Animal damage

December 8, 2023 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

The trunk of this tree looks a little worse for wear. I assume the damage is the result of animal activity – there are lots of sheep and also deer in the area. Plenty of squirrels too, although this amount of impact looks a little severe for those bushy-tailed creatures.

I’m not sure if it’s the result of teeth or horns / antlers, but it caught my eye and I took a picture.

The original is a colour image but it’s one of those frames that, for some reason, Negative Lab Pro had trouble with and the results had a nasty green and purple tint. The conversion to monochrome resulted in a more satisfying image. It’s not the first image that I’ve had these sort of issues with – sometimes I can spot frames that might be problematical – but this was not one of them. Maybe a visit to the NLP forum might help resolve the issue.

Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE, & Fujifilm Pro 160NS – converted to B&W in Lightroom. Lab developed, home scanned.

Taken 11 November 2023.

4x5 Large Format · Film photography · Photography

Dead tree and pylons

August 29, 2023 fishyfisharcade1 Comment

Another large format shot. And another with faults, this time some out of focus elements in the middle right of the frame. I’m not sure whether this might not just be a gust of wind blowing the power lines and trees about though. I’ve had similar issues with other shots however, including some I’ve just developed, so it could well be something else causing it. More (time consuming and tedious) trial and error work will no doubt be required. So far I have to say that it’s the promise of large format that is keeping me going rather than the actual process – 35mm and medium format are sooo much less faff!

Still, the problem in this picture is barely noticeable unless you start pixel peeping, and otherwise I like the picture. Maybe I should give myself a break. I used a yellow filter here which has really given the skies some nice contrast.

Chamonix 045N-1. Fujinon NW 135mm f/5.6 & Fomapan 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°

Taken 1 August 2023.

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Winter tree

April 24, 2023 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

I’d intended to post more today but my evening has been unexpectedly swallowed up by a magical lawnmower adventure*. Maybe I’ll get to say more about that tomorrow, assuming I’m given the chance.

Here’s a random picture of a tree in some snow, just so I don’t miss a day on the blog. 🙂

* Neither magical nor adventurous.

Bronica ETRSi & Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9 mins 30 secs @ 20°

Taken 11 March 2023.

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Snow hiking

April 18, 2023 fishyfisharcade3 Comments

Although it was a cold day when I made these photographs in the snow, it was also very bright. And I was wearing dark clothes. This had two detrimental effects.

The first was the sheer amount of light reflected back off the snow. As a wearer of spectacles, I don’t tend to have the luxury of just popping on a pair of sunglasses when it’s bright. I don’t have a pair for my prescription, not do I have any clip-ons (although those just tend to be an annoyance). But without sunglasses, the light bouncing back into my eyes from the floor was verging on painful. I’ve never suffered from snow blindness before, but now know what it must feel like in its onset. Even with my eyes shut the blankness of my eyelids was a glowing red.

The second thing was that it didn’t take me long to become pretty hot and uncomfortable. The light absorbancy of my dark trousers and jacket soon raised my temperature and then this was booster even further by the physical effort of walking through snow (or trying my best to keep balanced on the icy areas). It didn’t take long until I was sweating profusely!

Despite these drawbacks it was a beautiful day to be out. We don’t get snow all that often, so it’s good to take advantage of it when I can.

Bronica ETRSi & Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9 mins 30 secs @ 20°

Taken 11 March 2023.

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Random village scene

April 1, 2023 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

A few weeks ago I visited the village of Hooton Pagnel. It’s a place I’ve never visited before and had not even heard of until recently. I “discovered” it after a random news article popped up on my phone talking about South Yorkshires most attractive places where, if I recall correctly, it came in first place.

As it’s not that far from home – about 30 minutes by car – I decided I’d pay a visit and see what I might find in terms of photographs. The weather was a little overcast when I left home but, by the time I arrived, it had changed to broken clouds with some sunshine and the occasional spot of rain.

The photos from the blog over the past few days, and the coming few as well were all made in the village. I shot a couple of rolls with the Bronica ETRSi. The second roll – Ilford Delta 100 – are the better images I think, partly because I like the look, and also because the light had improved by the time I started shooting it.

The village itself was quite small, but with plenty of things of interest. One thing I didn’t photograph was the Grade II listed Hooton Pagnell Hall, mostly because I don’t think it’s open to the public except as a wedding venue. The estate dates back to the 11th century though, with the core of the current hall being built in the 14th century.

The picture today was taken close to the driveway that featured in yesterday’s post – it’s a mere 180° turn from where this photo was shot.

Bronica ETRSi & Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE & Ilford Delta 100. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10 mins 30 secs @ 20°

Taken 5 February 2023.

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

On a misty morning

February 8, 2023 fishyfisharcade2 Comments

Another of my converted Kodak Gold shots. I almost left this one as colour, but I think the black and white version is better. The colours were pretty muted in any case.

Today was the thing at work that I mentioned a couple of days back – the thing that was causing me stress even though I suspected I was worrying for nothing. And I was right. Everything went absolutely fine. So I’ve spent a few days spending way too much time being concerned about something I needn’t have. Now I need to catch up on the other stuff I didn’t do because I was focused on this. Oh to be me…

Fujica GW690 & Kodak Gold (converted to B&W in Lightroom).

Taken on 21 January 2023.

Film photography · Medium Format · Photography

Ivy-clad

January 25, 2023 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The spread of ivy on this tree gives it a strange, unbalanced, top-heavy appearance. It stands within easy eyesight of a road I travel sometimes and I’ve thought about photographing it on more than one occasion while driving past, but this was the first time I’ve done so.

Yashicamat 124G with close-up lens #1 & Ilford Delta 400 . Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°

Taken on 20 January 2023.

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Tree roots

December 26, 2022 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

When I took this picture it was the reflection that attracted me. It was only later, when I scanned the photo, that I realised it looked like a window into the world beneath the ground where the tree’s roots spread otherwise unseen.

Olympus OM-1N, G-Zuiko Auto-W 35mm f/2.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@1600asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 12mins @ 20°

Taken on 29 November 2022.

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Contre-Jour

December 2, 2022 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

This picture was made on the same outing where I shot autumnal scenes on a roll of Velvia 50. There was no way that Velvia would have worked for this shot though and I didn’t even attempt it with the F80, instead firing off a frame with my XA3 loaded with some much more amenable Ilford Delta 400.

Olympus XA3 & Ilford Delta 400 . Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°

Taken on 4 November 2022

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Whitely Woods

September 23, 2022 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Whitely Woods is an area of woodland alongside the River Porter in Sheffield. I have a vague but fond memory of walking here with my nan when I was young. She bought me a small fishing net on a cane and I caught small fish – probably minnows, or perhaps baby fish of some species, but all given the group name ot “tiddlers” – in the dams further downstream in Endcliffe Park.

Beside a millpond — This is the millpond that feeds the waterwheel at Shepherd’s Wheel museum.

It’s not an area I’ve ventured back to all that many times – most of them have been in the lasrt few years as somewhere to go with a camera. On this occasion I’d taken a walk with my wife – mainly because I was testing out my ankle after my fracture, but also because it was a pleasant way to pass an hour or two (with the benefit of finding somewhere nice to get a bite to eat).