People

Two peeps I see a lot of.

Toots; wondering where you put the pixels in the electric pixel catcher.

Dad Crofter; striking a pose

Coow

You'll probably meet them if you go to Bosta beach on Great Bernera. Ooof, I rather like them. Great ornaments I'd say.

I went to the opening day of the conference  at an Lanntair on Memory yesterday. Was really quite interesting til exhaustion got the better of me and I came home to rest. One thing that was so very obvious though was that the films, photographs and sounds from the place here in years past shows how much the local culture has changed over the years.

Walk

We are not going to let a little dampness spoil the day. A walk along the dunes at a local beach blew the cobwebs away.

Perking up

Did I tell you I had a nice day the other day? I did didn't I.?
I should take this camera, the Perkeo, out more often as I like what it sees. This was on this island I might add. it's a favourite of mine - even when the cafe is closed - as it was that day. As you may know, the place, the Isle of Lewis, is littered with old derelict old houses. What you may not know is that there are new houses going up all o'er the place. Sadly, many of them are merely holiday homes.

Portrait of a wall

Mission to Pole, with Horse

Had a lovely day out pointing my Voigtlander Perkeo this way and that. This was one place I pointed it purposefully and the horse smiled. I think.

It's on the other side of the water thereabouts from The Stones and everything.

Passing

Amazing what you find in the back of the settee.

Busy day

I may not be at my best today as yesterday was busy. perhaps too busy.
Shot two sheets of 4x5 film, two 4x5 glass plates and then developed them. next coat some vandyke emulsion on paper and expose them in the sunlight. Didn't like them so coated some cyanotype and exposed that.

HHHCB the cat didn't move.

Then we went off with The Crofter and picked up the settee we had bought from Alex Boyd, put it on the trailer and brought it home. since The Crofter had to go and work Eve and myself extracted the old settee and re-sited the new one - having o take a door off in the process!

The settee is nice.
We'd like to wish Alex Boyd all the very best in his new ventures on the mainland with his lovely partner Jessica. We hope to see them again soon.

sorry and everything

I'm working on something new.
Newish

Can you see the sea Toots?

He could.

This is colour

Just so you know.
Lost my mind and went for a roll of agfa colour in the fridge.
I like it. A bit

1950; are you there for me?

Are you still there waiting for me. This modern world is wearing me out.

in law

The brother in-law stayed here

Hold the "traffic"

Hold the traffic, artist at work.

Alex Boyd, photographist snapping.

Eve in the mist

I rather like this snap.

Two artists

Sadly photographist/curator Alex Boyd and his partner musician/composer Jessica Danz will be leaving the island soonish and setting up home somewhere a little less damp. Hopefully. They have both been a huge inspiration to me and I'll be glad when they are gone so I can go back to be a moaning sloth. 

I'll miss them a lot and hope that they answer my communications from time to time. I took the liberty of snapping them up the other day - since the weather was fab. I know which snap I prefer but which do you?

My favourite wall

Is one allowed to have a favourite wall?
I see no reason why not.
This is my favourite - or part of it.

Island Art

Twas this.

Cresta

Waiting for the bus to the ferry home.
Kodak Cresta II

Likey like like

I don't why I like this but I do.

Om Goodness

Out and about with the OM1n camera the other day down Uig way. Ooof, how very cold it was especially when the sun went in. But how lovely this island is. On the right day.

These two snaps were taken from the same place. One of Eve's favourites as it happens

Urban Life; take it or leave it

I used to live in and near to cities. I worked in them and I was so pleased to get out of them. I can breathe easily now. The birds here sing not cough. I awake in the morning to see the sea - and hear the wind howling.

Only, sometimes I find the need to visit a city again, even if it was a small city of manageable proportions. Inverness as it happens. My cameras like the place you see. Lots of things to see and capture.

Sometimes someone starts a photo project that captures ones attention. Bruce Robbins Carse Project is one I am looking forward to see it develop.

Don't tell me I wasted the day

I shot some Polypan-f film don't you know. Still have loads left luckily so I get to play with it willy nilly. This was nilly.

I also used up some 120 film as it happens - in the Kodak Cresta Brownie camera I have. I paid £1 for it- the camera that is - so I'm not going to waste a chance to shoot it.

