The wonderful world of Susan Burnstine

By Susan Burnstine

Of course it's not my snap but I rather wish it was - such is the mystery and beauty of this and other images. And of course it's made with film cameras - no photoshop or other such things. Susan makes her own cameras too from bits lying around the house. How good is that. Could teach me a thing or two that's for certain.

You could little better than look here on this dull island morn.

the drop off the edge of the carpet looked very inviting.

I've had better days :-(

Second image

No.2

Note the use of the term 'image'. Eh? Me ? Ah well, I think I have something.
O-S; told me to 'give the game away'. But I shall not, not yet anyway.

I have to have a secret. I like secrets - especially with images since there's always new secrets to discover.

Oh yes!

I did some photographic experiments today. Film, camera, me. That sort of thing. At home in the Summer Parlour with the curtains partially closed. I was fully clothed though - despite what this snap looks like.

I have been inspired and shall be venturing into this avenue for a few weeks I think. At least while the neighbours are still away. No doubt the Oblique Strategies will get an airing. I shall keep you informed

No. 1

Rail

No, not Tolsta station - although it might be if the wigs get their way in village when the windmill starts producing money. Or, when it starts turning actually. ! No, it's somewhere else. The name escapes me - Londinnium perhaps - yes, that's that big pointy building here. The Big Pointy Building I shouldn't wonder. Mr Crofter has it in mind to build one of those  - when he has fed the animules. But not before.

There was meant to be a railway here on the island - to move fish across the island or peat, or something anyway. Yes, I trhink it was peat - to use in the distillery not for whisky but oil - or paraffin ! Yes paraffin. Fair near poisoned the locals by all accounts and it really didn't have stations with guards flags and er,,, trains.

Pity, because I like trains. Mostly. When there's room to sit down and there's not some cackling crone or over-Irn-Brued yob shouting at all and sundry.

You wait all day for a bus...

...and then one comes along all by itself. When I say 'comes along', that may be a bit of an exaggeration. Perhaps I mean we came along and found the bus all stood there nice and something. Ex-Galson Motors by the looks of it too.

I think it may have been windy by the looks of Eve who was practising for the face pulling championships at the time. Just got in the way of the camera and all that. Not going to waste the snap am I?

Reminds me of this snap - the usual with Coelyne trying to avoid the camera - again. I think I shall specialise in these sorts of snaps. I rather like them.

and then there's this one

That's not a landscape is it? Two cyclists there and everything. Three actually only RB is some way back. Took the snap with the KOWA6 camera - a lovely beast of a thing that I think I may sell since I don't use it much these days. It's seen me over quite a few years and in some ways I'll be sad to see it go as it's in fine condition. But if it does go there will be a little more room in our little house. And that would be nice.

A grand day out

A wall.

I saw this wall just below an old croft where within lurked this Bodach.

"Hello" I said in my best friendly way smiling inanely as I spoke.

No answer.

"Lovely day isn't it"

Nothing.

"I just noticed a lovely wall down your croft that I'd just love to photograph"

'Oh right' says the Bodach nodding at the gate and the ram beyond. 'mind how you go'.

I did, the ram stayed put, I traversed three gates and ended up on the wrong side of he fence. Still, I was there  to photograph walls and I'd noticed this other one below and quickly snapped it up with the camera I'd lugged down this way. Then glancing over the fence I decided to snap up the original wall I'd seen.

I got the snap but the landscape got in the way of the wall. Sorry about that, Just imagine it's just the wall you are seeing.

Another wall.

Darkroom

Yes I did go in the other day. Nothing too blurry either. Must have been that wonderful Ceilidh at Barvas the other evening to make sure the Coelynes leave the island :-)

Actually I shall miss the Coelynes. At lot. Just have to organise a trip to England to see them.

We are not long back from the old country as it happens - and here's a 35mm snap to prove it too - all lithed up on old Kodak Brovira RC paper.

Wakefield.

Had a lovely day thank you

HHHCB was glad to see us home again.

Was a terrific day out here on the edge of the Atlantic. Sunshine, no wind but with midges. The cycling club - or at least three of them including Eve - took off down Uig way on their bikes stopping merely for an ice-cream and teas. I went that way too - but in the car. Oh how I wished I could have cycled such is the beauty of this island on a warm day.

HHHCB was there tapping her dainty foot and glancing at the clock in a rather disapproving manner outside home. Ohh dear. I think we are forgiven now though

A view from a train

Possibly one of the reasons I live up here.

