Cheap Lens

I got a Nikon 135mm 3.5 lens for £34 on eBay. Very nice. It turned up last night and is in good condition for its age. The focus feels a bit stiff but that will loosen off as it's used. It has probably sat neglected for many years. I plan to try it on the F3 for some casual portrait work. I'm still on the lookout for a cheap 85mm or 105mm.

River Rocks

The electronic messaging equipment had to be checked. This meant driving to the foot of the glen to get a signal for the mobile phone and Blackberry. So I sat in the early sun, in the Land Rover, chatting to my colleagues who were, sadly, having to work. Luckily things went well and I quickly turned to walk by the river.

The brightness wasn't ideal for photography but the shapes of the rocks by the river caught my eye. I promised to come back with the 4x5 when the light is better.

Grey Start

It's a dull grey start this morning. Those nice people at the BBC say that it's going to be a lovely afternoon.

I have no plan this morning, except I do need to get some arborio rice for tonight's risotto. We have some friends coming round. This is great but does mean I'll have to shift the Jobo CPP film developer from the kitchen table. I wish I had a dedicated darkroom.

When I wandered by the river last night I took the F3 with me. But it's got PanF 50 loaded so it was a bit dull for photographs. Perhaps I need multiple backs....

Early Sun

I set off in the early sunshine with my camera. The light was hazy. I love this time of the morning. The wildlife is undisturbed and the combination of light and dew dazzles the senses.

I almost lost the angle finder from my camera. I dropped it after using it to shoot some bluebells close to the ground. Thankfully my path was evident from the dew so I re-traced my steps and found it. Thank goodness. It's too expensive to lose.

The bluebells are just starting in the woods near the house and I couldn't see much to photograph. So I wandered down to the river just to see the light on the water. I watched the Dipper and the Grey Wagtail and meandered home contented.

Light Tight

Development of the HP5 roll from my Yashica post the light seal upgrade confirms all is OK. It's light tight. Very pleased with myself and may celebrate with a small whisky later.

Primroses

The weather wasn't great but I persevered. Primroses aplenty. They are just going over and cried out to be photographed. I used the D200 with my Sigma 10-20mm lens, rather then going down the "macro" route. I wanted to create the sort of looming effect and a sense of being down amongst the undergrowth.

Verdance

I woke early. Anticipation of the day always excites me, here, in Glenlyon. The weather is grey and mist hangs on the birch woods. The new coat of their fresh green leaves is dulled by the flatness of the light. There is a spring lushness around. Not the heavy, torpid obesity of the dark summer greens, but a soft verdance. It comes through despite the light.

It's amazing how much the plants have shot up in the last two weeks. Last night the verges were hanging with a wide variety of plants and flowers, all eager to grab the best of the light.

I need to try and capture that during today and tomorrow. Oh, and I'm pretty sure "verdance" is a word, and if it isn't, it should be.

Snatched Shots

Our last weekend was busy. My youngest son and his friends visited. I got little time for photography. Just some snatched shots.

The sun shone and we sat outside glorying in the warmth. I even spent a day clearing up the rest of the fallen tree branches and having a bonfire.

On Saturday morning I took the Yashica with me as I walked down to the river in the early light. I shot off most of a roll of HP5. Too fast for the bright sun really and I wished I had some PanF in the camera. Loading the film last weekend and not using it till this weekend was the problem. One advantage of digital is the ability to choose a different film speed between shots. No concept of having to change film.

I also finished off the roll of HP5 in the F3 so I have two rolls to process this weekend.

Right now I am thinking of the weekend and the weather and what I might photograph. I put some PanF in the F3 so I will try and take some shots with this. I also ordered some Delta 100 because I pretty much just have PanF 50 and HP5 400 in 35mm. With the brighter days I need something in-between.

If the light is right, and I get up early enough, I will try and capture the bluebells in the woods. I could do this on digital or with the Ebony and some Velvia 50... who knows? Here's one of last year's shots with the Bluebells and some Greater Stitchwort.

Shotless

My Yashica Electro 35 GSN is waiting for patiently for me on a table by the door. I should have taken it out to shoot of a roll of film to test it. I know the camera works as I have already shot a film with it, but the light seals had deteriorated and were all gunky. I got the camera from eBay in mint condition (apart from the organic decay of the light seals) and I also ordered a light seal kit of materials from eBay.

It wasn't a huge job to clean and fix them up but it was a bit finicky. I brought the camera to Edinburgh with me this week thinking I'd snap some shots on the way to work to test the light seals but I've been too busy. Evenings have been a write off too as I've got in too late. So I'll just have to take it back with me to Glenlyon and try and shoot the roll of film on the weekend.

I'm also looking our for the rest of the summer visitors to our garden. I am waiting to see when our Spotted Flycatchers will arrive. They usually nest around the house or garden somewhere. They are a delight to watch as they perch and flitter and perch, catching insects on the wing. I like to watch them while I sit outside on the bench with a cup of tea.

Due Care and Attention

All in all it wasn't a great day for my large format efforts on Monday. I dropped the lens in the river, more on that shortly. When it fell it ruined one of the four negatives I had with me in two darkslides. And when I developed the remaining three B&W negatives on Monday evening I discovered that two of them had a problem.

The issue was that the "wide" section at the front of the bellows can sometimes fold slightly and cause a vignette with my Schneider 90mm lens. It is the Super Angulon and has a large rear element. I didn't take enough care seating the lens and the fold of the bellows was visible. I hadn't noticed the vignette when I composed, partly because it was so cold and my breath caused the ground glass to be covered in condensation so I had a tough enough job focussing it at all. Also, when I developed, one of the negs had scratches at one that I still can't explain.

All this says is that I need to slow down and pay more attention to the detail.

So I got one decent negative. All I have to do is get it scanned. But my scanner is not working.... and so it goes on.

At least I got some decent shots with the D200. Plus we went to the Highland Folk Museum which offered some great photo opportunities. I took a fair amount with my F3 on HP5 but I haven't developed it yet. Overall it was a good day.

The dropped 210mm lens and shutter seems to be OK. I opened the lens up and removed the shutter. I cleared the few small water drops with cotton buds and left it to dry on a radiator. I'll try it on the camera next weekend.

The housemartins arrived at the house on Monday. Swooping outside, it's good to see them back. Summer is coming.

Misty Morning

I woke early. There was a mist in the glen. I rose and hastily grabbed my cameras to try and capture it. Tossing the gear in the back of the Land Rover I drove along the river track. At the old sheep fold I pulled up and walked towards the river bank. I knew the trees would be reflected in the still river.

I snapped with my D200 and then went about setting up the 4x5.


It was a delight in the cool mist. The sun tried its best to burn through the mist. Blue skies glimpsed over grey seas and green trees.

At first I tried some B&W on Ilford Delta 100. The meter showed very flat contrast thanks to the mist. It was exactly what I had in mind.

A cuckoo called. My first of the year. Ian always says you can never hear the first cuckoo. Someone else has always heard one before you. It's true.

I climbed the old gate to get better access to the bank further upstream. Setting up the camera in the weeds I chose the 210mm lens to get the right size of image on the ground glass. All went well till I was ready to take the shot. As I clicked the lensboard fell from the camera. Despite my quickest reactions it splashed into the river. Instantly plunging my arm in the water I fished it out and waded to the shore, shaking water off of it as I went. I thought it would be ruined. Well, the shutter would be ruined rather than the lens.

I did my best to shake as much water clear as I could and headed off back to the house.