The church at Elmton

July 22, 2021 fishyfisharcade3 Comments

This church – St. Peter’s – in the small village of Elmton, dates back to Norman times, although it was rebuilt in the 18th century. While I’m not an expert on churches, I found the design of this one to be unusual. Most churches tend to have either a pointed steeple, or a tower (usually with crenellations), so the sloped bell-turret roof stood out to my eye.

The hot weather continues here in the UK, although it is forecast to be a little cooler tomorrow. It doesn’t help that I’ve managed to come down with a summer cold during the heat! At first I was concerned, despite my vaccinations, that I might have contracted Covid-19, but having carried out two lateral-flow tests – both of which returned a negative result – it’s probably just a your bog-standard common cold. I guess that’s better, but I still feel worse for wear.

A cold in summer
Not really what I wanted
If the truth be told

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 12 June 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Kissing gate

July 21, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

While walking through Pleasley Country Park, my route took me through this metal kissing gate. While not a quaint as some of the older wooden gates I’ve seen, it still made for a nice photos I thought.

The name “kissing gate” derives from the gate itself swinging freely, “kissing” the inside of the frame rather than needing to be latched to prevent livestock from passing through. When I was young however, I was told that it was traditional to kiss the person passing the gate with you. While a nicely romantic idea, I have sometimes had to pass through such gates at the same time as complete strangers, so probably not a practical suggestion! 🙂

Kiss from a stranger?
Perhaps not a good idea
In a pandemic

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 12 June 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Pleasley pit

July 20, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

I bit of a bumper set of pictues today, by my normal standards at least. All of them made during a walk around Pleasley Pit country park.

The park stands on the site of Pleasly colliery, which operated from the 1870s until 1983. The buildings were saved from demolition and in 1996 designated as an ancient monument. The surrounding land was reclaimed and regenerated into a park and wildlife habitat.

The remaining buildings now operate as a mining museum.

On the day I made these photos my intent wasn’t to visit the museum, but to browse the nearby car-boot sale that operates on Saturday mornings in the hope that there might have been some cameras to be had. Sadly, no cameras were to be seen (apart from some early-noughties digital point-and-shoots in a box on one of the stalls. As I had a my OM-2n with me, I decided to have a walk around the country park and take some pictures of the pit buildings. I only had a 50mm, so some foot-based zooming was required, but it worked out well. The museum wasn’t open this early in the day so I didn’t get to see inside. Perhaps another day.

Down there at Pleasley
A monument to mining
A reminder still

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 12 June 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Low tide

July 19, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Fishing boats rest upon the muddy harbour bed waiting for the tide to raise them once more.

Fishing boats waiting
While gulls forage the harbour
Soon the tide will turn

Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 27 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Nettle by a wall

July 18, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

The warm weather continues here in the UK. I intended staying indoors all day, but had to go out with my wife to fetch some paint, which was enough to feel the heat. Yesterday evening we went out for a meal and the heat in the restaurant was intense – the place had a communal setup with a number of kitchens serving different cuisines to a central eating area. All the food and drinks had to be ordered via an app and would be delivered by each individual outfit, meaning that meals would arrive at different times for different people. As we ordered food from five different places in total, this took a while to sort out. The place was pleasant enough – in an old industrial building beside the river that has been converted – but there was no air conditioning and very little breeze to be felt through the open windows.

I enjoyed my food – a triple-patty buger on a charcoal bun – despite the heat, but my wife wasn’t particularly impressed – probably because she was practically melting!

Anyway, two people from our party had some fried chicken that they were unabe to finish, so we got the remainder to go and I ate it today. As some of it had a spicy coating, this hasn’t helped keep me cool…

A picture of a nettle today, bane of the bare legged walker.

Walk through the nettles
And then you will see, red lumps
Grow on shins and knees

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 12 June 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Through the pasture

July 17, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Although it probably doesn’t look it from the photograph, the grass in these pasture fields was quite deep – probably a good 8-inches at least. As the footpath was quite loosely defined it meant there was no especially well-trodden route through the fields and so I had to walk through swathes of the tall shoots, which was pretty tiring (especially given the adventure in Monk’s Dale not long before!).