Friday; I was going to introduce another Artist EH? Lena Kallberg.

No, I didn't make her name up. Mrs Kallberg lives in somewhere over the cold sea to the East. Sweden I think it is. I once went there for the day you know and didn't see anyone smoking a cigarette at all - which was a wonderful experience after the week or so I'd had in Danmark where they'll smoke your old grandmother given half a chance. And as for the Danes bus drivers............

The thing about the work of Lena is that it's wonderful. I particularly love her Lith prints made from negs from a Matchbox Pinhole camera. Yes, that's right, no expensive gigapixel here, no fancy Leica glass just an old matchbox, some gaffer tape and film. How much better does it get? Well, lith prints as well actually


By Lena Kallberg

See, I'm not leading you astray.

Go now and have a look at her Flickr stream. You'll be pleased that you did.

If Dot had seen this.........

I know, I know, more pictures from England and near Londinium to boot. But I found another film from the trip and might have to utilise a few more of these snaps till I get something useful done in the darkroom here. I was going in there today but the sun shone and Mr Toots Wilson  fancied a coffee at the Woodlands Cafe - which I too wasn't averse to. In the end we sat on a harbour side seat after our cafe stop and chatted in the sunshine. How very sophisticated - if a little lazy we were.

I'm sure Mrs Up-Yours would love this snap. Pert bot and all that. In a bar. Might even be from the cover from a novel of hers - only it's not. Just imagine the tale.....

All fuzz and nothing much else

I'm not sure what you expected with this post but I'm just loving my fuzzy snaps. They do the 'thing' that needs to be done. Or something like that anyway. See, look how, how,,,,,,,,,,,,,whatever . Well, that snap's nice isn't it? Eh? A pasty shop, a bit of movement and black and white fuzz, what more can one ask? Apart from brilliance that is. And I don't 'do' that any more than I 'do' landscapes.

But when there's a fine little camera-ette in my grubby paws, film inside and there are persons milling about, I just can't resist.

Just look at that. Nothing at all sharp. Bit of light, bit of dark. There you have it. Eh?

And then there's this one - almost sharp - for which please accept my humblest apologies. Should be part of a 'on-texting' series. And near Gira.... too.

On a more local note, I notice the new huge village owned turbine started turning for a while today. Then stopped again. Apparently, it can't talk to Germany so it has to stop. Obviously!

Agfa asp 400s Traffic Surveillance film

Jon looks for the off switch [© C Maclean]

And not a car in sight.

Despite this being traffic surveillance film bought at great expense from Germany , it's a fine pictorial film [that's photographisers speak for 'looks nice for snaps']. So, 60m for around £60 - that's less than £1-50 a roll of film. Eh? Yes, I think that's right. Load it in your trusty Zorki4 with Jupiter12 attached, point in the right direction and snap. Dunk the roll of film in  Rodinal and there you have some right nice negs.

Cheapskate? Me?

Argh!

Apologies. Not sure what happened here but I rather like it all the same. Must have been colour and all that. Looks an interesting film that was dunked in sheeps-dip anyway.

Our wee boatee is ready to go now. The mooring has been sorted, the pole strings that you hang the blanket things on have been shined and the steering stick oiled. Just awaiting the tender to arrive and we'll have the thing in the water. Can't wait. Maybe I'll be able to drive it properly like Captn Fleur here on Lapwing on that big river near Londinium.

Weddings

Carol.

I don't actually 'do' weddings. But I quite like them when I attend one - like Joby and Sophie's recently. I took a couple of snaps - on proper film and everything - and here's one of them. I used the Zorki4 / J-12 and, Agfa traffic film too. I rather like it. I suppose, all in all I took 20 or so snaps at the event while the official photographer took thousands on pixels. But he ended up with 1600 to show for it! 1600! No wonder he doesn't use film!

Yes, it's The Bus.

Yes, it's The Bus. It has featured on here before with a walk-on or should I say stand-in part. One Christmas Day on a walk a few years back. And No, I'm not going to search through my posts to try and find that snap. You can do that since it seems you have little to do bar coming here reading my stuff and gawping at my snaps.

I passed the bus yesterday taking The Barking dog out on a stroll o'er the moor. Was lovely if a tad damp underfoot. Since then it has poured down and, the Summer Parlour fire has been lit. Tarrahhh!

