boss_kitty

Non-Holga Bank Holiday Extra

We found an old film (which must've been shot at least 5 years ago) which wasn't in the Holga, but as I was home developing thought it'd be worth seeing what was on it. As soon as I got it out of the canister in the lightproof bag I knew something was up, it felt kind of sticky and weird...not like film should be at all...maybe storing it in a warm drawer for several years wasn't ideal. True enough the majority of the film is degraded beyond recognition and it looks like light has leaked in at some point, but some interesting pics and 2 that are almost recognisable (first 2 - one of Beth in her Dad's garden, the other of Cal's rabbit Pino [we think]).

Anyway I like the effect and like to think of it as being photographs of a dream. See what you think (music to accompany - has to be jazz-punk collosals The Cravats singing In Your Eyes, right click here and select "open in new tab" or similar. Click pics for biggening

So there you go. I like that :) but then I'm odd. Check out my Flickr Photostream which is being updated fairly regularly with different scans of my favourites off of here. If you think others are unjustly overlooked, let me know.

Redscale Experiment #1 (of 1 maybe)

So the next thing I decided to do was shoot some redscale stuff, which sounds artsy but is actually just loading the film backwards into the camera so you shoot through the reddish backing perspex (or whatever it is). Didn't really have a plan other than "I'm going to the footy may as well try it out there", and paid a price this time.

What I've learned - 1) redscaling is shooting through a very dense filter, and as the Holga really likes light, if I did it again I'd have to use a waaaaay faster film than 200 and go out on a sunny day not 2 cloudy ones; 2) the effect is very variable from deep red to winey to sepia/ochre to ...hard to describe (longer exposure pics below) so again not sure what you'll get; 3) I'm not sure I actually like the redscale effect...well maybe some decent photographers on Flickr get good results but I'm apathetic about trying it again unless caught in a situation where I feel I may be overexposing the films, and even then...

See what you think: (music to accompany??? - something like Chemicarmicat (bastards) off of The Melvins' Eggnog ep right click here and select "open in new tab" or similar)

Me and Mrs Naylor taken by Nottingham's top Bill Patterson lookalike, I love the Naylors...there I've said it

Naylor leaves (evidence of scratching and chemical residue on scan - can't get rid)

Oscar's in there somewhere I think

Some Brighton fans???

Dave, Steve and more seagulls (long exp)

The Lane (long exp)

Pre-game (long exp)

Post game (peaceful) pitch invasion ("Stay off the pitch" sayeth the tannoy) - another long exp

Post game pint in the South Bank beer garden (view of Trent Bridge - trust me, it is)

Next day garden pic of next door's gorse-y thing

Triple exposure of wild flowers yn fy ardd i. Not sure what happened but like this one:)

Next door's Laylandii or maybe old overegrown xmas tree again from our garden.

Sky, very cloudy, big part of for why these are so underexposed (along with my dickfingeredness)

Sky direct - again q like.

Self portrait.

Let me know what you think eh? I do pay some attention sometimes.

Drunken Photography #1 - The Works' Outing

While I've been really enthusiastic 'n' all that around the lo-fi photography, hadn't really been obeying the "rules", partly because I don't think there should be any, but also because they're nonsensical in some ways. Oddly the one I've felt guiltiest about is number 6 "don't think", because (although it may not be obvious) I tend to overthink things and the photos so far may have suffered a little because of that (this blog died on the vine 2 years ago because it became homework, wouldn't want that to happen with film or jelly). So how do I stop thinking...those of you who know me in meat space will know that once I've had a couple of drinks I don't think things through very much. So I took my camera on a drink-after-work-last-day-of-term-type-do. I'm very pleased with some of the results (even the last two which are of a mural in the toilets of said pub - yes I took a camera into a crowded pub gents' toilet), and despite the inevitable patchiness think the results have showed this thing works. I have some more rolls of drunkphotos to be developed (and one just done that looks OK too). Weird how the Holga doesn't make people go a big rubbery one like normal cameras do, it is a social beast. If you want a musical accompaniment to match the photos try right clicking here and selecting "open link in new tab" or similar, you know it makes sense. I did get variable results when scanning (did it twice) so have included 2 versions for some and my favourites for others:

 
 

So there you go comment on your faves and otherwise. If you know anyone in the pics please don't use names here I don't want to distress them further :). Head over to my photostream for higher res scans of my favourite pics from rolls posted so far.

Now in Colour

After 2 fillums of B&W (nice though that is) found 2 old expired Truprint free 35mm colour rolls. Chance to develop my first colour and do my first mod of the Holga. Waited for a nice day, and we went out to Foxton Locks with my mum and dad. Beautiful day and really pleased with the pictures, the sprocket effect is really nice, but also most of the shots came out as I wanted (except for the one of Rhi by the bank where she's just at the bottom of the picture - it's easy to forget that the film doesn't fill the whole frame only a band through the middle). Still overall they look lovely I think, and the great news is the first light leaks in the upper sections of some pictures (particularly the first one). Eagle-eyed viewers will notice some of the pictures are flipped, but am still getting the hang of scanning sprocket shots so can't be arsed to redo them. Click on each picture for a bigger better version (right click and select "back" to return):

Let me know what you think and of any particular faves. If you'd like some music while looking at them can I recommend this (just right-click on the link and select "open in a new tab" or similar depending on your browser)

Second Holga Fillum

Okay so a couple of days after the previously published film was taken Rhi and I had an afternoon out using the second of my free 120 B&W films (thanks PG again). Form is same as before have a look, comment (on here or to me personally if we meet in meat space) and I'll put the faves up on my Flickr photostream (some from 1st film already up) descriptions where I felt like below each image:

2 images of an underpass by the canal, we were both struck by the geometric shapes made by the road and the concrete pillars, graffitti looks vein-y too. supposed to be different focussing in each one, but not actually very noticable. Rhi took both.

Another Rhi snap of an orphan bridge piling. Moody. Again the canal (as it passes under the A6 near Abbey Park).

Old Great Central Railway station (Leicester). Now used as car repair garages/lock ups. Great shame as it's an imposing structure, getting overgrown with weeds etc, looks nice against the blank sky here though, also photographed the "nameplate" over the goods entrance below:

Slight remnant of double exposure visible (guys working in garage on RHS)

 

Tudor styled shop front opposite Great Central Railway station. Looked nice (Rhi photo). Rest of double exposure traceable on LHS.

Abandoned Richard Roberts outlet shop ("open as usual" sign refers to the cafe round the corner hence arrow), always liked this roof/pergola (is that what it's called?), differential focussing works well here around edges draws you in to the central subject.

Pavement mural (photo by Rhi) of footwear, Sanvey Gate, Leicester. Had never seen this before, though it's obviously been there some time. Could have been better centred, but the shadows from sun backlighting us (it was a patchy cloudy day) look good.

 Another stretch of canal (again from the A6 pavement over). Runs parallel to the canal arm featured above (orphan piling). Nice sunlight and geometry of the straight canal/fences/paths...works well. Rhi again.

Gravestones and flowers, All Saints Church, Highcross St. Practicing with focus. I like the result though technically it's a fail. New Highcross car park to the rear - it's horrible.

View of the new John Lewis at the Highcross Centre with burned out building to front (was the old Pat Keeling Model Agency I believe before squatters burned it down). Pleased with the result. New store comes out well too I think.

Crypt/tomb of "Abstinence" [can't remember or make out surname will check when next passing] again All Saints' graveyard. Beautiful tomb photo'd by Rhi, foliage very atmospheric.

So there we go roll 2 done. Let me know what you think.