Relief

Sometimes, even in these islands, one needs a loo. Luckily, on many of the best beaches - like here in Tolsta, there are loos provided.

I must say I'm having a little crisis as far as my photography goes. I'm finding I'm lacking in some inspiration and a touch of enthusiasm. I used to shoot a lot of portraits - and I love doing that- but here I do find it difficult to find people willing to sit for me. Ah well, such is life.

The world cycling championships have just finished in Manchester and it was wonderful to hear that the GB team have dominated. since I used to work at the Velodrome with these people, I still feel very involved - in a removed sort of way. Well done all the GB team and especially Victoria Pendleton .

Zorki again

With IlfordPan400 loaded, this is a nice wee camera. How about these snaps from a local beach?

GOOOOOD weather

For a change. So, Eve & I plus the doggies took off to the southish west of the island a took some snaps while we strolled in the sun. Nice to have quietude and peacefulnes. Chatted wif a surfer waiting for the tide. then sat a while to wait for the footy match !!!!!! Nofin happened

A few snaps

A new walkway in t/middle of Lewis. A lovely spot for a stroll [before the midges get out].

Up the track below twards the peat cuttings and a lochen, you'll find a few wrecks of vans and cars. i suspect they were taken here to shelter from the rain while the good people of Tolsta where cutting their peats.

Finally got round to scanning a few negs. This time from the Zorki 6 rangefinder which i have now grown to love. The weather is somewhat variable for those of you who are reading away from the Isles but with B&W there is always something to snap.
Since you ask, I'm not looking for that ultra-sharp, perfectly composed image but rather something that speaks to me, raises some sort of emotion.

Crakin day

Despite the variable weather - sunshine one moment, snow the next, Eve & i have had a really nice day. Firstly we followed the dogs on a walk down the Creed to the sea where we shot some film. Its such a wonderful spot and it was lovely to see so many people out enjoying the fresh air and the brightness. Then on the way home we noticed the tide was waaaay out so, we stopped at Gress and walked out to the rocks where the seals live. Then it snowed again and we came home and lit the fire.
I decided to make some cyanotypes; here's one of a friend of my sisters - Ron. The print is dark and moody and toned with coffee!

Big Neg

I took the Agfa 6x9 down to Huishnish too; this on FP4 /R09. If you ver get a chance to go along this little road -go. Whatever the weather it's a dream

Old film, new image

Ere we are; Dodgy old film I bought for 3/9d a hundred weight, a Voigtlander Bessa RF 6x9 camera and a play on PS to get this image ready for a cyanotype neg. Only thing is; i like the image as is so printed in on t'inkjet.

Instant gratification

Eve & I took off for the south of Lewis and onto Harris this last weekend taking us and the dogs - Frank and Rocky The Terrible - to Huishnish. A wonderful place to arrive in - despite the intermittent rain - after a fantastic drive along from the 'main' road from Tarbert.
I did take a B&W snap or two but the Fuji Instax took a ride too - especially for George in the USA.

Made a camera today

.. from a box-file, a bit of tin-fol and some gaffer tape.loaded it wif old Kodak paper and hey presto we have a shot :-)
I post this so that the villagers in Tolsta know what I was doing pointing a box file threateningly at Eve !

A few sites worth visiting

The web is a wonderful tool and there are so many fantastic things to see photographically. Here's a few i visit;
Blogs;
www.slowlight.net/blog - Pinhole
www.two-muses.com/
http://terrorkitten.com/iblog/

Forums;
filmwasters.com - the best
www.apug.org - analogue photography mafia
www.nelsonfoto.com


Collaborations & other nice stuff
/www.filmwasters.com/collaborations
www.andrewsanderson.com/
parkeharrison

apologies if I have missed something important. I look at others too but these just came to hand.
If you are Outer Hebrides or even Tolsta based, look at the island Flickr group - and join in the fun.

A little bit of colour

In the pinhole that is.
Yep, found a roll of Fuji 160 so ran it through the Franka NoFix pinhole while the sun was almost shining. Makes a change but I think I'll stick to the B&W.

A print

The other day while the sun was shining in between the sleet/snow showers, we took the doggies for a stroll near the top end of Stornoway Castle Estate oop the River Creed. Just be the car park these birch trees fascinated me. I shot some colour film in the pinhole and shot a couple of frames of B&W.
Taken wif the Zorki6 just back from being caressed into life by Oleg in Russia and using cheap but good IlfordPan400 film sloshed in R09 - a Rodinal clone.
Now, I have read manys the times on sites such as APUG [see link on sidebar] the the scan bears no resemblance tot he print. well, I never beleived them but this one is case in point.
on old opld kodak PolyPrint RC/VC

Pinhole magic

I'm really enjoying this pinhole world of photography. The images please me no end - a sort of pictorialist feel that the camera klub hate. :-)
Since the weather has been so very changable today with warm-shine and driving snow later, i wasn't sure how the images would turnout. Still, here's the first two from Garry beach.

I'm hooked

hooked on out-of-focus images from pinhole cameras. Goodness knows what the Lewis camera klub is going to think when I present images like this one. Taken wif the pinhole camera -Franka noFix 6x6, Perutz film and a long soak in R09 @ 1:50. Rather overdid that as i was distracted as Moira, my neighbour wanted to show me the veg patch she has arranged fr us. the sun was shining and the views over the Minch were outstanding. So, I stayed and chatted, gazed over the sea and then, remembered the flippin film. 39 mins instead of 13 - oops!

While I have my foot up...

I'm playing around with cyanotypes and what have you. Here's a nice tea-toned image [well, I think its nice] from South Lochs way. And another of our local Post Office - now thankfully saved from the cuts!

Toe update

Down Meavig way

.. as if anyone was reading this!
Has a surprisingly good night with the toe shielded between two strategically placed pillows. Even been for a short stroll down the village in the sunshine. Just as well really since I have to do a little work this evening.
Have a new pic to show tho. A film-scan from a roll of IlfordPan400 that i ran through one of the kiev rangefinders.

Toe trouble

Just back from the good folks at the hospital who have been soothing my big toe after it burst like a ripe tomato. Not surprising really since i had dropped the new multi-fuel stove on it while taking it out of the packing!
So, might be a bit short on new photees for a day or two, but, it will give me more time to do some more cyanotypes.
My old Zorki has just come back from Oleg in Russia where it has been receiving a cla - and now it seems just sweet. Film is loaded bu will have wait a few days now till i get out again.