Tag: telephone pole

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Forbidden lane

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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.

Forbidden lane

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

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

House at the end of the road

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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.

At the end

Fujica GW690 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 9mins @ 20°

Taken on 5 July 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Flooded field

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A couple more shots of the flooded field at Elmton, although without any sign of the church this time.

Appropriately enough, the road that runs past the field is called Spring Lane. The spring itself is a little further up the road to the south east, but I’m not sure if it’s this which feeds the flooded area at the bottom of the field.

There’s something I find fascinating about water courses that takes me back to being a child where I would read Ladybird books or similar, and watch children’s educational programmes about the water cycle. There’s something in me that wants to trace the journey from source to destination. From that tiny bubbling spring all the way to the ocean.

I enjoyed making “boats” out of a twig or a branch and then watching as they navigated the straights, eddies, and rapids of a stream until they would eventually reach a place where I could follow them no longer, but from where I would imagine them making a grand voyage all the way to the sea.

Corner pond reflections
Corner pond

Nikon F80 & Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD. Ilford HP5+ (@800), Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°

Taken on 16 February 2025

35mm · Film photography · Photography

A bush, a bench, and evidence of a mole

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This little scene caught my eye as I passed. The interplay of all the elements – the wall, the poles, the cables, plus the large bush and the bench – all came together in a way I found pleasing. The mole hills are just a little bonus extra.

Hedge pole

Nikon F80 & Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD. Ilford HP5+ (@800), Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°

Taken on 16 February 2025

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Out with the Holga part 1

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On the day I tried out my first roll of the new Kodak Gold 120 variant, shot with my Yashicamat, I also took the Holga with me. I still had a couple of rolls of the “bad batch” Fomapan 100 (the one that liberally sprinkles little white specks on the resulting pictures), and it seems a good fit to shoot it with the Holga as, while I don’t want to use faulty film with the camera, it is great at covering up such defects due to its uniquely rendered images. I also have quite a stash of film at present and aim to try and get through some of it this year.

This was the first time I’d used the Holga in over a year – the last time was for some snowy shots back in January 2021 – and it’s easy to forget how much I like the pictures it produces. While this roll didn’t produce twelve bangers, I still got several I was happy with, and so I’ll post them here today and tomorrow.

I developed the roll in some of my remaining trial bottle of Adox Adonal (Rodinal in all but name) and used a 1+24 dilution which gave a pleasingly short 4 minute developing time. I’m pretty happy with the way they’ve turned out.

Corner plot
Communicate
Behind the pollarded trees

Holga 120N & Fomapan 100. Adox Adonal 1+25 4mins @ 20°.

Taken on 10 April 2022

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Through an unnamed village and towards Christmas

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Today’s photo is one of those scenes where, to my eye, everything just looked to be in the right place to make for an interesting picture. It definitely needed the power / telephone pole and wires I think, and I remember placing myself so that the lamp on the front of the building to the right would be silhouetted. It’s one of those pictures where I just though “yes” when I saw it come out of the scanner.

We’re now in that period post-Halloween and bonfire night here in the UK where Christmas kicks into higher gear. Now that those two have passed, retailers, advertisers and all the rest will launch into six weeks of increasing festivity ready for the big day. Last year quite a lot of people actually put Christmas decorations up as soon as bonfire night had passed, claiming the miserable Covid year meant they needed something to cheer them up. I wonder if that will persist? Personally it’s waay too early just yet. December 1st is my unofficial line I think. Advent clandars will appear then, the festive idents will appear on the terrestrial TV channels, and the first weekend after this date is usually when we trim the house. Still four weeks away yet though.

I also need to start putting together my gift for this year’s Emulsive Secret Santa now that names have been drawn. It’ll be back to a chunkier package again this year following last year’s paper-gifts only rule due to the pandemic. I’m looking forward to finding things to pop into the parcel.

Before we know it
Christmas will be here again
Where has this year gone?

Village street

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+ (@800asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°

Taken on 22 October 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Power and communication

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A slightly grandiose title today. It sounds like I’m about to launch into an essay on politics and propaganda or something. Well, if that’s what you’re here for then prepare for disappointment. Instead, you’re getting some power-line photos. The bonus is that they’re carrying telephone wires too. Woot!

I think it was the large web of wires atop the poles that caught my attention. Telephone poles are becoming less common in urban areas such as where I live, with new cabling being run underground through ducts, although there are still poles to be found on older estates, particularly out into the suburbs. Out in the countryside theough and they’re still pretty common, although not always with such a bounty of cabling. I spotted this pair in a small village while out driving arounf looking for photo opportunities. I think they look pretty good against the threatening skies.

When we’re mistaken
By something someone might say
We have got crossed wires

Telecommunication
Power and communication

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+ (@800asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°

Taken on 22 October 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Encroachment

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This wooden telephone pole (I still have an urge to call them telegraph poles, despite that mode of communication having fallen into history) sprouts from a bushy hedge. The base of the pole is becoming hidden by encroaching branches, and tendrils of ivy are starting to reach higher up the structure.

The pole serves a double purpose, also acting as the host for a streetlamp – a charmingly vintage-looking one with its little flourished curl where it holds the lamp.

Encroachment

Weathered wooden pole
So many seasons pass by
Cracking its structure

Light fixture

Olympus OM-2N, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Kodak Tri-X Pan (expired 2003) . Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°.

Taken on 5 April 2021