Morning folks - and a very belated Happy New Year to you all - I hope it brings you all you want it to bring you.
For myself, it is a determination to continue as long as I can, still using film and printing in a darkroom on paper.
It's a solid ground to me, something I know; I feel as you get older it's really important to have a grounding in something, because before you know it you'll be off yer trolley with dementia.
This being said there's a lot to be said for learning new things too, obviously, but solidly grounding yourself in something you love, well maybe that's a really good thing . . .
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The brief 40 minutes contained in these photographs is the result of a feverish session just as the tide was on the turn and as everything was changing from a ghastly, morose overcastness to a beautiful midwinter light that took ones breath away.
It had a wonderful turning point feel to it - a new day dawning; a new tide expected; maybe a new way of approaching things from myself.
There was definitely something in the air.
Call it fanciful if you like, but I've spent a lot of my life photographing around small changes in atmosphere and I think I've become quite sensitive to them.
On the other hand, maybe it's just the case of . . . stick a human in a place whereby they're confronted with the power of nature and they're always going to feel something.
That's probably the case . . . whatever (he said with a flick of the head so that his 90's fringe flicked back over his eyes . . )
I formly believe that landscape photography needs to be attuned to atmosphere first and foremost. There's far too much of the grand view style of things for my liking.
You know me, I prefer to limit my horizons and work in close to detail and try to scoop up some of that atmos too.
Anyway, I'll keep it brief - they're all tripod shots from a Hasselblad 500C/M with a 40mm f4 Distagon fitted.
It's a lovely lens and takes a very nice photo.
Film was Ilford FP4 (rated at Ei 80) developed in my usual Fomadon R09 at 1+75 for 9:30 sec . . it's as simple as that.
I was really fascinated by the hectic (and often violent) movement of the tide juxtaposed against the stillness and immovability of the rocks.
Most of the 'paper white' stuff you see is actually tide movement.
There was no need for a ND filter as (operating in low Winter light and massive rock shadow) reciprocity tables took care of the longer side of things - most of the exposures were between 5 and 50 seconds . . .
In such cases a sturdy tripod is necessary, especially when the tide is comin' atcha.
And that's about it really - the images are scans off the prints made by me on Ilford Multigrade Fibre paper in my wee darkroom.
The prints are archival, being double fixed and selenium toned and thoroughly washed, so they should outlast what years I have left (unless they get chucked in a skip of course).
Not sure what it has been like where you live, but we've had such a lack of sunlight over here that going out and trying to photograph anything has been largely impossible . . here's hoping Spring brings us something sweeter and brighter.
Till the next time, try not to scratch that itchy bit too much.
H xx
