35mm · Film photography · Photography

One thousand days

Today marks the one-thousandth consecutive daily post on my blog, having posted every day since the 1st January 2019. It feels like a milestone although, as I’ve said before back when the blog hit it’s first 1k mark (albeit non-continuous), perhaps a somewhat arbitrary one. I think the daily posting – originally intended to improve my frequency of posting by writing shorter, snappier posts, rather than infrequent but lengthier ones – has become something of a compulsion, especially as the one-thousand mark got closer.

Obscured
Largely unrelated picture #1

I never started the blog to gain likes, followers, or for any sort of commercial gain – which is good as, despite having a few gundred followers (although how many of them regularly read my posts is open to question), it’s rare that I get more than a handful of like for each post, and the number of comments is similarly low – although I always try to respond when they arise. Indeed, glancing at the blog stats today, September 2021 marks one of the lowest visitor and views counts in the last three years – possibly even the lowest depending on the next few days.

Jewellry
Largely unrelated picture #2

Instead this blog was just for me to make some sort of small scratch on the surface of the world. It’s not particularly focused, more a case of me blurting out whatever is on my mind on any given day and showing a recent photo. This probably doesn’t help build an audience, but I doubt it will change. It will probably continue as it has – in a semi-autobiographical spew of whatever I want to talk about. Mostly regarding the pictures I made, maybe the circumstances in which they were made, and occasionally as longer-form pieces.

New guitar-
Largely unrelated picture #3

In some attempt to link to the set of pictures included in today’s post, I guess this place is like a marketplace for my work. But a marketplace where nothing is actually up for sale, and where there are few buyers for my own brand of whatever-it-is I do.

Let’s see if I make it to two-thousand…

One-thousand blog posts
Farting out my thoughts each day
To all who listen

Time for a new tie-
Largely unrelated picture #4

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Lab developed in Xtol.

Taken on 19 August 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

West End scenes

A few pictures from the West End of London today, all made with the little Olympus XA3. Nothing especially planned or carefully composed as I was there for a couple of days with my wife, so most pictures made were grabbed whenever the opportunity arose.

Sounds of Pet Shop Boys
Might be evoked by a walk
In a West End town

In Chinatown
Chinatown

To Leicester Square
Towards Leicester Square
Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street
Picadilly Circus
Picadilly Circus

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Lab developed in Xtol.

Taken on 19 August 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Mirror man

This is one of those photos that I have high hopes for when I first see the negative but which, on closer examination, is let down by some technical problem. In this case the man in the mirror is slightly out of focus. Now there’s a good reason for this – the photo wasn’t a posed portrait, it was a candid shot which involved me crouching down to get the correct angle on the mirror and then capturing someone’s refelction as they walked past. People would be in the mirror for a fraction of a second, so no time to nail the focus and I just went with what looked right in the brief moments that someone passed through the frame.

I still like the picture a lot, but wish I’d have nailed the focus better. The pose is bang on though and I don’t think I could have gotten anything better.

Man in a mirror
Seeing a reflection of
A photographer

Here comes the mirror man

Yashicamat 124G & Shaghai GP3. Lab developed in Xtol.

Taken on 4 September 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

More folks and old machines

Well the photographs from the Astle Traction Engine Rally continue to appear, and still several more likely to make a showing too. I hope I’m not boring anyone with these.

I don’t really have any great interest in the machines for their own sakes. They’re impressive, to be sure, and interesting to look upon, and I’m very grateful for the fact that they’re still being maintained and made available to see for the general public. But my interest almost ends there. They make beautiful subjects for photographs though, don’t they?

And so I visit steam rallies, classic car shows, and other similar events where old machines and other artefacts of days gone by might be found. I might not know much about the things on show but I know a worthwhile picture when I see one I think.

I know what these are
Not at an expert level
I just make pictures

Between the engines
Big
Two guys and a traction engine
Haulage contractor

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 August 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Recliner

Let’s hope it doesn’t suddenly roll forwards!

I’m still uploading photos from this steam rally, even though I’ve attended another one today and now have a whole bunch more to develop and scan!

Does tons of metal
Make for comfort when weary
Perhaps it might do

Leaning

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 August 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

People sat in cars

The weather at the Astle Traction Engine Rally the other week was dull and rainy. While this meant there were umbrellas in abundance and raindrops of automotive paintwork – both attractive subjects for a photograph – it also made the act of making photos was far more troublesome, especially without the benefit of a weather-sealed camera.

It also meant that a lot of the exhibitors could be found sat inside their vehicles to escape the damp, as in this Rover 100 and Rolls Royce Wraith.

Sat in your dry car
Looking out at passersby
Don’t want to get wet

Bonnet up
Sat in the roller

Nikon F80, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 August 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Tramlines Fringe

The Tramlines festival takes place in Sheffield each summer (although it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic). The first event took place in 2009 and was a free-to-attend event for several years, although it has now become corporately run and ticketing is in place for the main festival, which is held in Hillsborough Park. The festival attracts big-name artists and is named after the city’s tram network, SuperTram.

Although a paid ticket is required for the Hillsborough event, there are a number of free entry venues scattered around the city under the moniker of Tramlines Fringe. The photos in today’s post were made at one of these events, held outside the Dorothy Pax bar at Victoria Quays.

Down by the canal
Music and dancing take place
It’s time for Tramlines

Before the band began to play
Concert
Watching the band
And the band begins to play
Tramlines Fringe
Tramlines Fringe
Tramlines Fringe

Nikon F80, Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 July 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Underpass

I can’t hear the word “underpass” without it bringing the sound of John Foxx’s 1980 electronic classic song of the same name – although I still always have a childish urge to switch the chorus to “Underpants!” :).

I’m really happy with how this shot turned out. Again, the vignetting has added some grit to an already nicely gritty scene. I’d just walked beneath the underpass myself and was out the other side when I saw someone going the other way. So I about-turned and grabbed a picture of their silouhetted form as they reached the light at the far side of the tunnel. The 35mm lens focuses pretty slowly for some reason on the F80 so the figure isn’t totally sharp, but I don’t think it matters at all in this picture.

Figures pass below
Under the traffic above
Echoes of John Foxx

Underpass

Nikon F80, Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 July 2021