Away-day

We, that is Eve and I had a little away day the other day. Took ourselves on a wee cruise across the Minch on the ferry, lift with pals in their car to Inverness where painted the town red. Actually, twas more of a stagger round the place - Cafe, Art Gallery, cafe again, book shoppe [photo book bought with vouchers I was given :-) ) and then back on the bus to catch the ferry home. Lovely day out. Sun shone pretty well all day. I took some snaps as you can see above.
What's not to like?
Well, the two and half hours each way on the ferry [though very comfortable and free for us as we are now officially aged then another hour or so each way on the bus [or car].

How sophisticated are we ?

Sand

Just after i took this, the ground was covered in a layer of hail.

Closed

There are closed shops around the toon that is Stormoway. Like everywhere else pretty well, the centres of places have been 'hollowed out' by out of toon establishments or thinned out by purchases on the web.

Trip

These little Olympus Trip 35 cameras are rather sweet - if you like that sort of thing. I'm undecided but they don't do too bad with Foma200 even when it#s developed in PQ print developer.

North Tolsta. My village.

Deciding

I have cameras. Several although many are less than satisfactory. Sometimes the things are broken, the lenses are 'soft' or they just are too sharp for my liking. I took a camera out with a less than satisfactory Jupiter 12 lens for a jaunt the other just to give it one last chance. I'm not sure with this one although another I had and broke was lovely.

Now, you can look at this;

Please.

A binscape

Not trees

Although there may be a trees here somewhere. Doon the road from where I write about 100m there's this. A telegraph pole. One that conveyed a few important messages I should imagine. You can tell that by the way it stands proud whatever the weather.

Trees

These are trees. And a wall. A wall that was rebuild in 2010 with European monies after it partially collapsed. The trees have been there longer.

I am reading a book. Not just looking at photographs - which is just as well since the book has no pictures printed within. Words that conjure up pictures but no literal pictures. I like the book. It amuses me with it's oddity. Have you read it? It is; Cronopios and Famas by Julio Cortazar

Why snap that?

Thanks for asking that. A fine question one might say.

The reason I snapped this was because I could. It's a local stroll for me a few moments from home. My Kiev4a was in my bag the personage stepped that way, raised his arms with his pixel-catcher in his hands, and snap, I had it on film. Here it is.
That's how it's done. I might do it again since I go that way often although, as to whether the chappie-fellow-me-lad goes that way, we shall see.

I'm inhabiting some space

I am inhabiting space. I was using more than my fair share but since I have lowered my calorific intake, my share is less selfish. I hope it stays that way.

As for snaps, I wonder where it will take me? I find I had a camera or two with me yesterday as I went to pick Eve up from her bikie ride.

Now check out this excellent work.

In Stormoway

Another Forte Elegance Lith print. snapped up by the veritable phone thing - hence the odd shape. The flecks of white are on the print. Adds to the effect me thinks.

No, I don't know why either.

A quick phone snap of a little lith print I did the other day. One of my "why on earth does it look grey" series. I suspect it was the sun - or lack of it. and the processing or lack of it digitally. One can see the curve of the paper for goodness sake.

I did enjoy myself mind you. printing this little print and all. On Forte Elegance fb paper don't you know.

It's raining since you didn't ask. All sorts of shenanigans have been going on with the local trust that owns the land round here. There's a vote for new board members and they, the people talking about it all - voters and people standing are behaving like children.

inside my mind

I'm sure this is how my mind would look if I could take a snap of it. Trust me.

I was pleased the other day when some chappie fellow me lad out of the blue told me he'd liked my talk the other week. Cheered me cockles no end I can tell you.

Harris way

See that?
Down south on Harris.
I'm not there now.

I'm up and doon though. Up and I'm feeling good. Doon, less so. Tis a veritable nightmare.

Town stroll with Trip

Lovely day for a little stroll round the small capitol of Stormoway tother day. Eve's birthday was coming up so thought I better buy her a Black Jack. Only thing is  where you can buy them at all you have to buy several !

The stroll wasn't wasted since I had the Olympus Trip 35 with me and some Foma400 film inserted so snapped hither and thither but mainly thither,

No idea since you ask.

Nice to get two binscapes in a day though.

Snap

Another snap from a recent windy day on a beach here.

Off the roof

Duncan, the villager you need if it's your chimneys that need sweeping. Lovely chap.

My Kiev 60 died

Ah well the old Kiev 60 did come to me for free and I have had good use of it. Pity really since the lens is superb, However, the shutter stays stubbornly open and I don't know how to mend it.  Ah well, I do have a couple of other 6x6 cameras so all is not lost and I can continue to snap up the delights of the island including this caravan park.