The Characters of Wisbech, the Town in Decline.

You don't need a city to shoot street photography. You can do it in your home town.

Ive started to do it around my home town or village of Sutton Bridge.

If i had to choose my favourite nearest location though it would have to be Wisbech, without a doubt,

A town of many cultures. At least one third of the population is thought to be eastern european. 

A town in decline.

Even in my lifetime, I've seen the town spiral downwards, as the 'big named' stores have come and gone, the small local business have shut down. Mostly whats left is phone shops, coffee shops, Poundland x2 and Eastern european convenience stores, other store fronts lifeless or boarded up.

I suppose what i do like whilst at the same time hate about the place is the characters and the litter roaming the streets. 

Drunks, jobless' and bear cans strewn in the gutter. 

Maybe a paradise for those of us who like their hobby photography to be grimy, very different from my weekend wedding work.

I'll start with my favourite alley in the town, Scrimshires Passage. Some seriously old buildings with peeling paint, padlocked doors and an archway to provide contrast between shadow and light. I always head there hoping to catch someone walking through. 

This day i met something else, shoes, new shoes left on a window ledge. 

Only 10 seconds after taking this shot a drunk cyclist came through and asked me if the shoes were mine. I then had a conversation with her about how much i think she could sell them for. Good luck to her and her new items for sale.

The reason i love this alley so much.

When standing around in dark alleys for too long you start to get stared at, please, keep on staring.

Notice the beer can on the right

I manual focus a lot these days as it allows me to wait for someone to walk into the shot. I truly love this image.

Cool dude

The look, the 'why's he taking a picture of me' face.

Another can.

I wonder how long this couple have been in love?

Modern love?
Quick love?
Love you long time?

I still return to the penguin street art.

Whoever the street artist is, i do hope they continue.

Wisbech; the town i grew up in, lots of good times spent with mates.

Look after it.

Film frustration

Shooting film is frustrating;

1. When the film isn't wound properly, you shoot and you get nothing!!!!

2. Film is expensive

3. A lot of time composing and focusing, to discover the composition sucks, the focus is wrong and what you envisioned was not the actual result.

4. My Fuji makes my canon jealous and so shooting film makes both my expensive digital camera systems very jealous. Why the hell am I shooting on 30 year old cameras and expired films bought from charity shops when I have some exquisite modern cameras?

5. Film makes me feel in adequate as a photographer when the photos are rubbish upon development.

6. Do I purposely take poor photos when shooting film just because I'm shooting film? I think I do, "shooting film is fun" "shooting film is unexpected", are these just excuses in advance for the crap results I'm going to have to show for the waste of my time?

7. Ive not yet found a lab that I'm happy with the digital scans of my negatives.

Film sucks!!!

Examples of being rubbish

 

 

But I do like shooting film!!!

Pre wedding shoot with Ashley and Jolene

I enjoyed a little impromptu shoot yesterday with Ashley and Jolene, whom Im shooting their wedding for In a couple of weeks time.

I met the couple at the church they are getting married at to discuss a couple of details before their big day.

Before I knew it, I had the camera out and I was directing the poses.

This couple loves to kiss!!!!

After a few minutes the couple were starting to act natural and were enjoying a little bit of banter. This is going to help them get prepared for the important shots on the big day.

Thanks to Ashley and Jolene, ill see you in a few weeks.

Enjoy.