Tag: street art

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Bunny girl (or mouse girl?)

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I was going to post this yesterday, but it seemed somehow inappropriate to name a post “Bunny girl” given it was International Women’s Day, even though there’s no ill intent intended. It just seems a fitting title for the picture.

It’s a piece of artwork on one of the supports of the Mosborough Bypass. It’s right next to the River Rother and I’ve not walked this far along the viaduct before, having normally angled away across the washlands at this point on a walk, so I’ve not seen this piece before and don’t know how long it’s been in place. The way the light was hitting the concrete lit it up nicely though, and the Yashica Mat has rendered a crisp image.

I’m not sure that “Bunny girl” is the right title though – those look more like mouse ears or something.

Bunny girl

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

Taken on 11 February 2024

35mm · Film photography · Photography

If the country sinks we are prepared

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This photo is one of those examples where I focused on one thing, while completely missing something else that was right before my eyes.

The thing I took a picture of was the street art, with the narrow street vanishing into the distance with a lone figure approaching. I spotted the wooden pole with the cables and thought it framed the scene nicely.

What I didn’t notice at all until I scanned the negative what what was affixed to the pole – namely a pair of divers flippers, what might be some stuffed leggings, and a sign which reads “Si el pais se hunde estamos preparados” which translates to the English phrase “If the country sinks we are prepared“. I like it when I spot these little hidden surprises in photographs (although maybe I should more time seeing, rather than just looking when I’m composing a photograph).

If the country sinks we are prepared

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f.3.5-5.6 AF-D & Kodak Gold. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro

Taken 21 August 2023.

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Sunny day street art

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On the wall of the Porter Cottage pub, this piece of street art looked great in the sunshine helped, I think, by the black brickwork.

I’m glad that this week has finished. I had two days out of the office, but the other three days felt like five day’s had been squeezed into them. I expect to be busy again next week, but at least I have no travel planned (thopugh maybe a day off on the Friday if I can squeeze it in…). Maybe I’ll be able to write more on the blog.

Black wall colour
Street art fragment

Canon Sure Shot Supreme & Kodak Gold. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken 20 May 2023.

35mm · Film photography · Photography

A royal funeral and some street art

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I’ve spent the entire day watching the funeral of the Queen today (well, apart from watching the latest episode of House of the Dragon while eating my breakfast. I guess that was about a queen too, although tonally, it was somewhat darker…).

As I spoke about a few days ago, I’m far from a royal watcher, but I felt that this was a truly historic event and one I ought to watch for that reason even if for no other. There were two funeral services broadcast – the state funeral at Wesminster Abbey, attended by heads of state and other guests, and the smaller (but only by comparison) service at Windsor Castle where, among other things, the Queen’s crown, along with the orb and sceptre, were formally taken from her to be presented to King Charles when his coronation takes place. While there will be a final private service for family this evening, where the Queen will be buried beside her late husband, it maked the final public appearance of her coffin and felt like the final closure of the past week-or-so’s events.

The funeral marks the end of this period of official national mourning and means that things should begin to return to normality again from tomorrow, although I expect that it will be a fading out rather than a sudden halt to all the discussion about the events.

Today’s picture has nothing whatsoever to do with the funeral of the Queen, but I always post a picture, so this is a completely unrelated image of a man walking past some attractive street art in Manchester.

Esco

Olympus 35 RC & Kodak Portra 800 (shot at 400asa). Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 August 2022

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Lemurs

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This image, and the other Olympus 35 RC / Portra 800 shots I’m posting at present, were all shot on the fateful day that I broke my ankle back in August. The ankle is almost fully healed now – it still aches a little in the morning but otherwise gives me little or no discomfort whatsoever, and I’ve been able to walk around on it just fine for a couple of weeks or more. It did prevent me from going out and taking photographs for a while though.

Luckily for me, I had shot three rolls of film not long before on the trip to the Yorkshire coast my wife and I had taken, so was able to keep images flowing on the blog, but I had concerns that I would start to run out if I didn’t get back on my feet quickly. I also had the roll of film that I’d been shooting while in Manchester on the day I had my accident. I’d shot the majority of the frames by the time my ankle went snap and shot the remaining few images while limping back to the station and the final two frames outside the hospital back in Sheffield while waiting for my wife to pick me up. I’m fortunate that many of the pictures on this roll are ones I like and am happy to publish. I’m also happy about this because it might give me enough photos to populate a zine for the zine-swap I’m due to take part in soon.

I’ve since managed to shoot another couple of rolls of film, one which I’ve delveloped today, so the blog still has a reasonable supply to choose from, which is nice.

The picture below is one of the photos I was really pleased with from the roll. The colours are great, I think it’s an interesting image, and there’s quite a bit of detain to nosey around at if you’re so inclined.

Lemurs

Olympus 35 RC & Kodak Portra 800 (shot at 400asa). Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.

Taken on 10 August 2022

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Ode to a highwayman

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On a wall beside the canal towpath, not far from Victoria Quays, is painted this piece of artwork. I though it would make a good photograph, but didn’t know what it represented.

Googling the words revealed them to be part of a folk song about a highwayman named Spence Broughton. In February 1791 Broughton, and his accomplice John Oxley, robbed the Sheffield to Rotherham mail coach as it travelled across Attercliffe Common. Suposedly the only item of value they were able to get away with was a French bill of exchange with a value of £123, which they had difficulty in attempting to fence. Oxley was later arrested for his part in another robbery and, fearing for his freedom, in October of that year Broughton sought help from another criminal, Thomas Shaw, in London. Unfortunately for Broughton, he was recognised and arrested by the police and Oxley and Shaw both gave testimony against him, although Oxley was later able to break loose and make his escape.

Spence Broughton was found guilty in York assizes and sentenced to be hanged. The following April, after the execution, the body of Broughton was transported back to the scene of the crime on Attercliffe Common and placed in a gibbet. This attracted large crowds – supposedly 40,000 people – and the landlord of the nearby Arrow pub claimed that he was able to make a fortune from the passing trade. Broughton’s boy was to ramain in the gibbet for the next 36 years!

Nearby Broughton Lane is alleged to be named after the criminal, although this is disputed by historians.

It’s fascinating what a walk along the canal can reveal.

Poetry crow

Olympus XA-3 & Kodak Tri-X. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins 20°.

Taken on 27 March 2022