2022 Odds and Sods

The last set of 2022 is wrapping up a few bits and pieces that didn't fit anywhere else. Table The first two are from the very lovely Felin Fach Griffin hotel near Brecon and Hay-on-Wye, where we stayed for a couple of nights in July - the food is fantastic and the rooms are good, lovely beds.The Eat Drink Sleep chain are recommended - we've already stayed at their other two hotels in Cornwall - The Gurnard's Head near Zennor and The Old Coastuard in Mousehole. The beach huts are in Exmouth, from a trip down to see friends there (and their classical concert in Exeter Cathedral).Then 4 from a walk in Budleigh Salterton the next day - unfortunately those ominous clouds did dump rain on us. And finally, two very rare selfies - it's even more rare that I share any!Both taken with the fisheye lens - one at Sea Mills, the other under the Second Severn Crossing. ...
Read More

Bristol, Summer 2022

These three sets were taken in the summer of 2022 Portbury These were taken at a place I simply didn't know existed - it's the site of the WWII air defences for Royal Portbury Docks, where the remains of the gun emplacements and barracks are slowly falling apart. I was there twice during the summer as the archery club arranged air rifle shooting days there, one of them on about the hottest weekend of the year. The black and white images were taken with a strong infra-red filter on the digital camera, and there are a couple on the Ondu panoramic pinhole camera. Severn Beach Another place I keep going back to. Several here with the infra-red filter and plenty of use of the fisheye lens as well. King's Weston House I've only been to King's Weston House a few time - one of them for a speed awareness course, which was actually the only time I've been inside! Apparently you can rent the rooms, which might be...
Read More

Severn Beach, December 2021

Using up a bit of holiday, I had a day off in December and went for a walk at Severn Beach. As expected, it was bleak. I made a conscious effort to shoot darker on these, with some success.I'd also bought a cheap screw-in fisheye lens adaptor and gave that its first run out. It's optically terrible - you can see the softness and colour fringing on the edge of the frame - but it was quite fun, to the extent that I've bought a proper fisheye lens. Images from that to come in the future! I also shot a couple of rolls in the Agfa box camera but they're all pretty dreadful so aren't included. ...
Read More

Autumn 2021 part 2 – Lydney, Beachley and Bristol Harbourside

These three sets come from some time off in September - we didn't go away, so I ambled out for some day trips. First up is Lydney Harbour - I'd noticed a sign for it when driving back from Westbury Court, so I looked into it and decided to visit. It's an interesting place, a bit bleak - but I quite like that. I was slightly surprised to find a bit of a marina there, which contains some interestingly dilapidated yachts. Definitely my sort of thing!The last two shots are of a derelict industrial site - I couldn't resist poking the camera through the fence. These are a mix of digital, Hasselblad film and Ondu panoramic pinholes. No colour negative this time - I more or less know what I'm doing with black and white film. The second set are from Beachley, which is at the Welsh end of the original Severn Bridge, and where the ferry from Aust used to dock. I've photographed...
Read More

Severn Beach 2019

The logical follow-on from Aust photos is Severn Beach - just along the Severn estuary, and another slightly bleak landscape. These were taken in March and April 2019, and are all on film - I probably went out and shot film more times than digital last year.These are a mix of 35mm (when I was testing my dad's Pentaxes), medium format (Hasselblad) and large format. You will notice one recurring subject - that tower, hugely photogenic. Well, for my definition of photogenic anyway.One on 35mm, one on medium format, one on large format! ...
Read More