In lieu of any content here’s a picture of a fern in Nottingham’s arboretum. Lots of stuff on at the moment with M208 TMA03, 2 audax gps routes to sort out (Lincolnshire Cross 200km, and “Moors and Wolds” 400km and lots of chances to spend longer than expected at work have contrived to make life a bit duller than expected. Hopefully sorting out the first 2 of those will provide some interesting posts, and unless I really want to become know for Dynamics CRM and SQL Server clustering, I’ll keep the last one to myself.
And we’re not talking about policemen trying to be environmental activists either. Plant growing in Nottingham’s Arboretum park last summer. Taken with Canon EOS 3, 50mm f/1.4 on FP4 @64 ISO and developed in ID-11, scanned on Epson V500
Working through a backlog of photos I found a couple more from the Great Central Railway at Loughborough. Just taken inside the restoration shed of bits and bobs lying around. Though obviously not of the same quality they do remind me of the Maurice Broomfield exhibition we visited in Derby last year. Need to get out and take some more of these sort of photos, but it’s all a bit hectic trying to fit it all in with cycling and OU coursework. Maybe need to work out a decent way of carrying the camera kit on a bit. Shame I don’t have rack mounts atm.
(Both photos taken with Canon EOS3, Sigma 24-70 2.8 on Ilford FP4+ @ISO125, developed in ID-11 and scanned on Epson V500).
So which trusted construction material do you think this is?
Despite all appearances this isn’t wood. It is in fact concrete. To be exact it’s concrete somewhere on the Royal Festival hall. Looks like someone decided the concrete montser would look better if they tried to make it look like wood.
You can see some more of the texturing in this photo:
So, it looks like they decided to use it quite liberally over the whole building.
This weekend sees a jaunt up to Infest to take some band photos, it’s been a while so hopefully I can remember which end to point at the stage. Debating whether to take the film camera as well. And then there’s always the change of getting some reportage shots as there’ll be fuckwits protesting as well in the city centre.
(photos taken with Canon EOS3, Sigma 24-70 EX 2.8 on Ilford FP4+ @125 iso, developed in Ilford DD-X and scanned on an Epson v500)
Or at least I hope not, as it’s part of the support for the Millenium Bridge in London. This one came out pretty sharp considering it was hand held in a rather dark spot at an swkward angle to try and get the support beam in. Yet another photo from a day wandering around the southbank (previously)
Taken with Canon EOS3, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 on Ilford Fp4+ @125 ISO, developed in Ilford DD-x and scanned on an Epson v500
Something (most likely a squirrel) appears to have been eating on top of this wall slab somewhere in Nottingham’s Mapperly park
More playing around with FP4+, again shot at ISO 64 and developed for 125. Lots of lovely detail in the gritted edges of the slab. And the bokehed highlights at the back look nice as well.
Carved/branded telegraph pole in Nottingham’s Mapperly Park. Guessing BT is for British Telecom, but no idea for the rest. Doesn’t seem to be on every telegraph pole, so guessing it must mean it’s some sort of wiring hub?
Trying to play around with film a bit. So in this case the film (Ilford FP4+ 125) was actually pulled to 64 and then developed as normal (Ilford ID11 1:1 for 11 minutes). Quite liking the tones and detail that’s coming out of it.
Canon EOS 3, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4, Ilford FP4+ @64ISO, scanned on Epson V500
Went for a wander round the yards at the Great Central at the weekend for a bit of a contemplative look around. In the harsh sunlight this cracked and peeling door on an old goods van was too good a chance to miss.
Minimal photoshopping, just a bit of contrast and level adjustment, plus a slight sharpen to compensate for the scanning.
Canon EOS 3, Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8, Ilford fp4+ @ ISO 125, developed in ID-11 1+1, scanned on an epson v500.
So while waiting for the abortive attempt to visit Exposure at Tate Modern I spent the day wandering along the South bank of the Thames with cameras trying to look for something different.
The foot bridges looked interesting, but covered in people using them (this was about 3 in the afternoon). So, not wanting to wait for 13 hours for sunrise I decided to see how well multiple short exposures would work to ‘ghost’ out the walkers. From the above it seems to have worked well.
I really like the first one of the Millenium bridge. The lighting seems to have worked out nicely and I like the slightly washed out tones. And the backdrop of St Paul’s works nicely. Just a bit of a shame about the fact that the trees aren’t planted symmetrically. Everyone seems to have disappeared, apart from the gentleman in the wheelchair playing the steel drum.
Hungerford bridge turned out a bit differently, definitely a bit more claustrophobic and darker. Was actually crammed into a little nook on the bridge itself so the ‘ghosts’ are more visible. Don’t think this one is quite as sharp, but I think that’s down to a cheap tripod and a little bit of bridge vibration (I did think about doing something similar on the Millenium bridge, but standing on it and remembering it’s vibration problems I don’t think it would have worked).
Taken on a Canon EOS 3 with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens on Ilford FP4+ @ 125ISO, developed in ID-11 @ 1:1 and scanned on an Epson v500.
Really loving the crispness and textures that I’m getting with the black and white film, being able to see all the saw marks on these stumps. And the extra isolation from the lager film area is great as well, really like the way that the backgrounds on these 2 photos are full but they’re cut off from the main point of the photo.
