Tagged: medium format

Celluloid Memories

In tandem with scanning old film transparencies, I have been taking photographs on some donated film for the first time in years.

Works in progress

The rolls are black and white print film, the type I roared through about ten years ago when I was printing as many images as I could at various dark rooms across the city.

As I work through the fourth roll, I realise that I won’t have the time to develop my own photos. Also, the usual labs that I went to for prints has now shut. There will be a search for a new lab to post these rolls to.

As I said, I am also scanning through a large amount of old transparencies, which I took roughly between 2005-2010. I am amazed at the quality of some shots and the latitude of tones and colours therein. Most have been on 35mm, but a fair amount have been on medium format film. These latter shots have been stunning to look at.

During the photography webinar I took part in with Wendy Catling and Dr. Natasha Barrett, the convenor Dr. Matt Finch asked us what we wanted to do next in photography. I said that I very much wanted to return to medium format photography, and even try large format photography at some point. Taking photos on film, and looking at the results, has made me very aware of wanting to take time over crafting a photograph in future.

Medium format

Transparency film scanning continues, with my concentration on medium format images while I acquire more 35mm slide mounts.

Even when an image isn’t that impressive, the detail therein makes the image great to look at: from my twin lens reflex’s gorgeously large viewfinder to the image’s old-fashioned square shape, taking photos in medium format has been a delight.

  • High view of Broadway in Victoria, London
    Broadway in Victoria. According to current maps, the building from which this photo was taken has been demolished.
  • Victoria Station at night
    Evening at Victoria Station
  • Art deco balconies on Gliddon Road, west London.
    Gliddon Road, west London. Genuinely can’t think of why I went there.
  • Ornate headstone at a Cemetery
  • Ornate headstone in a cemetery
Two views of an ornate headstone. I think I prefer the first.

The most recent images I’ve scanned have been from 2007. Since then I’ve taken many more images on digital and on 35mm, but looking at these scans (just a single pass this time) I may well return to this camera. The limited exposures on a roll and slower technique in taking pictures may lead to a more considered image.