Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

A walk in the country

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.

A path through the crops
Springtime
Two trees
Tree on a farm track
Field tree
Edge of the field
A lot less muddy than last time
Horsey crossroads
Through the trees, a house
Copse, clump, or spinney?
St. John the Evangelist's church

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

Taken on 2 May 2026

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Holgagraphy

I like my Holga. Its lo-fi images have a definite charm, I feel.

This time though, the “fi” is as low as I’ve ever seen it. I really don’t know what has happened with this roll of Fomapan 400.

Grungy lychgate

The white speckles from the faulty batch of which this is a part are present and correct, and the scratches that the camera has started adding to the negs have made an appearance (although I’ve cloned the worst of them out), but as for that blothcy mottling? Well, I really don’t know.

It looks like the film is damaged, or has gotten wet, but it’s been stored in it’s sealed box and wrapper since I got it and kept in the fridge, so that seems unlikely.

Grungy tree

I suppose my development could also be to blame, although I’ve not encountered such issues before. The only thing that I can think of that might possibly have had an effect is that it was quite cold in the room when I developed the film, so it’s possible the chemicals cooled by a couple of degrees over the course of the hour’s semi-stand process, but I’m not sure if this would have been the outcome.

Despite all the problems though, if anything can carry off this distressed look, it’s the Holga, and it still manages to do so with aplomb.

Grungy path

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

Taken on 24 January 2026

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Houses

A subject I often seem to find myself drawn to is houses. Not all of them, but ones which I find to be interesting for some reason, whether it be the architectural style, the period they were built, their decor, or even just the way the light is hitting them.

Here are three I photographed recently.

Apart from the aerials and antennae, I expect they wouldn’a’t have looked that different had I photographed them sixty years ago.

Facing the sunlight
House with a picket fence
House and cone

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

Taken on 24 January 2026

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Country lane curve

There was something about this scene that caught my eye. The curving lane is a big part of it, certainly, but the wall, the height and variety of the trees, and the way the light was falling on everything all came together. There was a breeze blowing so some signs of movement can be found in the smaller branches if you look hard enough, but I knew and accepted that would be the case when I took the shot.

I was pretty happy when it appeared off the scanner.

Where the birds were singing

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

Taken on 24 January 2026