Her Highness Henrietta Cartier Bresson wishes to announce she in in foal [or something like that]

We are just back from the feline physician. HHHCB's personal one that is. HHHCB likes her. Most of the time that is - except when her temperature needs ascertaining perhaps. But other than that they get on well.

Today was no exception as all she needed was a little examination of her self. We thought perhaps we might have been feeding her too much. HHHCB's tum was a tad big and she was always asking for food. Then we noticed her nipples [excuse me mentioning this Your Highness] were pink and bigger than normal. A light suddenly went on in my head. And we were right too. HHHCB is in foal - or is at least a mother to be. How lovely is that? A lot really. Only it wasn't planned. No doubt some street-wise ragamuffin alley cat from her former home area defiled her and no doubt will deny all his future responsibilities. Men eh?

Anyway, HHHCB is loved here and her cat-lettes will be loved too till they find new homes. And that shouldn't be too hard since HHHCB is practically royalty anyway.

But if I find out who that ragamuffin alley cat is................

HHHCB again

Aaaah [and everything].

Saw the Jane Bown thing in the Grawniad the other day and was inspired. Only, HHHCB is not talking to me at the moment due to an unforeseen disagreement on the food front.  So I have mined the archive for this lovely snappette of her catself and lovely, darling Eve.

Once time has passed, I shall book HHHCB for a new portrait sesh.

New year, new start

2014 has commenced with a whimper here at Cragro Towers. HHHCB is still grooming irritating me and herself by over-grooming some 'bits' making them sore. Visitors have gone home and the fire is smoking for some reason, nicely kippering everything in the room.

We are imminently likely to informed of the return of the Toots to these shores. That's nice. The weather is just right to greet them too - wind and rain. No, I can correct that, just rain and a breeze. For a change. And everything. I do hope Mr Toots has done his snaps in sunny Spain like he said he would. Might be trouble if they are not done I can tell you. Managed to cajole him into sneaking an Isolette into his hand-baggage with some HP5 to keep his Paco-Rabid company - other drinks are available.

Of course we are missing The Coelynes. Anyone would eh? And yes [if you have clicked that last link] I have nearly got round to finishing the first bit on the stairs since you ask. I might have to do it again now as it's nearly worn out already. I blame it on HHHCB up and down the stairs all night.

And no I have not developed those snaps you saw me taking today. Give me a chance. I have only been home a little while and I need to recover from seeing William and Alec. Don't I? Eh?

Be warned, I might twiddle someting on here and it all could change colour. Just for the coming year. And everything.

My New Years resolution. Proof read posts [it won't last]

HHHCB in blue

I might have done this before if I'd thought of it, only my cyanotype emulsions had gone to pot and I couldn't get an image out - causing my head to start falling off. I prefer my head on my shoulders so set about re-mixing the chems [ see here ] and lo and behold I have usable emulsion.

The image, I am rather reluctant to divulge, was taken by Eve my lovely partner whilst we sat in bed one sunny morning as the Bat-Cat [HHHCB sat on the window-sill in the sun] came to visit. the resultant shadow on the far wall was captured by Eve's phone. Eh? How does that work then?

Moving swiftly on, I printed out a neg of the image on Fotospeed transfer film, coated some old cartridge paper I had lying around then shove the dried paper under a home made [not by me] UV thing for 15 mins and hey, I had an image. Lightly toned in Tannin/Washing soda.

I think I shall do some experiments with toning - again. I rather like this process and the images.

PLEASE; read this quietly.

HHHCB is asleep as I write. Or at least pretending to be. She won't like me showering her with praises on here, so I won't.

But you won't get a more purrfect cat, albeit a near Royal one, as HHHCB. The same cannot be said of snap - which is, I must admit, a near disaster. I used polypan-f film. I know it's 50asa copy film but I reckon you can use it at 200asa with a good soak in Rodinal. And one can - if you don't mind the sort of mush grain along with it. And a scratch across the neg and a hair now thankfully removed from the camera gate. Apart from that. Just purrfect.

I'm celebrating HHHCB's 5 cat-lings.

In celebration I have posted something that looks like a 'proper' snap - with the sea in the background and, some stones [although not THE stones] in the foreground. From just down the road and everything.

HHHCB and her little beings are all doing well since you ask. She is very proud and so are we. Hopefully, we will all get more sleep tonight !

Ah ha, the sun is shining and a stroll near the beach beckons

HHHCB came down from her nest with her little beings to see what it was glowing through the window, ate some food, did her toilette and went back up. I managed to capture her on film - with the only camera I had to hand - a Franka Rolfix set to f32 for some reason and consequently used on 'B'. HHHCB got bored, or maybe insulted, I really couldn't tell. Nevertheless she wandered off and I followed her for a while.

I have the snap to prove it! Sold to the first person to offer me £1000 plus a sour-dough loaf [brown].

Sheepscat

I didn't realise that our dear HHHCB is a sheeps-cat. We were down with the curling tongs on The Crofter's sheeps when HHHCB came trotting down the croft  and the sheeps, bell tinkling as she came. Looking really confident and purposeful. Then all of a sudden she smelled something was amiss and shot back again.

