow blogger -N- on her Ink, Yarn, and Beers blog. She’s posted about being inspired by Seago’s work on more than one occasion, and I thank her for bringing it to my attention. Go check out her blog and her lovely paintings.

Because all my pictures from Newark today were shot on film, I don’t yet have any to show, so here’s a picture from a previous visit back in 2022. I shot a very similar image today!

RETO Ultrawide & Slim & Kodak Gold 200

Taken on 18 March 2022

Digital · Photography

Still hot

July 10, 2026 fishyfisharcade5 Comments

It’s a whole degree cooler than yesterday’s 33.9°C in my home office today. That’s still over ten degrees hotter than I’d like it to be.

My expensive new fan arrived this morning, and is doing a decent job of taking the edge off the heat, but it’s not an air conditioner and there’s only so much that moving air flow can achieve, so it still feels oppressive and it’s been pretty hard to get motivated while working today.

Thankfully the temperatures are forecast to begin dropping over the weekend to a much more manageable mid-20s range (and, more importantly, overnight temps below 20°C, so there’s a chance to open the windows and flush out the hot air).

The sub-tropical climate of Madeira felt more manageable than this, mostly due to infrastructure designed to deal with it – air-con, tiled floors, window-shutters and the like, most of which go against the standard UK building methods that are designed to keep heat inside. If the summer temperatures in the UK continue to rise in future, then there is going to be a real need for change to prevent severe disruption.

But anyway, this is meant to be a photography blog, not an essay on climate change, so here’s another shot from the holiday. It’s another digital picture (although I have received four sheets of film negs back in the post today, so plenty of those to share too when I get around to it).

Being a Portugese territory, you’d expect to see plenty of Portugese flags in Madeira, but there were probably more than usual due to the World Cup tournament taking place while we were there (Madeira also being the birthplace of their famed striker, Christiano Ronaldo – there’s even a museum in Funchal dedicated to him). At this stage Portugal had not yet been knocked out…

Ricoh GRIII

Taken on 27 June 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Scarborough Spa

June 9, 2026 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

There has apparently been a spa building on this site since the early 1700s following the discovery of springs with supposedly medicinal properties. Mineral spa’s were big business and the places they were located quickly capitalised on them as a means to draw visitors.

The spa at Scarborough has undergone a number of changes over it’s history, including when a landslide obliterated the original wooden spa house, and in the 19th century grand new buildings were erected along with gardens, funicular railway, and a concert hall. The building was once again destroyed, this time by fire, in 1876, but little time was wasted re-constructing and it re-opened three years later.

By the end of the 19th century the venue was used more for entertainment than as a spa, and eventually in the late 1960s, public consumption of the waters ceased.

Nikon F80 and Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-D on Ilford Type-517. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 14.5mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 March 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

The steps down

June 8, 2026June 9, 2026 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

One of multiple footpaths descending (or ascending) the cliffs of Scarborough’s south bay. Again, I had to crop this (to a 6×7 ratio) to get rid of the light leak, so part of the path goes out of shot at mid-left, but I think it still tells the story of its travel.

Nikon F80 and Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-D on Ilford Type-517. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 14.5mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 March 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Little boat cropped

June 7, 2026 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I’m going to continue to post pictures from my Scarborough trip, but I’m moving onto some black and white photographs now.

These are shots from the two rolls of Ilford Type 517 film I shot on the day which suffered severe light leaks (which I originally posted about here). Not being one to waste anything, especially two rolls of film(!), I’ve managed to rescue quite a lot of the frames through the use of cropping (although there were also several full frames that somehow escaped the light leaks altogether). So, while not the compositions I originally intended and framed in the viewfinder, I think I’ve still managed to get pictures that work pretty well.

The shot below didn’t have any light leaks, but there was some sort of uneven development or film problem going on that made the sky somewhat blotchy, so this is a quite significant crop from the original portrait orientation 35mm frame (although, even when cropped, it’s still over 4,000 pixels on the long edge). It’s smaller than a half-frame negative and the grain is quite prominent as a result, but it think it still works.

Nikon F80 and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 ED VR on Ilford Type-517. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 14.5mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 March 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Seaside gallery

June 6, 2026 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Minolta X-300, Minolta MD 50mm f/1.7 & Kodak Gold. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 14 March 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers

June 5, 2026 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This sculpture, situated on the seafront of Scarborough’s north bay, is titled Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers. It was created by sculptor Ray Lonsdale and depicts Freddie Gilroy, an old soldier who helped liberate the Bergen‑Belsen concentration camp during the second world war. Lonsdale created it as a tribute to Gilroy, who was his friend, and as a broader reflection on war and the Holocaust.

It was only meant to be displayed in Scarborough for four weeks in 2011 but a local resident stepped in to buy it so it could stay in the town.

What isn’t apparent from my picture is the scale of the figure, which is twice life size, and dwarfs people as they pass by.

Minolta X-300, Minolta MD 50mm f/1.7 & Kodak Gold. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 14 March 2026

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Morgan Plus 4

June 4, 2026 fishyfisharcade4 Comments

This Morgan was parked in front of a big white hotel atop the cliffs of Scarborough’s north bay. I’m not sure what vintage the car is – they were made from the 50s to the turn of the century, with a new version being released more recently.