Unknown

There's a fine web-blog called Unknown Photos. It's run by the very nice John Banting whom we, Eve and I met on our recent trip to the mainland. Twas hot. Very hot.

Well, I found this snap of man himself and his dear wife. Nice innit?

Yes!

Just near here there's a huge sign on the moor which describes the word 'Yes'. I can only imagine it's a positive vote for gay rights and marriage in Scotland. Great stuff, at least we won't be seen as the likes of Russia.

I shall leave you today with lovely portrait of Mr Coelyne to frighten you all.
Eh?

Oooh, this room is lovely

There you are, lovely isn't it? I wouldn't want it here mind you, it would collect too much dust and we have enough problem with that as it is. Much better to leave dust where it is then you don't notice it.

Love the light and everything. In fact the light in this Yorkshire building is wonderful just about everywhere. Go there. They have some lovely things to see.

It's almost dark in here; there's mattresses I'm trying to give away blocking the hazy morning light from the Summer Parlour.

This is what Yorkshire looks like - or feels like anyway. Maybe it should be Bjorkshire. It certainly looks like Bjorkshire - what ever it is - and, I do have no idea what it is. Not even sure it's the right way up. But I like it. I might even do a 6' x 8' print for the Coelynes leaving present - especially since I'm told they will have loads of wall space on which to hang snaps - and I know Mr Coelyne will love this one.

I shall be returning to the darkroom today. Just in case you are asking. I have things to do. Even if I will have nothing to show at the end of it.

His Mum awaits the happening of the marriage of her eldest son to Sophie

You see, I can take nice snaps when I want to. That's my elder sister at the recent wedding of her eldest son wearing a 'hat' and everything. It was red - just in case you are asking.

I think I may take this up for a living. Seems like a doddle to take wedding snaps. The thing is; who else takes snaps like this at weddings? Eh? No-one that's the answer. USP and all that.

I awoke this morning after a restless night [new mattress on the bed ] and then a horrendous dream which meant I had to get up whilst still quite tired as I couldn't face going back into that dream-world. I blame it on Mrs Up-Yours who came round breathing our air, and chatting to our guest - Mr Alex Boyd - him of the hat and the funny camera thing with a cloth over his head. Photographists eh? Mrs Up-Yours went home eventually, leaving her camper cage here. Doh! She did like Mr Boyd's hair though.

Meanwhile I find that Mr Boyd has shot images [he does't do snaps apparently] all over the shop and with lots of peoples - even appearing on the googlebox I'm told. If you see him down Harris way today, give him a wave.

Glasgow? Wakefield? Nah, Richmond don't you know darling.

Must be Richmond. Look at the style, the cars and all. I think it must be Richmond.

Or Stornoway.

I'd like to think you'd like this snap

Man sitting on a bench by the river Thames in Twickenham minding the buggy of his grandchild who had gone off to get an ice-cream with his grandmother. It was hot.

I pride myself on my snappy snap titles. I'm not sure I'll ever better this one though. This snap has an aire of Jack Spencer don't you think? Bar the colour. And the subject matter. Other than that.

I was playing with the Voigtlander Perkeo which is such a fine little camera and can take some fine, sharp in-focus snaps in the right hands. Obviously, I don't mean mine. All the same I shall be taking this to the darkroom to print up on some dodgy paper, throw some wax on it when it's dry and hey presto I'll have a right old mess. I might even exhibit it. Eh? 

In my bathroom anyway.

Mad Stick Dog

I Like a bit of folk. That's why I hadn't been to a folk club in nearly 30 years! Memories of the Granary Folk Club in Briftol comes to mind where some erb was sick over my jumper I put on a seat. Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra was my fav at the time. Make that 40 years BTW :-(

Luckily Eve and I have some fine pals in Ham near The Thames stream who play tunes and what have you. They are, it has to be said, very enthusiastic - so much so that after our last visit and a few Irn Brues I was ready to buy an accordion - which I later did and it sits beside me gathering dust. It seemed so simple to play that day last year. I digress; Fluer and Gren of Mad Stick Dog -were off to a folk club at a nice old pub in Richmond so we went along. Well, what a lovely time we had. The music was excellent - as was the beer. I hardly thought to take a snap - but I did eventulally. With a badly focussed Zorki4 rangefinder and the J-12 and, fuji1600 donated by the venerable Mr Banting [ :-) ].

 Some dude on a steel guitar lit the evening up.

Gren and Fluer doing their thing.

