Low tech London

I’ve long since known that I work best as a photographer when I give myself some photographic restrictions. That might be working with a single prime lens, or sometimes even shooting with a camera which is really simple. During a recent visit to London I went very low tech, taking just my Holga 120 camera and my 6x6 format pinhole camera along.

For a cheap camera (mine cost me a princely £21 on eBay) the Holga’s plastic lens is remarkably sharp, but it has a very characterful look, with a distinctive softening around the edges. The viewfinder offers an approximation of what’ll appear in the finished photo - a quirk I’m still getting to understand better, as you can see in my photo below.

I wonder who visits a park with benches but takes along their own seat?!

A trio of photos from around BBC New Broadcasting House.

A little multiple exposure fun around the Post Office Tower.

And finally, one pinhole photo from the courtyard outside New Broadcasting House.

Photos taken April 2023

Hidden in the Sussex countryside

Tucked away in the depths of the Sussex countryside, at Tortington next to a farm, I found the delightful church of St Mary Magdalene.

Photographing churches on sunny days can be a challenge as it creates a huge contrast between the bright windows and the dark interior. Despite that, a day like this also brings a gorgeous glow to churches like St Mary’s so it’s worth making the effort to work with the light,

Through the arched window(s)… Click on any image to see it enlarged.

Photos taken 17 April 2023

St Giles' Cathedral

Fourteen years on from my last visit to St Giles’ Cathedral I had only the vaguest of memories of the building so it was interesting to return and see what I’d forgotten.

Tourist season had definitely kicked in so it was tricky to capture wide, sweeping views of the Cathedral but I found plenty of lovely corners to aim my camera at and the low spring sun created some beautiful contrasts.

One clear memory I did have from last time was the many regimental flags, some of which have aged so much they’re translucent.

My favourite part of the building was the Thistle Chapel, with its ornate ceiling and wonderful characters on the pews.

Just before I left I spent some time sitting in the nave, taking in the architectural shapes and noticing where the Cathedral had been altered over the centuries. A rather more modern addition are the extraordinary ‘space ship’ lights which I rather like!

Photos taken 3rd April 2023

Georgian Splendour

My exploration of Edinburgh today offered plenty of contrasts. I spent some time at the wonderful St Cecilia’s Hall - a concert hall built in 1763. Its oval performing space is the height of Georgian elegance, although I did curse the modern projector screen which filled the stage and prevented me getting a photo of that end of the hall, with its beautiful pipe organ!

I was particularly taken with the oval roof light and its simple, sleek lines.

More elegant architecture along Princes Street.

Edinburgh is built on the side of a long extinct volcano which means much of the city is very hilly. Many of the streets run parallel to each other along the side of the hill, but rather than expecting pedestrians to walk long distances around the end of each street, there are many narrow alleyways (I would call them twittens but I imagine there’s a local Edinburgh name for them too!) which cut between them. Some of them involve navigating lots of steps or steep slopes, but they make for some great photo opportunities!

Old Assembly Close isn’t a close at all - you can walk right through and out the other side!

Looking up to the light along one of the alleyways.

Photos taken 30 March 2023

Bridging the Clyde

During a recent visit to Scotland I spent a very enjoyable day strolling along the River Clyde with my friend Matt. The dramatic cloudy skies just called out for a black and white treatment - very photogenic, even if they did empty their contents over us so we ended the day looked like drowned rats!

A long disused crane alongside the river. The small rotunda beneath it once contained the lift shaft to a tunnel beneath the river.

Matt told me this bridge is known as the ‘Squinty Bridge’ by the locals on account of its offset arch!

Another curvaceous bridge across the Clyde.

Our walk took us beneath several railway bridges too - this one offered some particularly dramatic contrasts of light and shadow.

Photos taken 29 March 2023

A wondrous respite from the rain

For my birthday a couple of weeks ago I treated myself to a day in Cambridge, although sadly the weather didn’t take any notice of my request for good weather. Instead it poured with rain - hardly conducive to spending time looking for interesting characters on the streets.

Rather than getting drenched I bought a ticket to visit Kings College Chapel where I at least knew would keep warm and dry. During a previous visit I discovered the Chapel has underfloor heating - a real boon if getting the magic photo requires you to lie on the ground!

The vaulting at Kings is exquisite so my eyes were perpetually being drawn upwards.

A stolen view through to the choir.

Two small scenes from the choir

Arches within arches in one of the side chapels

A final glance back at the trumpeters on the organ and that wonderful ceiling.

Photos taken 9 March 2023

Low tech photography

As you know, I’m a fan of simple cameras - after all my pinhole cameras are about as simple as it gets! A couple of weeks ago I decided to use a different sort of machine, but almost as basic, when I made a couple of journeys west. My Holga camera is made of plastic (including the lens) and cost me the princely sum of £21 from eBay - undoubtedly one of my best photographic bargains! It has a single shutter speed and a fixed lens so the only setting you have to remember to adjust is the focus distance, although occasionally I forget to do that!

Holga photos have a recognisable look. If you get the focusing right the simple lens is remarkably sharp in the centre, but this clarity drops off at the edges, creating a dreamy effect. This simplicity makes you think about your compositions but it also brings the ability to make multiple exposures. During my wait at Paddington Station I had a play with this, creating multiple layers with the station’s architectural lines.

A few days later I found myself travelling through London again, with some time to kill before my train home from Liverpool Street. As I walked out of the tube station the sun emerged so I took a stroll with my Holga, seeking out interesting combinations of lines and light.

A shaft of sunlight on the pavement

Photos taken February 2023

A two church day - part two

Having explored St Mary Redcliffe fully I then wandered along the dockside to Bristol Cathedral, arriving as the light was just beginning to fade.

Rather than swapping lenses, here I chose to shoot with one lens which made me search for images which would work well at around 50mm. I may not have a comprehensive gallery of the Cathedral as a result, but I find this technique makes me look in a different way.

One of the interesting characters I found in the Elder Lady Chapel.

I’m fascinated by the animals I find at the feet of effigies on tombs. I’d love to know if there’s a reason why some have dogs, as here, while others have lions or other creatures.

Looking back into the choir.

The cloisters were particularly atmospheric, especially as the light began to fade.

A dramatically lit corner of the Norman Chapter House.

Photos taken 17 February 2023

A two church day - part one

After the destruction of Storm Eunice stopped me getting to Bristol last February, I had another try last week and succeeded. My visit was for work, but it seemed a waste not to spend some time on photography too, so I caught an early train which gave me a whole afternoon to explore. Once my host, Margaret, had kindly relieved me of my heavy suitcase I began my photographic explorations at the church of St Mary Redcliffe.

The ceiling is a striking feature in this church, which grabs you the moment you walk through the door. It features more than 1000 guided bosses and the temptation to lie on the floor to admire them was quite strong! I resisted, but I did at least sit down to take this photo.

In the choir I found these two handsome creatures. Click on any image to see it enlarged.

The largest organ pipes are on full display - some of them more than a foot wide. I can only imagine the vibrations you’d feel if you stood beside them as they were played!

Looking across the top of the box pews in the nave.

Photos taken 17 February 2023

Windowlight

Every so often I encounter a sight which just calls to be photographed. As I sat in the bar at Halsway Manor, doing some work between workshop sessions, the play of light through the leaded light windows was just beautiful.

Photo taken 5 February 2023.