Shelters

January 1, 2025January 1, 2025 fishyfisharcade3 Comments

The first post of another new year. I’ve now posted daily for six full years!

For once, it’s some photos that’re relatively fresh, having been made less than a week ago at time of typing.

We had misty weather across large parts of the UK in the days following Christmas, so I made an effort to go out and take advantage of the atmospheric conditions. I probably missed the best of the mist on this particular day as I didn’t venture out until the afternoon, but there is still enough of it around to add a little to the pictures.

These shelters spring up every now and again in the trees close to the Trans Pennine Trail. I’ve never seen anyone building them and I don’t know who makes them or if they serve any particular purpose – there’s the remnants of a small camp fire in front of the second one, so I guess somebody spent at least a little time there, but they don’t look like they will give that much protection from the elements.

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

Taken on 26 December 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

A wet morning in Blackpool

October 4, 2024 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

Back at the end of June I spent the day in Blackpool for The Big Film Photowalk, a series of events around the country that had been organised by Analog Wonderland, the UK based film stockist. I posted about the events of the day here.

While the photowalk in Blackpool took place in Stanley Park, about a mile or so from the seafront, I parked near the town centre as my wife and her sister had accompanied me for the day and were planning on wandering round the shops while I went to take photos. As I was early for the photowalk, I took the chance to go and shoot some photos on a second camera I’d brought with me – my OM-10 – loaded with a roll of expired Fuji C200.

As I said in my other post, the weather on the day was not what I would have chosen. And while the photowalk had its share of drizzle and gloom, the beginning of the day along Blackpool’s seafront was worse, with bouts of full rain and a stiff breeze to contend with. I wasn’t confident of success, especially as I would usually prefer black and white for these conditions, not expired C41 film. Thankfully though, I was wrong, and I really like these colour pictures. They certainly capture the mood, and where there is colour in the scene, it really jumps out of the frame.

I managed to get pictures of the central and north piers, some (unused!) deckchairs, the sea defences, and obligatory shot of Blackpool tower, a shelter, a slightly pitiful looking crazy golf course, and some hardy metal detectorists on the beach.

Olympus OM-10 & G.Zuiko 35mm f/2.8 on Fujifilm C200 (expired 2012 and shot at 100asa) . Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 29 June 2024

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Shelters by the sea

February 8, 2024February 9, 2024 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The weather in the UK is, being generous, changeable. A day at the seaside, no matter what the forecast might promise, always bears a risk of it raining for the full duration of your visit. So what are you meant to do in these situations? Get wet?

Well we inventive Brits have a solution to everything, and so many seaside resorts around the country have you covered with a selection of shelters in which you can attempt to avoid the elements. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, from simple bus-shelter-style to grandiose Victorian architectural gems. And if the weather is nice, maybe you can just take the weight of your feet and enjoy your fish and chips or an ice cream or something.

I really like this couple of photos. I don’t think there are any other shelters like this in Cleethorpes, but I know there are many dotted around the country’s resorts. maybe a long-term project is a possibility?

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Tri-X. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°

Taken on 28 December 2023

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Seaside shelters

October 25, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The British weather being what it is, it never hurts to have someplace to shelter from it, whether the rain, wind, or even (perhaps more rarely) hot sunshine. Most seaside resorts have such things, often along the promenade where passersby can watch the tide come in while it pours with rain. These brightly painted concrete shells sit just back from the promanade at Mablethorpe and look inland or across a large caravan park.

During bad weather
Why not hide in a blue shell
Not Mariokart!

Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Lomography Xpro Chrome 100 (expired 2012)

Taken on 16 September 2021

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Signs of a little pig?

March 11, 2021 fishyfisharcade3 Comments

A few weeks ago (although I would swear it wasn’t that long ago!) I posted a picture of a structure built of sticks. Today I have another couple of photographs of the same twiggy building plus a photo of another, neighbouring edifice.

I’ve still not come across anyone actually building these things – not that I spend that much of my time wandering through the trees – and I’m still curious as to whether their construction is some sort of organised activity, or just groups of kids making dens? Few of the trees around this area are suitable for treehouses, so perhaps these make an alternative?

The other option is that the second of the three little pigs has decided this would be a good place to build a fortress against the Big Bad Wolf. I didn’t see any wolves, just a few dogs being walked. Nor did I make any attempt to see if I could huff and puff and blow the house in.

Mister Wolf is here
So little pig, little pig
Please let me come in!

Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE & Fomapan 400. Ilfotec DD-X 1+9 12mins @ 20°.

Taken on 26 February 2021

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Stick structures

February 16, 2021March 11, 2021 fishyfisharcade1 Comment

Over the past few years, when walking in wooded areas, I’ve noticed a number of structures appear. They appear to be rudimentary shelters made from branches, although they probably do little to keep the elements out. I’ve seen them in a number of different places, but have never seen anyone building them which lends them a slightly spooky Blair Witch Project air.

The branches used to build them, in my local area at least, seem to be from woodland management – lots of trees have been trimmed in the last year or so. In a lot of cases these cuttings are left piled up like lumber, perhaps to be collected at a later date, or maybe to form an environment suited to small mammals and invertebrates. Some of the cuttings go on to create these structures though.

I’m sure there’s a perfectly mundane reason for them, but I also kinda like the idea of a miniature Stonehenge / Easter Island type mystery about them.

Who might sleep inside
A home made of drafty sticks
Little pig maybe?

Yashica Mat 124G & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 1 February 2021