1 roll of film a month, how hard can it be!?

New years resolutions, does anyone stick to them?

I don't know if I ever have before?

But then I can't think of any that I've set before this one.

Shooting a roll of film each month isn't just a new years resolution it's a personal project, something for me to enjoy, something to not worry about, if the shots come out they come out, if the film camera breaks half way through the roll then #*^% it! That's already happened by the way.

I've got a freezer drawer full of film that I've collected over the years. Some of it is the famous AgfaVista aka Poundland film that is no more, some is black and white film long expired and among others are multi packs that stared me in the face in Holbeach Tescos a few years back and I just had to have it.

A mixture of 35mm and 120 medium format, all sitting in the cold and dark all waiting to be pulled out, defrosted and loaded up. All waiting for it's time of glory.

So yeah a roll each month, it shouldn't be too difficult. I just need to get back in the habit of carrying a camera with me where ever I go, something I haven't done for a while, apart from my iPhone, after all the best camera is the one that you have with you!

I need to get back in the habit of just shooting a few frames of things that catch my eye. Something I've not done for a long time. We live in the digital age, information and data is filling up our computers, phones and the internet every minute of the day. Why take pictures of things that aren't going to make me any money..........Why?

For the love!

Seriously, as I sit and type this blog in March I've already had 3 months of this project and on occasion I've gone for a walk and have literally shot pictures of puddles and the sun shining through shapes on the street. Walking along with camera in hand, tunes on in my headphones and a massive smile. I hadn't forgot but it really has felt like I'd forgot how much I love photography!

So back in January I shot my 1st roll, a roll of Kodak BW400CN film, loaded up in my £10 Canon EOS600 SLR.

Actually back in September I shot my 1st roll, that roll above, before I forgot about it and then really kicked my arse in to gear to carry on in January.

So in September I shot 9 frames of this 12/2006 expired black and white, colour negative, film at Richard & Lydia's wedding at The Ffolkes in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

I remember being excited to pull the camera out and snap away whilst I was shooting their newlywed portraits in the early evening light.

It was literally heavy work as I had 3 cameras hanging off my harness; my 5d3 with 85mm, my X-pro 2 with 23mm and finally my EOS 600 with my 24-70mm, all waiting for their moment.

Then the EOS600 got packed away again, it was taken to weddings afterwards but it was either too cold or too wet to mess about with 'another' camera whilst my couple stood waiting.

Back to January and I committed to doing this, I started to carry the camera around on dog walks, family trips and sometimes just around the house.

This is where this project gets really boring and it looks like your being subjected to my family album.

I'm sorry OK but when you've got kids it's easy to finish a roll of 24 exposures on bath time, play time and bed time.

Sorry, not sorry!

Shooting with an ISO 400 film at ISO 100 makes things a little interesting when shooing in doors. It's wide open aperture or nothing.

Shooting moving children with a wide open aperture on a camera that only has a centre focus point, now that's a challenge.

And on top of that, pressing the shutter when that moving child has their eyes open, sometimes you catch a funny 'drunken' expression!

The film; Kodak BW400CN 14 years out of date, shot at ISO 100, it did great.
I love it!
It's got that film softness and grain and all the imperfections of shooting expired film on a camera made 31 years ago.

I can't wait to develop February's roll.

I'll see you soon.

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.

He just want's to go fast

It's been a while since ive written a blog post.

Ive been busy recently shooting different things for different people and ive done a couple of jobs for a local paper too, so things keep on ticking over.

Ive also spent a fair stack of money on gear recently too that should start to pop up in posts soon.

So, it was a couple of weeks ago, I was leaving my work car park when I finally noticed a snail travelling accross my windscreen. I know, I know, I should of stopped and got the little guy off but all I could think of was the Turbo film about the snail who wanted to go fast, so I took him along for the ride home.

I took it slow and I found the limits of what he could hold onto.

I have to admit I thought it was hilarious!

Good times!

I thought id take advantage of the 90mm Tamron Macro lens I have sitting gathering dust in my study. Macro is not really my thing as I hate messing around with tripods, I find it all takes too long for my liking.

So this shot was taken hand held and the focus is not quite right but what can you do.

The lens is safely back in its hiding place ready for another outing perhaps in a few months.

And Turbo; he's either living the dream after his 'live fast die young' experience or well I don't know how long a common snail lives for, maybe he died young?

Turbo!

A cold Sunday in Norwich is good for business

I made another trip to Norwich on Sunday for 3 reasons; 1st to get a new battery fitted to my phone, 2nd to have a look at a camera and 3rd to chat Wedding photography with potential clients.

It was a very successful day;
New battery.
New Camera
Another wedding booked.

As im sure you've read before and usually it takes place in Norwich, I love street photography, Mostly because its an excuse to carry my camera around.

Sorry, I already bought it

 

A missus putting up with her photographer fella

Locked

The beauty of walking around built up places is finding odd things like random clothing in random places. I was just waiting for a streaker to run by.

Biddys; the tea shop I met Fiona and Tom to talk weddings, a cool looking tea shop and a nice couple, Tom had the biggest slice of cake ive ever seen...........seriously it was massive

Keeping an eye on things

and pay silly prices for someone else's junk

A wall of windows

I wonder if they got wet painting that?