Tired legs in long grass
Thighs powering through and up
On towards Tideswell

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Various Tideswell scenes

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

Friday has rolled around again. It’s quite warm here in the UK at present (although probably pleasantly chilly in comparison with the temperatures the western US and Canada have been experiencing lately) and it’s almost time to jump in the shower to cool off and relax over the weekend.

I’m hoping to get out and make some photos over the next couple of days, albeit without travelling too far. I’m slightly concerned that my foot, which started giving me pain after a run a couple of weeks ago, might have a stress fracture. I spent as much time as I could resting it (although helping my son move house last weekend probably doesn’t count) and it felt like it was getting better. However, since last night – for no particular reason I can discern – it seems to be letting me know about itself again. I shall take it steady and maybe slow down my usual brisk pace.

Today I’m sharing a few photos made in Tideswell nearly two months ago. Most of my photos that day were shot on the Yashica Mat, but by the time I reached Tideswell I’d finished the two rolls of 120 film I had with me so fell back on the OM-2n as backup.

My foot hurts again
I hope it’s not serious
I need my freedom

Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°.

Taken on 24 May 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Cricket ground

May 27, 2021 fishyfisharcade1 Comment

This is the cricket ground in Queen’s Park, Chesterfield. This photo was made on my first ever visit to this location, early one Sunday morning (the same Sunday when I took the picture of the Austin A90 featured in yesterday’s post). It’s quite a nice park, with a pond, bandstand, a glasshouse (seen to the middle right of this photo), as well as the cricket ground itself. I believe that the park extends with sports fields beyong the trees you can see in this picture. It’s pencilled into my mental list of interesting places to make photographs, should I be in the vicinity again.

Unexpected park
On a Sunday morning walk
Pleasantly perceived

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 25 April 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Austin A90 Six Westminster

May 26, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

A few weeks ago (well, a month to be accurate) I wend to a local car-boot sale early one Sunday morning on the lookout for old camera bargains. There were none – one stall had an old digital compact, and another had one of those cheap 35mm film panoramic cameras – the ones that use a mask to basically crop a 35mm frame down to a thinner output – but nothing I was interested in spending any money on.

As I’d planned to go somewhere afterwards and shoot some film, I had my OM-2n with me. As I walked through the cars parked on the field beside the boot-sale area I noticed this old Austin rally car, so made a photo.

Today my wife and I visitted Knaresborough, an attractive market town in North Yokshire, about sixty miles or so north from where we live. It’s not a place I’ve visited before but it was a lovely location to wander around, looking in the local shops, having a bite to eat, and making some photographs (which will appear here on theblog in due course). Having just started to scan the first roll I shot through my recently-acquired Olympus XA3, I’m very pleased with the results – no signs of any faults and the photos are lovely and sharp – so I decided to take it with me on the trip. It’s tiny size is a definite boon! I did have another camera in she shape of my Canon Sure Shot Supreme – that one mostly because I have a roll of expired Fuji Sensia loaded that I’m wanting to test (I have a few more rolls of the same film so this is the guinea-pig roll to see how they look shot a box speed). All told, and despite some gloomy, if not unexpected for the UK, rainy weather, we had a nice day out.

In amongst the cars
Of people looking to bag
A bargain or two

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 25 April 2021

35mm · Film photography · Photography

Sprocket the Hotrod

May 25, 2021 fishyfisharcadeLeave a comment

A few weeks back I went for a walk around Rother Valley Country Park with my dad. While walking around the northerly of the two main lakes I spotted this intersting looking vehicle.

Wandering closer with the aim of getting a photograph or two the owner noticed me and came over for a chat. The truck is a customised Land Rover that has been named Sprocket the Hotrod. It’s currently fashioned into a pickup configuration and there are plans to add a similarly designed trailer.