Some misty morning shots from April this year. I have photographed this location with various different cameras but this was the first time with a wider format. I feel 6×12 worked perfectly for these shots.
[Tech info]: Wista 5×4, 90mm Schneider lens, Ilford FP4+ developed in Adox XT-3 stock.
Recently I came across an interesting lens I was curious to try out – a Leitz 125mm f2.5 modified for use on a Rolleiflex SL66. The lens was originally designed for use on a 35mm format system but amazingly it covers 6×6 without any issues. The previous owner carried out the modification and it’s very nicely done. Here are the first test shots from a photowalk with a photographer mate of mine.
[Tech info]: Rolleiflex SL66, 125mm f2.5 Leitz lens, shots 1-3 Ilford FP4, the rest are Ilford HP5, developed in Adox XT-3 stock.
We’ve had some unusually warm weather for mid September recently so I decided to make the most of the evenings after work this week and took a 10×8 camera out along the tow path to make some portraits. It’s been quite a while since I’ve taken a 10×8 camera out, mainly because of the weight, but this time it was a lot easier because I used a trolley to transport my gear. It worked extremely well and I look forward to making more trips out when the weather is suitable. Thank you to everyone who stopped for a chat and a portrait.
[Tech info]: Shots 1-4 Kodak Commercial 10×8, 10inch Wide Field Ektar lens. Shots 5 & 6 Intrepid 10×8, 240mm Schneider lens. Shanghai GP3 100 (expired 2014), rated ISO 50, developed in Kodak HC110 1+31 for 8 mins.
Behind the scenes during filming of Endeavour 9 | FILM 1 in Oxford, May 2022. I used a few different rolls of film through my Rolleiflex at this location because there were quite a few different setups which gave me enough time without too much of a rush.
[Tech info:] Rolleiflex 2.8F, Kodak Tri-X film developed in HC-110 dilution B.
Here are a couple of pictures made with my Graflex Speed Graphic 5×4 camera and Kodak Aero Ektar lens. It’s been a very long time since I last used this set-up so I decided to test it out in Jericho, Oxford. I always envisioned this camera/lens combo for making portraits and was very fortunate to have a friendly couple that were willing to stand very still for me. The camera movements are very limited but I used some front swing to try to bring both faces into focus without stopping the lens down too much (I think I was at f4). The maximum aperture is f2.5 which gives a razor thin depth of field on 5×4 film.
[Tech info:] Graflex Speed Graphic 5×4, Kodak Aero Ektar lens, Fomapan 100 film (expired), developed in HC110 1+63 for 10 mins.
Some pictures from a brief visit to Dawlish back in April.
[Tech info:] Nikon FE2, 28-75/2.8 Tamron zoom, Delta 100 film developed in Ilford DDX 1+4, Pakon scans.
Some pictures from Oxford Matriculation this year, the first time this event has taken place in-person since 2019. Fortunately it didn’t rain. Students from Jesus college were a particularly lively bunch this year, I enjoyed photographing them. This is always a tricky event to photograph due to all the black and white fabric – you’d be hard pressed to find a higher contrast situation. Add backlighting to the mix and all bets are off for a nice tonal range. This year I took a variety of cameras with me, more to follow.
[Tech info:] KIEV 60, Arsat 30mm f3.5 fish-eye lens, mix of films (FP4 and Delta 100 pushed 1 stop).
After being on a bit of a roll with my large format street portraits I decided to take my Speed Graphic out with a lens I’ve been meaning to use for a while – 165mm f2.7 Zeiss Tessar. I repurposed the lens from a folding camera which was well past its best with a perished shutter. Steve at Chroma Camera kindly designed and 3D printed a custom lens board for me. It’s a lot lighter than my Aero Ektar lens but gives a very different look. Depth of field is very shallow as you’d expect – most of these were shot around f4.5.
[Tech info:] Speed Graphic 5×4, 165mm f2.7 Tessar lens, Ilford HP5 (expired), developed in Kodak HC110 1+31 for 6mins.
The Intrepid 10×8 is the lightest 10×8 camera I own and after you add the weight of a lens, film holders, tripod, light meter, dark cloth, loupe and rucksack it’s on the limit of what I can comfortably cycle with. Here are the street portraits I made on my first trip into town with this kit. On the first shot I used a little front swing to bring both people into focus – the first time I’ve done this.
[Tech info:] Intrepid 10×8, 300mm f6.3 Komura lens, Fomapan 100 (expired), developed in HC110 1+63 for 10mins.
After the focus issues I was having with my Gowlandflex I decided to take my Graflex Super D into town after work to use it for some more large format portraits. The benefit is I’m able to cycle with the Super D in a rucksack, my Gowlandflex is too large to fit into any rucksack I currently own. The lens I used was designed for aerial photography during WWII and is uncoated which gives a low contrast almost dreamy look which I like.
[Tech info:] Graflex Super D, 8 inch Pentac lens, Ilford HP5 (expired), developed in Kodak HC110 1+31 for 6 mins.
Here are some street portraits from the first trips out with my Gowlandflex large format TLR camera on a Saturday and Sunday morning in Oxford. The camera is a beast and attracted a fair bit of attention. I enjoyed chatting with people and making their portraits – something I haven’t done for a couple of years.
The mirror calibration was completely wrong when I received this camera so I replaced the springs to lower the mirror by 2.5mm. This is the first time I’ve used it properly and it looks like I need to re-check the calibration because most of these shots are front focussed but overall I’m pleased with the results. A couple of the shots have some strange light leaks which might be from the film holder not being seated properly. Further investigation needed.
[Tech info:] Gowlandflex TLR, 180/4.5 Voigtlander Heliar lens, Ilford HP5 & Funi Across 100 film (expired), developed in Kodak HC110 1+31 for 6 mins.
It’s been 10 years since I first photographed at my local skatepark. When I mentioned this to a friend of mine he kindly tipped me off about a BMX Jam which was taking place there the following weekend. Despite the heatwave at the time, I ventured along and made some portraits.
[Tech info:] Pentax 67, 105/2.4 lens, Fuji Acros 100 (expired), developed in HC110 1+31.