And being entertained by a fine fellow boat owner in the bar downstairs. Oh what fun we had and not one finger in the ear all evening.

The only downside of the evening was missing this lady singer from Russia or somewhere out that way who came on the open mic evening after we had left - exhausted.

I doing this as fast as I can.

I mean, we have just been out for a stroll along the old cemetery track moments after coffee with The Coelynes. Mr Windy  called in too for a chat and coffee and stumbled upon an orgy of biscuits and fruit. As if...

The proper film is drying. Two bits of it anyway. The first roll of Traffic Surveillance film was a great success although there did seem to be a distinct lack of vehicles recorded. Just as well as I'm not keen on motorised vehicle snaps - not even nice ones. Now there's some lovely Fuji 1600 in the dryer that the nice Mr Banting gifted me the other day when I met him and his good wife at Eel Pie Island [Londinium] soon after to go to a fine photo/music/etc exhibition  nearby. Brilliant! Music, snaps and what have you all to see in a coolish building on a very hot day. Look, it was nearly 30C. Might actually have been more than 30C but my head had been boiled in the heat. Lovely to meet the Unknown Photos duo too. Really lovely.

I have no idea where this snap came from, it just appeared as if by magic when a colour roll of developed film came back from Ag Photo. Mr Toots might know about it as I spent a few moments in his company a while back in the nearby 'town' . And he appeared soon after on the film. Suspicious eh?

I think Toots may have been meditating at the time :-)

Anyway, a random nearly in focus snap of our little airport terminal will finish this post up nicely. Till I get sorted with the B&W stuff for you to enjoy. You will enjoy it won't you? 

Won't you?

At the wedding of Joby & Sophie Ingram-Dodd

Did I tell you I went to a wedding on the mainland? No, well, we went to a wedding on the mainland recently. Nice too. I took some snaps while I was there. Special snaps with a character all of their own. I might have to lith one of these up - just for the happy couple so they can hide it somewhere for someone to find in fifty years time - if the human race is still talking to each other by then and has not been fried by the hot weather or, run out of food or something.

And that's a snap of me sis - probably. Maybe it's my younger sister. I like it whoever it is anyway. Look, there's a hand in her hair. EH? How did that happen ?

I'm not taking bookings despite the obvious demand for my services to, well not wedding photography that's for sure. Maybe for services to film-users. A booking might compromise my artistic socialist meditative temperament or something. And I might have to go to the mainland more often - and that would never do. Have you seen the traffic there? And the buildings? Where do they keep their sheeps?

The obligatory family group - not sure if that's my family. Can it be? Well, it could be. Yes, I think it is. At the moment anyway.

The resistance piece or whatever one calls it. Depicting the moment the groom described his profession. Or do I mean 'admitted to' ?

Either way, it's a masterpiece - just so you know!

Listen.

I may have been away

...but I will be back posting soon.

HHHCB has been sprung

Her Highness is now happily residing chez nous at home after here 10 days in Colditz. She seems pleased enough to be home - as I do and Eve does, despite the damp cycle ride she has just had.

A coffee gathering may well be in the offing too - although some of the usual are still in the sunshine abroad.

We had a fine away since you ask. I even took a snap or two. I might show you one or two if  you are good and post a comment or two :-)

Dogs

We have neighbours you know.  Frank [above left] is one of those. Daft as a brush but lovely with it. Unless you happen to be walking with him then he ducks and dives at you feet till you get up-fed. Still, when Sue takes Frank to the sea with his pal Bob, Frank goes bonkers.

Sometimes

Sometimes a snap just presents itself. This, I think, is one of those.

In the Vets.

Exposure

As you read this, I may well be slumming it near Londinium post my nephews' wedding. Hopefully not nursing a hangover but celebrating the day of my birth with my sisters. No doubt I shall be pointing the Zorki4 with J-12 at everything that stands still long enough and possibly that that moves too. I may even get the exposure right too - using a battery powered thing that does that sort of thing for me.

However, if getting exposure right has been a problem for you Toots, red this excellent article by Scottish snapper Eddie Butt.

Randomly selected almost properly exposed snap of Royston on Polypan-f

Thanks to Bruce Robbins for the head-up on this excellent site.

The bus came at last

Seems like a little too much interest in the local bus service me thinks.

Maybe it's because we still have one!

There's a cafe there now

And I do mean a cafe not Café.

With the Perkeo. And Chinese film :-(