Notes From The Top Left Corner

[Chris Bennett]

Ah yes, I may have posted a pinhole image of the duck before now. I must have taken hundreds of shots of that window by now, as it's a handy source of natural light in our living room but I think I can safely say that this is the one that has most pleased my eyes.
I really like this camera and I am looking forward to another one being delivered tomorrow! It might be even better!!

 

[Rhonda Smith]

It certainly seems to me the adventure ended well. What beautiful images it produced. !!

 

[Dave Farnes]

What a strange story. Sounds like an interesting camera and it is working well.

 

[Chris Bennett]

Well, Himatic, the Second arrived safely and is in almost as perfect condition as the first. It also appears to work perfectly too. I was fortunate enough to have a work colleague who wanted to buy it from me, so despite all the trauma, it turned out well for two of us.
Here are a few colour images from both cameras.


Midland Chairs

 

[Dave Farnes]

They are looking good.

I do like the picture of the chairs, really bright and cheerful.

 

[Chris Bennett]

Thanks Dave. A minor obsession - I have probably taken a photo of those chairs with every camera I own!

 

[Pete Askew]

And why not?!

Lovely natural colours on the graveyard images. And I like the shaft of light / shadow shot. Nice timing and framing on the bridge too. The yellows and blues contrast nicely as well.

 

[Chris Bennett]

Thanks Pete.
It seems my research paid off, as the Hi-Matic(s) is proving to be a bit of a winner.

 

[Chris Bennett]

Almost exactly a year after Rob's thread about Ilford Ortho Plus ( http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/down-by-the-river.24560/ )in which I said I was going to try a roll or two for myself, I still haven't tried a roll for myself.
However, I do own a roll! In my defence though, I tried a roll of Rollei Ortho 25 over the weekend and liked it very much. Here are a few shot from it. (Bronica ETRS with 40mm and 250mm lenses and developed in Rodinal).

 

[Dave Farnes]

I like that old gnarled tree. What a wierd building! Is it a coastguard station?

 

[Chris Bennett]

Hi Dave, yes it's a crazy building, isn't it? Rossall Point Watch Tower. Rossall is between Blackpool and Fleetwood.

 

[Pete Askew]

Good to see the Bronica back in action, Chris. Nice set.

That is certainly a most striking building and I like the way the sign leans in to meet it! I especially like the compression in the first shot.

And I like your defence: I feel better now about having a fridge full of all sorts of films that I haven't used!

 

[Chris Bennett]

The Bronica is lovely and I have acquired myself a nice little armoury of bits and pieces to use with it, so I feel able to cope with almost any situation now. I have the 40mm, 75mm, 150mm and the 250mm, as well as a 2x teleconverter in case I get desperate (or tired of walking!) I also got a metering prism finder which is great. All I need now is a Tamrac-wallah to carry my bag for me.

Re. your comment on the compression of the first shot, I am fast beginning to love the effect more and more nowadays. I know it's frowned on by some as a practice in street photography, but sometimes it has a powerful effect, so I'm finding myself exploring that quite a bit of late. I used it the other day at a protest and I love some of the results I got. I'll post some in a little while.

 

[Chris Bennett]

Here are a few of the images I mentioned above. Taken at a protest against the Police and Crime Bill. Very bright, warm spring evening. I love the effect of the compression combined with that low sun and especially with backlit subjects.

 

[Pete Askew]

Gorgeous light, Chris and the compression works well with these too. I especially like that orange flag and the way it reflects the livery on the bus.

 

[Chris Bennett]

Gorgeous light, Chris and the compression works well with these too. I especially like that orange flag and the way it reflects the livery on the bus.

Here's another one with bus company colours!



...a bit of a fringe protest going on there!

 

[Pete Askew]

"Face Covering Required" fits well with the placard doesn't it?

 

[Chris Bennett]

Well, this is interesting.
I bought a secondhand LensBaby Muse. It looks like a cross between an industrial vacuum cleaner and a sex toy.
No real attempts at anything serious yet, but this is quite nice...and interesting - a quick shot in the garden while waiting for the breakfast coffee to brew this morning.



Impressionist Chives

 

[Chris Bennett]

I had a bit more time with this strange thing today. I took this one before I broke it!

 

[Pete Askew]

Oops, just when you were getting the hang of it too. I quite like Lensbabies, but I think the original is still the best even though all the optic swap system etc is quite clever. Matching tights and mask: there's an album title in there I'm sure.

My favourite those is the shot of the Chives. I like the way Lensbabies can create this movement.

This prompted me to look up some older stuff on these. I'd forgotten about most of these, especially the last link!

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/and-on-the-other-bank.7227/#post-60642
http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/a-view-without-a-room.1537/#post-11749

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/the-most-bizarre-thread.2102/#post-16757