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Oxford: The Caucus Race – Alice in Wonderland in Oxford part 1

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

At the beginning of July there was a day of celebrations here in Oxford to mark the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s first telling of Alice in the place her story was originally conceived. There were lots of performers and events on Merton field in Christchurch meadow and it was lots of fun. I wanted to do as much photography as possible to record the event so I started off by making portraits of some of the crew that helped setup and build the sets.

[Tech info:] Mamiya C330f, 105mm lens loaded with Fuji Acros 100, processed in HC110 1:31 (dilution b).

This gentleman reminded me a little of David Bellamy. I really like his braces.

A very cheerful chap who couldn't stop smiling.

These guys were all sitting in a circle. As I moved round the light on them became harsher from the overhead sun.

This portrait turned out quite nice considering the unflattering sunlight.

I could hardly see this guy's eyes to focus on the shadows were so harsh. It turned out okay though.

This is such a timeless image apart from the camcorder in the Mad Hatter's hand.

Oxford Wheels Project

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

Some more portraits of people that use the ramps on Meadow Lane run by the Oxford Wheels Project. The current ramp is due to be knocked down in two weeks’ time to make way for a massive redevelopment of the whole site which is to build a concrete ramp that is sunken into the ground. It’s going to be amazing. I made these portraits without any prior arrangement, I just randomly turned up at the ramps with my old large format camera and explained my documentary project to this group of friends that were hanging out at the ramps. My thanks to all of them for allowing me to photograph them.

[Tech info:] Graflex Super D 5×4 large format camera, Kodak Tri-X 320 film processed in Kodak HC110 (dilution b).

I set this up in a hurry with fading light and should have included his feet.

Skateboarder 2

The only BMX rider in this group.

Skateboarder 3

Skateboarder 4. I had a great conversation with this guy about photography.

The camera I used to make these portraits, a 5x4 inch large format SLR.

 

Oxford: Lunch hour session

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

This is a short post of some frames from a a lunch hour session a few weeks ago. I’ve already posted the other frames from this roll but I forgot to post these.

[Tech info:] Rolleiflex SL66, 80mm Zeiss lens, with Fuji Acros 100 film processed in Kodak HC110 (dilution b).

Top: David working on his bike, middle: builders working on the Walton street site, bottom: waiting for the bus, Magdalen Street.

Top: Martin, middle and bottom: Korky Paul and Valerie Thomas book signing. They're the duo behind the Winnie the Witch series of books.

Oxford: Lunch hour session

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Here’s a little something different, triptych’s. Each set of three frames are consecutive shots on the same roll of film. As I was scanning them I liked how they fitted together and it also shows you the order in which the images were made. While I was waiting to make the image of the walking tour on the steps of the Clarendon Building a man walked past me and I could see by the way his head turned as he walked past that the camera I was holding caught his attention. After he passed me he turned around and came back. We chatted briefly about the Rolleiflex camera that I was holding and he began to tell me about his parents and how they both met while working at the Rolleiflex factory in Germany many years ago. They couldn’t afford to buy the classic twin lens Rollei so instead they bought the cheapest one they could afford (which I think was 35mm). I wish I had made a portrait of the man.

[Tech info:] Rolleiflex SL66, Zeiss 80/2.8 lens, loaded with expired Kodak Tri-X film, processed in Kodak HC110 dilution b (1:32).

Top: a bench where I work, middle: Walton Street Post Office, bottom: Richard the tailor.

First two: Little Clarendon Street, third: Broad Street.

Top: Broad Street, middle: Divinity Schools quadrangle, bottom: Nya giving me two thumbs up on Broad Street.

Top: a rare grab shot for me, middle: a barber on Walton Street, bottom: Mick the security guard.

