Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
I might as well follow up yesterday’s post with this, taken on the same walk, just with a different camera. I’m quite pleased that I managed to get the symmetry pretty much perfectly aligned.
Olympus XA-3 & Fomapan 400. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 16 May 2026
I’ve photographed these power lines which cross Woodhouse Washlands on several occasions. Despite their familiarity, there’s something photogenic about the structures and their position in the landscape. Coupled with changing light, weather, and seasons, and they provide a range of possibility for the camera to record.
Yashica Mat 124G & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 16 May 2026
Not fooling anyone…
Nikon F80 and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 ED VR on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 for 9mins @ 20°.
Taken on 24 February 2026
Large blocks of uninteresting foreground and sky meant I felt this worked better as a panoramic crop, and it’s fared quite well considering it’s a 35mm negative. It has nice leading lines in the field and the wires, and the angle of the sun has added some lovely contrast and relief to the buildings.
Nikon F80 and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 ED VR on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Semi-stand in Rodinal 1+100 for 1 hour @ 20°.
Taken on 8 February 2026
Power lines cross a field, it’s crops just beginning to show, before passing a lone farmhouse. In the distance the buildings and chimney-stack of Steetley dolomite works are visible. This chimney can be seen from miles around in this part of the countryside.
Nikon F80 and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 ED VR on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Semi-stand in Rodinal 1+100 for 1 hour @ 20°.
Taken on 8 February 2026
Ah, one of my old favourite subjects; power-lines marching across the landscape to destinations unknown. This one enhanced, I think, by the compression given by the telephoto lens and, most of all, by the hawk perched upon the wires.
Nikon F80 and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 ED VR on Fomapan 400 (@320asa). Semi-stand in Rodinal 1+100 for 1 hour @ 20°.
Taken on 8 February 2026
On the day I went out and made this batch of pictures, I started in a poor frame of mind. I was feeling grumpy and a bit depressed about stuff, so most of the first part of the day just involved me driving aimlessly about, too annoyed to spot potential compositional opportunities, much less take any photos.
This was the first shot I took during the outing (it was shot just before, and just down the road from, the picture I posted yesterday), and while it didn’t completely clear my low mood, it did get me started with some photography. The first shot is often the one that unclogs the gears, and I was able to then finish off the rest of the roll (albeit only eight frames with the GW690) and even make a start on another.
I’d started out thinking I was just wasting my time, but by the time I got home I felt much better about things.
Fujica GW690 & Kentmere 100 (@400) Rodinal 1 hour semi-stand development. 1+100 in 500ml of water, with a couple of extra ml of developer added.
Taken on 2 August 2025
Unlike yesterday’s photograph, this was a location that I’d never passed before. It’s not a lane that can be traveled as, although you can’t see it in my picture, it’s blocked off with a metal gate. Looking on Google Maps, it’s possible to see where the track leads (to a farm) and that there are two other entrances to the same track. For some reason I find “mystery” roads like this interesting, or rather I like to know where they might lead (it’s very often a farm though…).
Anyhoo, despite the lack of access, it was a scene I felt would make a good photo, what with the leading lines of the track and power wires.
Fujica GW690 & Kentmere 100 (@400) Rodinal 1 hour semi-stand development. 1+100 in 500ml of water, with a couple of extra ml of developer added.
Taken on 2 August 2025
While not the first time I’ve taken a photograph on this particular road, it’s the first time I’ve photographed this particular scene.
I like the rows of power and telephone lines that run down either side, they make me reminisce on the time when most roads had rows of telegraph lines beside them, even though they were likely mostly defunct when I witnessed them.
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°
Taken on 5 July 2025
Steel City Snapper photography 