Wisbech Urbex, Despair

Urban exploring is something i don't do often anymore.

I've been focusing on weddings, photoshoots and street photography.

A little frustrated with myself too, I've not enjoyed exploring like i have have in the past. Perhaps i expect too much, or I'm lacking the creativity too make something out of nothing.

I'll continue to explore when the opportunity arises, perhaps enjoying more what i see with my eyes rather than what i see through a camera. 

As a total opposite from what i written in the above sentences, what i did enjoy about this explore was that it wasn't alone....ive made a new friend.

The internet, it's made the world grow inwards towards the self, for once though its been used to meet new people. 

Through an instagram follow I met up with Jack Smyth, a photographer from March, Cambridgeshire. Sunday morning, 8am, Wisbech, the site; an empty factory/warehouse that has been stripped and left abandoned.

Access was easy enough.

The site comprises of a large warehouse building which is segregated into 4/5 separate rooms that resemble coldstores or chillers, an office section and a number of smaller chiller units.

Inside, wiring has been dismantled and sold for scrap, all thats left is a pile of copper-less wire and a few desks, with a couple of extras thrown in for good measure. 

Guard cat

Work free office

From what?

Desperate place for a desperate measure

The waters been left on and so theres pools of water throughout.
Trusty waterproof boots.

Danger.

Bazaar things happen

Darkness

This was the most interesting thing found for me until moments later.

Dizzying heights

The main building is vast; a black hole.

I had to shoot something to make use of having a companion.
What can you do when theres harsh light and deep shadows, use both and create a silhouette.

A sobering thought to end with:

Imagine being homeless.

Alone.

Cold.

Where would you go?

This is a stark reality, that may never cross your mind, for some though they live this despair everyday.

I felt awkward and ashamed for invading this persons space.

Everyone's got their own demons.
Some physical, some mental.

Its easy to judge but whats their story?

Richard; a Street Portrait

It's important to challenge yourself.

Force yourself into doing something your uncomfortable with.

Doing this will hopefully lower your inhibitions and make you grow as person and it should be easier next time.

Ive been really busy lately, by advertising myself. Ive released that not everyone is going to come to me just by word of mouth, though its proven very successful. So those local to me will no doubt have seen my adverts popping up on various Facebook pages. Result, more business.

Because I've been busy, I've let my blogging fall behind. Its not like i don't shoot regularly, i have a camera with me at all times, though today walking the dog in the hail i didn't feel like getting the camera out.

So, a mental note to keep blogging.

A time recently where I've challenged myself is to talk to a stranger and ask if i can take their portrait.

I spotted Richard sitting on a windowsill on St. Benedicts street, Norwich, nursing his cider. At 1st i thought about grabbing a candid shot of him. I walked away with my tail between my legs. After going in a shop looking for bargain CD's, i noticed that he was still sitting there, i just had to talk to him.

Go for it, whats the worst that could happen, he might just say no.

Very politely Richard, told me his name, told me that he lived just up the road , told me his story and agreed that i could take his photo.

I gave Richard my card and my details, to which he replied he doesn't have a phone or a computer and so wouldn't be able to see the photo. Now that i think about it, i should of took his address and sent him a small print as a way of saying thanks for his time.

Some people in a worse position than you, may still be willing to give you a hand, just for a little bit of time.

Street Photography; Walking where the light is

I said it before that I love going to London. In fact I love big cities with their big buildings.

I was intentionally wanting to shoot street photography, by the time we got back to our hotel near Aldgate underground station the sun had started its descent in the sky; this really stretched out the shadows of the buildings. As the sun passed in between, paths of light were formed. This is the look I was going for!

So I found interesting shapes combining light and shadow in the urban landscape only a short walk from the hotel and waited for people to walk into or out of the shot.

Its all a waiting game.

 

 

 

In between locations and waiting for passers by I looked up and thought this would make a good photo. I cant decide whether I think it is or not.

Shooting street in the big city; Camden Town.

I love London. I always have since I first visited as a child; going on the tube for the first time was a great experience. I used to visit my brother regularly in my late teenage/early adult years to go out and get...well...smashed.

I love the hustle and bustle, the sights, the people, its a cool place.

On a recent visit I really concentrated on street photography. I went to Camden and of course, there was lots going on; tourists, bored kids, street art and the artists themselves creating their next piece.

In the chaos of the busy of life, 1 person taking photo's of strangers doesn't get noticed like it does in the quieter parts of the country or world like my home town and surrounding locations. The fact is that in the touristy big smoke every other person is carrying a 'big' camera, so my 'little' Fuji helps me blend in that little more.

 

I really appreciate street art, be it graffiti or stencils. I like the idea that there's a meaning behind the work rather than just tagging a name.

This one guy was painting all day and every now and then I went back to see how he was getting on...he's probably still there.

Down the same street were people hanging out; if that's what you call it, may be a little too much 'party'.

Waiting for people to walk in front of something in particular is both a big waiting game but rewarding when it finally happens. Im still waiting for that show stopping image though that's going to be recognised world wide as a real moment of time, a real stroke of luck/right place right time, uncanny genius. Maybe that wont happen!