Ive been urbexing recently with a good friend so ill begin to post the shots from that soon, there are loads as the location is BIG!

Im beginning to look forward to 2015, should be a great year for photography.

I hope you, reading this, like what I do and take the time to look at my other posts.

Ive had over 11,000 hits now to this blog, so my photography is getting around.

Thanks for looking.

Just a walk in the park

I was dog sitting Ella again and just fancied grabbing shots.

We took a walk over too and round the Memorial Park in Sutton Bridge.

I'm liking the way I've started to shoot faces of both people and animals. I'm filling the frame with natural poses.......don't smile!!! So I needed to capture my borrowed mans best friend in this way.

And for once she wasn't the obedient dog she usually is. She just would not look at the camera.
Luckily I caught her eye for at least a quarter of a second before shed look over my shoulder again, she really liked my shoulder; every time I moved to try and get in her eye line she would then alter it again.

And to top it off.....that tongue!

She's a beaut.

ISO640, 157mm, f/4, 1/400



My favourite subject when on a photo walk seems to be benches. Why I photograph benches I don't know. I just love a good bench.

This once a good'un too as it sits right at the back of the back in the trees. Light is diffused in between the branches. Its a very quiet place and the bench is very simple. Simply peaceful.

ISO640, 147mm, f/3.5, 1/200

 Just behind the bench lives a tree with vines growing up the side of it. Very photographic.

ISO2000, 70mm, f/5.6, 1/125

Finally behind the tree above in a section called 'Devils Circle'; I don't know why its got this name, it was just known as this when I was a kid so that the name has stuck with me. I'm not sure who named it this, why or when, is a 'zebra' tree.

 

I'm sure its one of a kind.

ISO2000, 70mm, f/3.5, 1/125

 

Shooting in the walks, Kings Lynn, with Taj

I text Taj saying I was going to the Walks in Kings Lynn to take some shots. He was supposed to bring his camera too but he forgot......oh well, that gave me something to take photos of; Him.

Before I met Taj I had 10 minutes or so of time to myself so I strolled around and got one of my favourite shots that ive taken recently.

This guy was walking about 10 steps ahead of me and then sat down on empty bench listening to his tunes with his legs crossed. I see Taj arrive as I walked behind this guy on the bench and gave him the shush signal. I new I couldn't be long and mess round with trial and error of exposure settings, I decided on my exposure and took the shot.

24-105L, 70mm, F5.6, 1/80, ISO160

I love the posts sticking up on the left of the image balanced by the guy on the right.

Maybe I should of tapped him on the shoulder and said "alright mate, I just took a picture of the back of your head".

But I didn't.

So Taj and I went over to the red mount to make the most of the textured bricks and doors as backgrounds.

As always, these days, my Sigma 70-200 was the lens of choice and I also attached a Nissin di866ii flash for some fill light in the shadows and catch light in the eyes.



70-200, 91mm, F5, 1/100, ISO250

Ever the cool dude

70-200, 70mm, F5, 1/200, ISO800

70-200, F5, 1/640, ISO1250

My favourite shot of Taj, I like the grain added by choosing a higher ISO, the tilt (gotta love them tilts) and the pose, although Taj did complain that it wasn't comfortable.

70-200, F5, 1/200, ISO400

70-200, F5, 1/200, ISO400

70-200, F5, 1/80, ISO160

Ive had an idea for a little project of frame filling face portraits, here's my first.

 

Street art with the newest camera in my collection

Why oh why oh why did I want another camera when I already own so many, including some that are cool and one; the 5D which is amazing.

Well for a little while now I have coveted a smaller retro looking camera; the Fujifilm X20.

12MP, manual control, viewfinder, shoots RAW.....yes please!

Photo of the new toy, taken on my IPhone

 

I purchased the camera from WEX in Norwich on the way to Great Yarmouth, where we were staying for the weekend on good ol' British caravan holiday.

 

I chose to use this camera all weekend during my travels and walk abouts so I could get a good feel for it.

 

The images taken are not comparable to my 5D but I never expected them to be anyway. RAW images require sharpening and noise reduction to get the best of them.

 

For portability and ease of use thought this camera is awesome. There are 2 command dials and buttons to control everything you need such as focus point, white balance etc and a nice exposure compensation dial on the top.

 

The usual family holiday snaps were taken but otherwise I have enjoyed using this camera to capture buildings, signs and street art and a bit of street photography.

 

There's some good detail on the buildings along the sea front of Gt Yarmouth

 





The name of this place gets me every time

 



Artificial decay

 

On the way home from Yarmouth on Monday we stopped off in Norwich again for dinner. Obviously I had the camera hanging around my neck.

 

Ive noticed street art around Norwich before on previous shopping trips, once you start looking for it you find that it is all over the place. These pieces were on the way to our chosen eatery.

 

 

Street art can be found in your home towns.

 

At the beach

 

Even found in Wisbech, yesterday after my mortgage appointment.

 

 Yes its a camera and im taking a photo.

 This penguin was just up the road from the other.

One very cramped alley way

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Ben