Oh well, she will take time to acclimatise.

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

B U R P Event - - Thank you Mr Banting

Complete and utter mess-up of the dodgy kind on my part. I set this up to post today - without finishing the post then promptly forgot about it! Sorry and all that. I have now added the entries - although Mr Coelyne who promised faithfully to send one in has yet to oblige!

By Andy 'Trellis' Forbes. Filmus Monochromus | The Blog | Project Double-X

So, the first image is by that Mr Trellis fella. I rather like it. Having said that you can almost see what it is and the grain is somewhat hidden - lacking in grunge [no idea what grunge is to be honest but it sounds right!]. A fine entry all the same. Down-graded because he had an earlier showing due to the pre-publication posting. I know that's my mistake but who is writing the rules round here anyway?

Franco. @ http://fotografiaapedali.blogspot.co.uk/

The next one wasn't entered. But nicked the image off Franco's site as I'm sure he would have entered if he spoke English :-). Taken with a Lomo LCA and the great Polypan-50 film. Love this image to be honest. I mean, what is there not to like? Eh? And those doggies eh? Did I not mention there should be doggies in the snap? Oh bad luck the rest of you.

Selfie - John Banting. http://unknownphotos.blogspot.co.uk/

Mr Banting went above and beyond writing a text to got with his snap!

"Alright, so it's not as easy as it looks.  

I thought I'd have a bit of a play around for a few minutes and make a 
blurry image for the Boxes & Bellows blurrtastic readers compilation. 

That's when I found the fine line between rubbish and an image. 

Then, as instructed, I took a click over to look at the Igor Posner site, 
and unfortunately I can see that I stayed on the wrong side of this line. 

However, the attached are my submissions for the Blurred Unfocussed Recycled 
Photograph 2013 event. (It needs an acronym). 

  

I should be disqualified immediately because no film was exposed in the 
making of these images, and something somewhere is probably in focus, and 
they spent a bit of time in Photoshop getting ready for you. "

Well, there you are; obviously Mr Banting didn't listen at secretarial college as his line spacing is all over the place! Have you no idea? eh? Added to that Mr Banting sent TWO snaps - completely outside the rules. Obviously trying too hard - especially seeing it was a 'selfie' [wash my mouth out with soap and water for saying that] too. I'll get back to you Sir.

Portrait of Fred - by Keith Thompson

Ha, ha!. Now that's an interesting snap. I'm supposing it's not a 'selfie [wash my..... etc] although not having met the fella I wouldn't know. I seem to recall a beard being involved - but then my memory is not what it was. And I may not have seen a snap of Mr Keith anyway. I might have dreamt him - and if I did this is probably a good likeness.  Anyway, not a doggie in sight! Nice entry though Mr Keith - and if I could remember your website of capitalist massaging or whatever it is, I'd have linked it. In fact, if you could send it, I will.

Man with doggie - Mr Windy http://windywandering.blogspot.co.uk/

Oh well done Mr Windy, you seem to have embraced the doggie theme very well - in the title. Not a sign of dog-blurr in the snap though. Did you take this in Stornoway since it is a bit dark ? I did not say darkness was a prerequisite to be honest. Did I not tell you that? Serves you right for missing lunch the other day. Albeit that missing lunch with me was my or rather Toot's fault anyway. And your image seems to have infected this post with centring of the text which I cannot remove. Obviously that's a mark against it. 

Ok, now the difficult bit; the judging. I shall be showing these entries later to both Lord Wiesmier, Pirate of this parish and HHHCB. If Lord Wiesmier ignores the snap and HHHCB sits on it, you have won. I get the casting vote. Transparent voting eh? Re-visit soon - and thanks for all the dubious entries. :-)

One I did earlier last week

No it wasn't as grey as that since you mention it. I snapped up the print with the phone last night, the cat HHHCB was sitting next to it on the window sill while it was raining outside and I didn't want to bother her [for a change].

Might be for the cludgy wall me thinks :-)

Instinct

Didn't know that cats have a herding instinct. HHHCB has anyway. Doesn't chase the things but slowly moves them down the road - back to their housey.

Them chickns are out most days at the moment. Free range and all that. Not sure where their eggs are lain mind.

I make no apology - except for this time. And possibly the next.

Of course it's Toots. He kindly took me back to Tong to get the village shoppe horseless carriage that was having it's wheels re-welted or something like that. It necessitated a lift on the uppy thing anyway [for the van!] so the nice mechanic-fella could fiddle underneath. And no I don't have a snap of it since it was snowing at the time and I forgot! Yes, forgot.

And yes it is another snap of Toots - this tyme looking rather happy. For him. Which isn't surprising since he'd had a fine shopping trippette and is off to warmer climes and his other gaff soon. Taking his Isolette and some film too to complete a short project that may grace this place sometime in the not too distant future.

Meanwhile, we are awaiting another storm. A continuation of the last one almost since it has been a tad draughty for weeks it seems. Even took off part of the village school roof last night and, kept me awake for hours as the house shook to its unsubstantial foundations. HHHCB is rather dis-chuffed about it all I can tell you although she liked the light coating of white stuff on the ground this morning. And no, Nigella had not been round.