Finally they’re up. Far too much stuff on at the moment, but here’s the photos from the Wormrot gig at The Old Angel all the way back in May. Top sweaty night of grindcore.
Tried something slightly different with the PP on these and it seems to have come out nicely, almost a selenium toning effect. Thinking that might have been helped that I shot them at ISO 800 and developed for IS1600 (Oops)
A little budding twig found randomly lying on some steps while wandering along Castle Boulevard in nottingham. I liked the textures in the shot, shame I blew the highlight on the buds though. Still getting to grips with exposing for film, there isn’t the helpful blinking histogram like there is on the back of the DSLR unfortunately.
Photograph taken on Canon EOS3, Canon EF 50mm/1.4 on HP5+ @400ISO, developed in Ilford DD-X and scanned on an Epson v500.
Another band I’ve not seen for a while running around with other things. But they’ve just got back from playing at Leipzig, so things seem to be looking up. Recommended for those who like their old skool Cure or Echo and his Bunnymen.
Colour ones taken on the 30D, black and white on the EOS 3
Been a while since I’ve seen Screaming Banshee Aircrew play (last time may well have been supporting The March Violets a couple of years ago (Pictures). There appear to have been some lineup changes (I’m sure I remember more than 4 in the band?) and a change in sound. There definitely seems to be a bit more of an edge to their sound these days. But it still sounds good, or at least as good as it can through ear plugs 12″ from the PA (my fault not theirs).
Took the EOS 30D out for a play as well for a bit of a change, so there’s some colour this time.
Black and white pictures take on a Canon EOS 3 on Ilford HP5+ @ 1600, some with flash, some without.
More playing with film. A quick couple of shots from a trip to the National Trust’s Sudbury Hall.
I like the perspective in the first one, though I should have been a little more careful with the framing of the bottom ball. While the viewfinder on the EOS 3 is larger than the 30D it’s still not 100%. I think kneeling down would have helped this shot a lot as well, if I could have place the centre point just about the middle step maybe, though then there wouldn’t have been quite the same sense of perspective. That and it was a filthy day so I’d have got muddy, note to self; one must suffer for one’s art.
I do like the tones in the 2nd one. The ball looks almost like a small moon. And there’s enough apparent ‘depth’ that it still seperates nicely from the wall at the back. Divided on the almost complete shadow at the bottom, while it definitely helps to define the shape of the ball, it would be nice to have some detail in there. Possibly a touch more exposure, or maybe a reflector of some sorts?
Taken with a Canon EOS 3, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens and Ilford HP5+ @400. Developed in Ilford DD-X. Scanned on an Epson v500.
Not the greatest sight in Nottingham, but I do like the contrast and tones in this one. Would have been nice not to have to shadow cast by the central nut, but I didn’t have a flash on me and the EOS 3 doesn’t have a built in.
Wonder how this would work with filters? Another plan at some point is to head out with the tripod to find a suitable test subject and then work through trying out lots of filters to see exactly what they do. I’ve tried a red filter a couple of times, but it doesn’t seem to have made a major difference, which isn’t what I was expecting.
Canon EOS 3, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4, Ilford HP5+ @ ISO 400, developed in DD-X, scanned on an Epson V500
Ok, getting very tardy with band photos now. These ones date from the 8th May, but I blame having too much fun at other gigs in the mean time :).
This was a bit of a strange one. Just a couple of songs performed just outside The Heavy Sounds shop in the middle of the West End Arcade in Nottingham. Don’t really know much about the band, except they’re a 2 piece consisting of guitar and drums, and that this event was to celebrate the launch of their debut 10″. Pretty good sounds, but I haven’t managed to get back down and pick up a copy, oops.
After this the bands just kept on coming as I traipsed up to The Old Angel for Wormrot, Unkind and a couple of others. Photos from that gig should be up pretty soon. Though I’m about to head out to Luxury Stranger and Screaming Banshee Aircrew, so I’m going to have even more to develop and process.
Canon EOS 3, Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 EX DG, Ilford HP5+ @ ISO 400, developed in DD-X, scanned on an Epson V500
Another evening back at Nottingham’s Old Angel, with the camera in tow. This time to catch Merciless Terror tearing up the stage. In fact, fast enough that I could barely focus, so not too many keepers out of the lot.
Hopefully there are some more Angel shot’s to come from Wormrot’s nottingham gig, but I’ve realised I’d shot them at ISO 800 and developed at ISO 1600, so we’ll have to see how they come out.
Some bits of Nottingham don’t seem to be fairing as well as others. In facts bits of the Lace market seem to be crumbling pretty rapidly. Bit of a shame really, some of the old buildings are lovely sandstone monstrosities. but it seems that the clubs (or their landlords) aren’t too bothered about keeping the exteriors in a decent condition. Quite like the batlike shape on this one, and the fact that is eating through the ‘pillars’ is nice too. Shame about the no parralel lines but i can’t quite afford a TS lens or a view camera just yet.
Canon EOS 3, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4, Ilford HP5+ @ ISO400, developed in DD-X, scanned on an Epson v500
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