34 plugs and some new (old) film

I discovered that someone had a few rolls of expired film available free of charge today, so I took up their offer to take it off their hands. It involved an hour driving to the other side of the city and back during my lunch-break, but it was a nice day and good to get out of the house and away from my desk. The lady with the film told me that it had been in the fridge since it was bought and it’s only the fact that the fridge broke down that they remembered it was there. It’s been there a while as the one roll with an expiry on the packaging is dated 2005. The other two rolls are in un-dated wrappers but I’m assuming a similar vintage. Given its storage, I might even be tempted to shoot a roll at box speed to see how it fares.

The dated roll is Tudor branded 200asa colour negative with 24 exposures, Tudor being a company that re-packaged films rather than manufacturing their own I believe. I’ve not opened the box yet, but when I come to shoot it I’ll look up the DX code to see if I can find out who manufactured it originally – possibly Fuji though.

The other two rolls are Truprint FG+, another 200asa film, and again with 24 exposures. Truprint was a mail-order photo lab and rolls of their film would be supplied with the returned prints. Although I don’t know for sure, I believe that the film might be rebranded Ferrania FG+.

As I’m taking about expired film, here’s a photo made on out of date Superia 100 at the Lincoln Steam Rally three years ago. I’m not sure if there are actually 34 plugs in this tin…

Nikon F70, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF-D & Fuji Superia 100 (expired 2007).

Taken on 29 October 2017

Holgacolor

I like my Holga camera. I find, despite its lo-fi credentials – plastic lens, single shutter speed, being built like a cheap toy etc. – that it can produce some sublime photographs when used to its strengths. It’s notable in my case though, that this generally tends to be where black-and-whitefilm is concerned. While I’ve probably not shot enough colour film with the camera for this to be a fair comparison, I’ve found my non-B&W results to be less impressive.

For this roll, it probably doesn’t help that it’s an expired film with some colour shifts (albeit nothing too bad), and one that I had some trouble scanning to my satisfaction to boot. It might also be argued that the images I made are not my best from a compositional point-of-view either – I’m not sure I was seeking to get the best from the roll, rather than just using it up.

Whatever the case, I don’t think these work as well as they might have done in B&W. I don’t hate them, but the feel a bit “meh” at the same time. I’ll leave it up to anyone who reads this to make up their own minds on the matter.

A plastic piece of junk?
Beauty is more than skin deep
I think you might find

Holga 120N & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008).

Taken on 17 July 2021

Hope Valley

Today’s photo shows the view up the Hope Valley from a hillside not far from Bolehill Quarry above Grindleford.

Hope Valley descends
Taking water from rivers
Peakshole, Noe, Derwent

Fujica GW690 & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008).

Taken on 29 March 2021

Mossy ruin

A came across this place while wandering in the Peak District last week. I’ve passed close by before and never realised it was there but, now that I do, I think I’ll pay it further visits. While I’m pretty happy with how this photo turned out, I think that – with the right conditions – there might be much better images to be had. The autumn should be very nice here, I think.

Tumbledown structure
Hidden in the old oak woods
A nice place to find

Fujica GW690 & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008).

Taken on 29 March 2021

Back to the Peak District

With the easing of the lockdown in England it has meant the ability to travel a little further afield for photography has returned, so I’ve taken a couple of trips out into the Peak District – the closest bit, nothing too crazy! On both occasions I set out quite early and the car-park I’ve used has been almost empty, but has been busy when I’ve returned a few hours later. There are lots of places to venture from the car-park though, so it’s easy to keep plenty of distance from other people.

It’s nice to go somewhere different to make photos again and I’ve a big list of destinations for when the rules ease further from next week. It’s quite easy to get caught up in the act of taking pictures now the opportunity is back, so on today’s hike I made sure to take time to take things in through my senses without a viewfinder acting as a window to everything.

Countryside hiking
Feeling fresh air on my skin
It is wonderful

Fujica GW690 & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008).

Taken on 29 March 2021

Beighton Signalbox (while it’s still here)

This is the signal box at Beighton Station, not far from where I live. Although it’s named Beighton Station, no station has been present since the 1950s when passenger services ceased. There have been recent rumblings about building a new terminal suitable for tram-train services however.

The signal-box is currently scheduled for demolition in 2021, much to the displeasure of locals who see it as a landmark, and there are campaigns looking to try and save it.

More photos of the signal box can be found in my blog posts here, here, here, and here.

Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008).

Taken on 8 November 2020

Crossing a golf course

In direct continuation from yesterday’s post, the four images today were made while crossing Renishaw golf course. The golf course borders the farmland where yesterday’s photographs were made, the two areas split by the River Rother, and a metal-framed footbridge spans it’s flow.

The golf course was, as you might expect, shrouded in the same fog as the farmland. As golf courses have been closed due to the lockdown, no-one was playing – although fog might not be the best conditions for golf anyway I suppose, pandemic or not – and the course was empty of all but the occasionl individuals and small groups out walking in the murk. If you look carefully, you might be able to see some of them in the trees at the other side of the fairway.

As I followed the footpath through the course I noticed these neat rows of fallen leaves, presumably raked by the groundskeeper.

My final shot beore leaving the golf course was this signpost.

Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008).

Taken on 7 November 2020

Subdued colours on a misty morning walk

More misty morning photographs. All made on the same day (and walk) as the black and white images I’ve posted over the past few days, but this time on a roll of expired Fuji Superia 100. I probably wouldn’t shoot colour film in these conditions as they can tend to feel bereft of colour, but it was all I had to hand after finishing the HP5+. Anyway, although there’s a muted quality to them, there’s still plenty of colour there – especially green.

While the blank grey of the foggy skies is somewhat bland, it’s also very atmospheric. It captures the stillness of these conditions. Quiet that is only broken by the occasional caw of a crow and your footsteps across the ground.

It’s quite easy to imagine that I was in the middle of the countryside, such is the adeptness of fog when it comes to removing distance and detail. In reality I was just a stone’s throw from Renishaw golf course and, beyond that, the town of Eckington. There are plenty of fields and signs of the countryside here, but in reality it’s just a few minutes from busy roads, supermarkets, and local industries. You could easily imagine being out on some lonely heath though.

Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008).

Taken on 7 November 2020

Whirlowbrook Hall

On my walk up the Limb Valley last week, the first place I came across was Whirlowbrook Hall. A grand-looking manor house that was built back in 1906. Originally a family home, its grounds were opened to public access in 1951.

The building is now used as a venue for weddings, conferences, and other events.

Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008). Grain2Pixel conversion.

Taken on 28 October 2020

Tangled

I’m not sure why, but for some reason yesterday’s post didn’t appear in the WordPress Reader feed. So if you’re interested is seeing some autumnal woodland photographs, you can find them here.

Today’s post will be shorter, with just a single photo taken from the same roll as yesterdays shots – the last frame on the roll in fact. This tangle of exposed roots beside the footpath caught my eye as I walked back to where I’d parked the car. I think it’s one that would have worked well in black and white too.

Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 50mm f/2.8 MC & Fujifilm Superia 100 (expired 2008). Grain2Pixel conversion.

Taken on 28 October 2020