In Camden Market there are vintage shops and stalls all over the place. What got me was how much people try to charge for things like old camera's....woah!!!

These 3 boys caught my eye. they sat there for about 10 minutes really bored waiting for someone, I just had to freeze their boredom.

Looking down on the world is great, people don't know your there, in a place like Camden 100's of people pass underneath you (not counting the tube) every minute.

My companions on the trip did wonder why I photographed so many strangers though............maybe not enough selfies for them?

Kings Lynn on a windy night in October

Another shoot around Kings Lynn at night.

Kings Lynn has a lot to offer when it comes to photography, especially old buildings and narrow streets.

That's what I was going for on this night.

It was a windy and wet day though which is never good for long exposures as you watch the camera shake around on the tripod during a 20 second shot.

So each shot took a couple of takes waiting for the wind to take a break.

I used small apertures, around f/11 to f/14 to achieve starbursts from the street lights.

In hindsight I should of shaded the lens a little more with my hands to prevent lens flare, however I had my hands in my pockets as they were cold....I've got to look after number 1 after all.

Black and white, as per usual was the way to go.

(Sunny) Sutton Bridge at Night

Its been a couple of weeks since my last post and since then i've got  new lens; a Fish Eye.

I've wanted a fish eye for years but, like a lot of things in life, have never treated myself.

Now i've got a new camera I need to get some new glass. The fish eye was an impulse buy that i've finally made and so far it's as cool as I thought it would be.

I had used one before on my old 450D and was amazed at how close to things I had to get to things in order to get things distorted in the stereotypical fish eye way. Now i've had one for a week im now used to getting close.

My fisheye; a Zenitar 16mm, is an old school Russian lens made originally for 35mm film cameras, now im shooting with a full frame camera I can make use of the old beaut. Its a manual aperture, manual focus lens,  for optimum quality I shoot at f/8 and focusing isn't highly critical with such a massive depth of field due to the ultra wide focal length of 16mm.

On to the photos on this post.

I was biking home from work yesterday, Thursday 30/01/14 and passing under the Cross Keys bridge at Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire I thought it would be a good idea to come back later and make use of the fish eye while the tide was high, not as high as my previous post though http://benchapmanphotos.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-night-river-nene-almost-flooded-in.html.

I had my tea, grabbed my coat, camera, tripod and headphones and took a walk to the bridge.

All shots were taken at ISO 100 and F/8.

I love a good starburst on lights. Star bursts can be achieved by using small apertures.

20 Seconds

 

 I don't know what it is but I find myself photographing benches quite often.

War memorial in the background.

 20 Seconds

 

I've been told that there's a ghost haunting the bridge.

20 Seconds

 

The lights under the bridge are really bright, I had to capture the balance of light and darkness.

3.2 Seconds

 

It's been a long time since i've used a phone box.

 13 Seconds

 

I haven't played with light like this since I first got a camera a good 5 years ago. I've been thinking about standing in this spot for a few years now and i've finally done it....yay!

 

Im going to go back for another go at this.

8 Seconds

 

Thanks for looking.

Tune in again.

Ben

An afternoon in Sunny Hunny with Laura, probably the best afternoon ive had in Sunny Hunny since....well i really don't know when!

We decided to go to the beach on Sunday, it was gone dinner time when we jumped in the ol' mk2 and went for a drive to Hunstanton.

I don't know why its called Sunny Hunny other than because it rhymes, you know I only live the other side of the wash from it and I could see it on a clear day if walking on the river bank in Sutton Bridge or if down the Marsh at Gedney Drove End, so its safe to say both places pretty much share similar weather and they don't call this Sunny Sutton Bridge!

Or at least I don't think they do?

Maybe Im going to start a trend here?

As normal ive always got a camera with me just in case there are any opportunities to grab some shots. Im glad I did as there's some I really like from this day.

Here, ill mention ive made another mistake, somehow I managed to change some settings on my 5D and I really don't remember ever playing with it so who knows how that happened. I usually shoot raw, however my camera was set to JPEG!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!! WORLD ENDER!!!!

Not really that big a deal but it did annoy me when I found out.

First thing we did was park at Tesco and I am so glad I did because look at this bad boy.....plus I didn't know Lisa lived in Hunstanton

 

We then went for a walk along the beach front, there were quite a few people around at 1pm but the amount soon dropped away as it got colder in the afternoon. We played some Bowlingo in an arcade, which was a laugh considering I don't think much to bowling.



 I don't really know why Laura bowls like this, but as long she's having fun its ok.

 Its me, my beard and thumb.

 I wonder what people say to this?

Must try harder

We then played some games in the arcade which was empty apart from us and the guy who gives you change, I felt like a VIP.

We left the arcade and walked passed a bungalow that looked in real state however the home was still in use....otherwise I would of given myself a guided tour.

 

Beached for winter.

 

We walked along the front again, this time there were a lot less people.

 

 

The afternoon was finished off with a full belly in Cod'licious, great name for a chip shop.

However this made me laugh.

 

Video's 50p, come on it isn't 1987.

 

I love black and white and a nice vignette in the corners.

 

Tune in next time.

 

Remember it's sunny Sutton Bridge