Oxford: Lunch

Sunday, July 15th, 2012

A new burger restaurant has just opened here in Oxford on George Street, it’s Byron Hamburgers but don’t be fooled by the name because the veggie burger on their menu is mighty tasty. I went for lunch there with two of my work colleagues and I have to say it was a very enjoyable experience, tasty food in a nice atmosphere. I really like both the exterior and interior of the building and the light inside is particularly nice with sunlight streaming in through frosted skylight panels in the ceiling at the back of the restaurant. Of course I happened to have a film camera with me (much to Rachel’s horror), so I couldn’t help making a few images while we waited for our food to arrive. Our waitress did a great job and we were all surprised to find out at the end that we were the first people she’d ever served! I’ll be going back there for sure and hopefully I’ll make some more nice images there when I do.

[Tech info:] Rolleiflex SL66 and 80mm lens, loaded with Fuji Acros 100 film. Processed in Kodak HC110 dilution b (1+31).

Stacked shelves.

Rachel's drink.

Water jugs. (Notice the distinctive shaped highlights from the Zeiss 80mm lens).

Some of the friendly staff. Our waitress is on the left.

Nice light on a chair next to our table.

Rachel and Michael.

 

 

Oxford: Lunch hour session

Monday, June 25th, 2012

These images are from the first test shoot I had with Helen during my lunch break. At this time of year the light between 12 noon and 2pm is not particularly flattering so it can be a bit of a challenge to find nice natural light to use during my lunch break which falls between those times. My mantra is there’s always good light to be found, you just have to find it so it’s something I’m constantly looking for on my photo walks around town. A slight difficulty for photography at this time of year in Oxford is the volume of tourists around so it can sometimes take a while to wait for them to clear from the background of a shot and because I only usually have around 30 mins for photography during my lunch break after I’ve travelled to and from the centre of town from my office my test shoots are usually fairly rushed. There isn’t much time for my subject to ease into the shoot but fortunately Helen was ready from the first frame and a complete natural in front of my camera. It was difficult to reduce the amount of shots to post here.

I’m very pleased with the tones in a lot of these images and I put that down to the possibility of using a slightly different agitation method when I processed the film. There seems to be slightly more contrast. I also scanned these images slightly different from my normal method so that’s probably a factor too.

[Tech info:] Mamiya M645 1000S, 80/f1.9 lens, loaded with Fuji Acros 100, processed in Kodak HC110 (dilution b).

Railings.

Passageway.

Against the wall.

Around the corner.

Railings.

Steps.

Bottom step.

I really like this kind of light where you're in the shade but there is bright sunlight being bounced up from bright stone.

Last frame.

Test shoot: Helen

Sunday, June 24th, 2012

Some images from a test shoot I did with Helen in a local park recently. It was a nice change compared to photographing on the street with architectural backgrounds. Usually I tend to arrange my test shoots during my lunch break but this one I did after work and immediately I noticed a difference in the colour and quality of the light. To say the conditions were perfect would be an understatement. Helen is one of the easiest people I have ever photographed and seemed completely at ease in front of the camera. As a photographer you can’t ask for any more than that. Often when I’m photographing people they’re waiting for me to tell them what to do but with this shoot it was more of a collaboration which is something I prefer. I hope we get to collaborate on more shoots in the future. I tested a number of different types of film on this shoot so more images will follow once I find time to process and scan them.

[Tech info:] Pentax 67 loaded with Kodak Tri-X 400, processed through Kodak HC110 (dilution b).

At the edge of the tree line.

X

Dappled light.

In the shade.

In the open.

 

Oxford Union Society Summer Ball 2012 (film)

Saturday, June 16th, 2012

Here’s a gallery of images that I made with medium format film at the recent Oxford Union Society 2012 summer ball. It was a fun event and the weather was perfect for a summers evening. Please email me if you’d like to order any prints. Prints look much nicer than looking at images on a computer screen and they’re all hand printed by me.

[Tech info:] Mamiya C330f and 80/f2.8 lens, loaded with Kodak Tri-X film, processed in Kodak HC110 dilution b (1:31). Processed and scanned by me. I think I used some expired Tri-X for these which accounts for the lower contrast in most of them.

