Pandemic scenes #11

I had wondered if I might have come to the end of this series of pandemic-related photographs given the relaxing of the lockdown here in the UK, but I’ve got a few new images of scenes in the new, post-lockdown world.

The weekend before last was the final one before non-essential retail was allowed to re-open on the 15 June, so I took a trip up town to see how things looked before the shops returned to life.

 

The town centre was largely empty, with the largest groups of people I noticed being construction workers and homeless folks. It was a little eerie and the weather – dank and grey – felt more akin to a winter’s morning than one approaching the summer solstice. There were pigeons in the Peace Gardens and I wondered if they’ve been forced to work harder for their dinners given the lack of humans feeding them or dropping scraps?

 

The city has been given new signage outside some shops (although it seemed somewhat hit and miss as to which shops did – it certainly wasn’t all of them), and benches and the like feature signs requesting they not be used, or to keep your distance from others.

 

I’ve made a couple more trips since this one (and still have more pandemic-related photos from this roll yet to upload), so I guess this series will continue for a while yet.

Olympus OM-1, F-Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@800asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10 mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 June 2020

Garry Winogrand and wonky veg

My favourite photographer’s quote originates from Garry Winogrand: “I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed“.

This quote pretty much encompasses why I make many of my photographs. I’ll see something, be it a scene or an object, and I’ll be inspired to see how my camera will render it as an image. How will the lens make it look?; What if I use a different aperture or focal length?; What about the film I’m using – how will it render the contrast / grain / light / colour? etc.

I’ll still make pictures of more obvious, traditional compositions, but even then the impulse is still the same – how will it look as a photograph? It means that pretty much anything might be a suitable subject for a photograph to be made, whether a beautiful landscape, or a dirty, rainwater-filled plastic cup left on a window-ledge after someone’s night out. Anything can catch my eye. Given that all my photos are made with an audience-of-one in mind – namely myeself – everything is good. I’m sure that some people will wonder what the hell was I thinking when I raised the camera to my eye, but all that needs to be understood is that I saw a photograph that, to me, was worth creating.

Today’s photgraph falls firmly into this remit. The first shot on a roll of HP5+ I shot last weekend, depicting the box of “wonky veg” that was sat in the window of a ground-floor flat close to where I’d parked my car. The rising-sun motif, the grain of the wood, the Pepsi can, and the slightly dirty window all caught my attention.

This is the first roll of film I’ve pushed and then home-developed, and the Ilfotec DD-X has done a great job.

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@800asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10 mins @ 20°.

Taken on 14 June 2020

Fencepost near Baslow Edge

Another dip into my (recent-ish) archive with a shot taken at the start of the year which I’d not published on Flickr until a couple of days ago. It shows a weather-worn fencepost beside one of the footpaths near Baslow Edge. Not sure why I didn’t publish it before – I possibly had a surplus of images to upload or something.

I ventured up town again today and finished the roll of HP5+ in my recently acquired OM-2. I felt much more inspired than I did on yesterday’s outing, although I’m still not convinced I have anything great to show for my efforts. I think that, as this has been my first roll through this camera, that I’m subconsciously treating it as a “test” roll and as such didn’t want to invest too much effort in the photos in case there’s an issue with the camera (not that I have any reason to think there might be). Anyway, the roll is shot now and I’ll hopefully get it developed tomorrow.

Olympus OM-1, Zuiko 28mm f/3.5 & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 4 Jan 2020

Baslow

A photograph today that was taken back at the start of the year. I made it during a trip out to Baslow Edge and shot it using the Zuiko 75-150mm f/4 lens I had with me.

While I published several photographs taken during that trip here on the blog, this one has lain untouched on my hard-drive.

It shows the view looking down on the village of Baslow from atop the edge that is named after it.

While I don’t do it often, sometimes it’s nice to just have a look back through photographs I made previously. I often find a few surprises in the form of images I’d forgotten about completely, or ones which, while not doing much for me at the time, now hold appeal on a fresh viewing.

Olympus OM-1, Zuiko 75-150mm f/4 & Ilford Delta 400.

Taken on 4 Jan 2020

Liverpool Street pigeons

On the whole, I’ve been more than pleased with the results from this roll of HP5+ pushed to 1600asa. I was expecting a lot more grain and contrast than is apparent, and the images all look great. Definitely something I will repeat when the situation requires it.

This was the final shot on the roll – although I shot a few photos with the Pentax Espio that I also had with me. After that I resorted to some digital shots when back in the dimmer light of the Tube station.

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@1600).

Taken on 19 February 2020

Tower 42 reflected

Tower 42 – one more commonly known as the Natwest Tower – was once the tallest building in the UK (until One Canada Square opened in Canary Wharf in 1990). Now it is dwarfed by a cluster of more recent towers, as can be seen by the fact that it is fully reflected by the glass facade of one of its new neighbours in this photograph.

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@1600).

Taken on 19 February 2020

Passers by

Continuing the street-photography theme from the past few days (most of the shots from this roll fall into the category), here’s another.

My original intent had been to photograph a man in an interesting coat wearing a fedora who I saw approaching, but he turned down the street in the right of the frame. Then I spotted the guy who ended up in the picture – he stood out by being sharply dressed in business atire where most other people were wrapped up against the rain. He was carrying a small case and walking with brisk determination – probably due to the weather.

I pre-focused on the post you can see in the shot and waited for him to get close. Unfortunately I’ve missed focus by a small amount, but I’m still happy with the shot, which I think works because of the stark contrast of his black suit agaibst the lighter background.

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@1600).

Taken on 19 February 2020

Composing an image

This was taken beside St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It had been raining and this section of floor was highly reflective with the sheen of water that lay upon its surface. I’m not sure exactly what this photographer was taking a picture of but I suspect it was most likely a reflection of some sort.

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@1600).

Taken on 19 February 2020

Pasta

Another random street shot from London. To try and increase hits to my blog I’ve included some sex. 🙂

I think it said “Sexy” something or other, perhaps “food”, or “deals” or something, but where’s the cheap fun in that, eh?

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@1600).

Taken on 19 February 2020

At Farringdon Street

A trio of shots taken after getting off the tube at Farrindon Street last week.

You know what they say about checking your frame to make sure (amongst other things) that people don’t have objects sticking out of their heads? Well guess who ignored that…

The guy in the body-warmer in the middle distance looks like he’s staring right at me, but upon closer glance he’s actually looking off to his right.

Olympus OM-1, F.Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 & Ilford HP5+ (@1600).

Taken on 19 February 2020