Apologies anyway. I dunked some asa 5 film I'd shot at 100asa in MG developer with the resulting clear strip of film. That's why you get this one. Sorry and all that.

It's been rather nice

That's here, just out the window down the road and everything. Sun that is in the sky. Remember that? Eh? 

Yes I have done a portrait of a seascape here before but, it is always there so I can eh? Even when John Cooper-Clarke is mumbling to me on the Iplayer-radio thing.

HHHCB has a special 'hat' on since she is still over-licking herself and going bald in the process. She is not happy I can tell you. Especially seeing she is nearly royalty and everything

I have extracted my head from.........

I am doing all right since you ask. My head is firmly stuck on my shoulders now, the sun is shining and I have been doing 'things'. Like this image taken on 4x5 Ilford Glass plate [R25] [With Toot's MPP 4x5 - and glory be, had a card from Spain from Mr & Mrs Toots this morning ]and printed as Vandyke print. I didn't smile. I didn't even think of smiling at the time - I was just doing 'things'.

It hasn't all gone well, the glass plates I shot this morning in the castle grounds [not my castle - the Stornoway one] didn't develop at all well. Still, I should be able to print a Lith from one should I care. And I do care.

HHHCB is still larger than life and currently without cat-lets - although she has just rather ungraciously passed wind in my general direction as I write!

We are off to a BBQ on Sunday to celebrate... I'll tell you another day. Needless to say the weather in breaking and blow is coming in.

Now, this is proper sunshine and everything.

Look what greeted us this morning. Sunshine. Cool but sunny. HHHCB is having a fine old time running all over the place and terrorising the local cat population. Eve was up early and took her bicycle into work with a nice 13 mile ride along the coast. I was up early too and into The Smoke for an appointment.

I had a point and shoot camera with me but the day was so very nice I could not resist a stroll looking and snapping this way and that. Lovely. Even though I say it myself. And no, these were not developed in anything modified from Toots' recipe book or with Caffenol.

@ the vets

HHHCb went to see her physision the other day on;y, she got to see Bernarde the Belgian instead. She liked him although she has rather been sulking since she got back.

Maybe she's sulking because her new found pals are not here too. This was..... nope, can't remember who it was but it was a yong furry thing anyway - and very nice.

The there was - oh, I don't recall names well. This furry creature was nice too but rather reticent to see the Dr man.

Then there was the less than lonely goat herd [Dave] who brought in his kid !

I should really stop doing this

I know, I know what  you are going to think. Probably.

Don't do it again! Try another developer that is. But I did. Tried out Acurol-N that shouted at me through the good offices of Bruce Robbins. Acurol-N is a special stuff to be really technical. Comes in a bottle that looks like it's come out some ancient chemists stock but feels like it's come out of the soft-drinks cabinet. Not sure how it does that. Having said that, it is the contents that's the important bit.

Now, lets just make this clear; I'm not expert at this testing game. If it works at all it's a miracle. If it works well, I've made a mistake. Bearing that in mind, my first attempt at utilising the stuff having consulted the bits of imformatory writing on paper that came with it was not even up to miracle standards. Sure the images were there - somewhere. But you needed to hold the neg about an inch from the sun so it melted a bit of the emulsion off before you could see through it. I think perhaps it might have been a tad over developed. Not use what went wrong to be honest as I used a clock and everything. Perhaps it was the instructions to downrate the film I was using - 400s - to 40asa. Besides being a pig to use up here where the sunny f16 rule is really sunny f4.5, it just didn't seem right.

I decided to try the same film at 400asa - as I usually do and slosh it in the Acurol-N @ 1:100 for an hour. That worked. Only thing was I took the snaps with a Konica P&S camera - so not the very best quality one expects from me.

HHHCB

Garry

Now go a check out my friends' Kate work. Well worth the time.

More whine Sir? :-)

There he is; The Crofter surveying our lovely White Stuff catalogue for some reason sat in our Summer Parlour, glass in hand, tummy full of curry the we made earlier. Twas lovely - even though I say it myself :-)

HHHCB was here too but now has gone to bed. Early again. Too much energy expended eating and sleeping I shouldn't wonder.

And the snaps are on film - Instant Instax film eh?.

I may seem a little frantic but there's a shrew loose in the hoose.

Despite our esteemed visitor - or perhaps because of her, HHHCB has brought in a shrew this morning and now the flippin thing is running loose - and I can't find it.

Perhaps I'm a tad tired too after chasing the Aurora last night. Lovely green lights sparkling in the sky despite the huge and very wasteful street lights we have that make the place look like an outsize horizontal Christmas tree - without the baubles.

No, I have no snap of it, I preferred the reality of it's actuality - although our esteemed visitor took a few snaps with her electrical image capturing device as we stood shivering on the moor in the dark night. Mr Crofter saw it too - first time for him though he's been here 10 years.

I do have another fank snap though. And that's all you get till I take something more.