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Oxford: Lunch hour session

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

I managed to shoot a whole roll of film through my Rolleiflex SL66 camera during one of my lunch time walks a few weeks ago. Here are the first 5 frames. I’ve got so many images still to post from the college ball’s that I photographed recently and then on top of that I have a backlog of other images that I can’t wait to share from my lunch hour sessions and test shoots. Some people have asked if I sell prints of my photography and the answer is yes. Although I don’t make it obvious on this blog I assume that anyone wishing to purchase a print would contact me so please get in touch. All prints are hand done by me.

[Tech info:] Rolleiflex SL66 camera, 80/2.8 lens loaded with Kodak Tri-X film processed in Kodak HC110 dilution B. Processed and scanned by me.

Cool glasses, Broad Street.

Gone to the beach.

Matt Sage - musician and promoter, outside The Randolph Hotel.

Taylorian Institute steps.

Unicorn window display, Ship Street.

 

Oxford: Keble College Ball 2012 part 5

Monday, May 28th, 2012

Here’s every single frame from a roll of film I shot at the Keble College summer ball 2012. I only get 12 shots on a roll  This is dedicated to everyone that has ever told me that you only get a few good shots on a roll of film and that digital is so much better 🙂

[Tech info:] Mamiya C330 and 80mm/2.8 lens loaded with Kodak Tri-X film, processed in Kodak HC110 dilution b (1:31).

Frame 1: The drummer.

Frame 2: The trumpeter

Frame 3: Cool glasses.

Frame 4: Roses.

Frame 5: Candles.

Frame 6.

Frame 7: I photographed this guy at the Balliol ball.

Frame 8: The trumpeter.

Frame 9: The band.

Frame 10: President of the ball committee (second from left) with friends.

Frame 11: Group shot.

Frame 12: Here come the girls.

 

Drama: ‘Unsex Me Here’, LMH, Oxford

Saturday, May 26th, 2012

There’s a Shakespeare festival here in Oxford at the moment and a few weeks ago I was contacted by the director of a one-off performance to see if I’d like to do some photography at one of their dress rehearsals. The actual performance is on 29th May 2012 at Blackwells Bookshop on Broad Street but these images were made at Lady Margaret Hall a few days ago. Only one of the cast is in elizabethan costume and I felt she’d make for better images than the others. For the colour shots I was experimenting with some film that expired in 2005 and I quite like the results. The black & white shots were made with fresh stock. If you do go and see it please leave a comment.

[Tech info:] Rolleiflex SL66 and 80mm/2.8 Zeiss lens, loaded with Kodak 160NC (rated at ISO100) and Fuji Acros 100. Processed with a Rollei digibase C41 kit and Kodak HC110 dilution H (8.5 mins).

LMH has nice gardens.

Window light.

Bounced light from the floor.

Dramatic.

LMH gardens.

Cast group shot.

Oxford: The Oxford Union Ball 2012 part 1

Sunday, May 13th, 2012

I was fortunate enough to be granted last minute (as in the day before) permission to photograph at the Oxford Union Summer Ball a couple of days ago and here’s a small preview of some of the images I made. This was my first summer ball where there was actually some summery weather and it made a huge difference to the look and feel of my images. For once I was able to rate the film at it’s normal speed and there was tons of gorgeous ambient light to make use of. I really like the architecture at the Oxford Union, both inside and out and I’d love to do more photography there. How amazing would it be to photograph the guest speakers there on black & white film?

[Tech info:] Mamiya C330f, 80/f2.8 loaded with Kodak Tri-X rated at 400. Processed in Kodak HC110 dilution B (1:31) for 7:10 at 21c.

Pouring drinks before the guests arrive.

The current society president (centre) with two friends.

Books in the library.

The library was used as a cloakroom for the evening and very impressive it was too.