More Urban Candids (Bath)

My favourite local(ish) spot for urban photography. I'm still limiting myself to film only, but this time using a Canon EOS 620 camera with a Canon 35-105 zoom & 135 F2 prime for low light. I was using Ilford HP5 400 iso film as it was an overcast day.

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A Return to Urban Images, the Classic Way

I've stopped shooting modelling photography now and my return is questionable. Instead, I'm now concentrating solely on the images I enjoy shooting; one of them is urban candids, but in the classic tradition of using black & white film and often on a rangefinder (not Leica unfortunately). It does take a little more effort to learn a new method; manual, pre/scale focus on my rangefinders and no zoom lenses. It is more of a challenge to get the image, but more enjoyable and rewarding. Critically sharp images are not what street photography is all about.

Anyway, here's a selection of images I like from me last 2 rolls of film.

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Memories

Instead of anything arty today, a look at the now-derelict pub that I used to frequent in 1988-89. It wasn't exactly local and I was usually driving so I can only comment on what their Coca Cola was like (same as everywhere else).  Seeing it brings back fond memories of days in my youth.

Sadly a condition dictates that it cannot be reopened as a public house, so it now sits with boards on the windows awaiting redevelopment (more cheap houses no doubt).

Images were shot on black & white film (what else) for effect, and processed at home.

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Gothic Modelling Shoot

This was shot with (newish) model Sophie Mangham.

I used a mixture of ambient lighting along with on & off camera flash.  Images were converted to B&W in Silver Efex Pro.

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Amazing Street Art

Some legal graffiti in Bristol Centre.

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A Shoot With Annie Price

A selection of shots with Annie Price on an unseasonably hot (27 degrees C) October Sunday.

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Canon T90 in Use

After everything I've been saying about not investing in another camera system, I guessed it wouldn't be long before I did.

I was given a bag of old cameras back in March; inside the bag were a few gems (and a few dogs) including a rather scruffy Canon AE-1. Now I have always avoided the FD mount system and the dreaded `Canon Cough' that goes with these cameras, so I was surprised that it didn't suffer with said cough and even the match needle for the light meter worked. Sadly it had no lenses so I bought a couple of cheap lenses to test it out. After I'd used it a bit, I quite liked the camera, so inevitably I bought a couple more. The scruffy looking AE-1 was now letting the side down, so after a bit of research and some time on eBay, I got myself a mint T90. I have to say that this is the most feature-packed manual focus SLR that there is. It has some functions that Canon would do well to re-introduce.

Enough waffle; the home developed B&W film pics:

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Some Recent Portraits

These were shot at the beginning of the month at a Bristol & South West Modelling Photography event (BSWMP). Sadly, real life has been hectic and the blogging has been on hold.

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Model: Nicole Sarsons
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More Classic Cars

I just love shooting these classics. I usually use a wide angle lens in close for perspective distortion, along with a short telephoto lens for abstract macro shots.

On this occasion, I used a 24mm Ensinor lens along with a Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm Macro lens.



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Beam me up Scotty!!

AE-1_HP5_019, originally uploaded by martinsmith99.

A lucky break in the clouds which lasted just a few mins.

I shot this on B&W film (as it's all I had on the day) in Gloucester not far from the canal by the docks. Click to read the rest of this post and/or make comments

Boo!

Nope, I'm not trying to scare you. I was referring to a recent shoot with the model & dancer known as `Boo'.

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Ok, who buried the Super Model?

I spotted this at Weston-Super-Mare beach; two huge piles of sand from a truck. It was the 1st of many piles of sand so I got lucky with my timing.

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And a crop:

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Just One Shot

At a group shoot I thought my camera would remain in my bag; we had a number of models no let us down (thanks a bunch!) and quite a few togs.

I did manage to get one (and only one) shot of Hannah, but I was quite pleased with the result; so much so that I processed it two separate ways. Which is best? I can't decide.

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Beach Shoot

This was quite a cold evening so my respect for models: Laura Ruffell, Pritesh Jethwa & Connor McKenzy for donning the rather small outfits and making this shoot possible.  Key lighting was a single strobe fired through a softbox.  I also used a single strobe for fill or back-light in some shots.

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Hearing Aid Battery?

I spotted this whilst in Brean at the weekend. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me so I was limited to using my mobile phone's camera.

I pity the person that tries to use these batteries in their hearing aid.

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Zero Signal

These are from a recent shoot with new band Zero Signal. I used 1 or 2 speedlights in the shots, one in a shoot through umbrella and occasionally a 2nd as rim light. I've also used a slightly different style of processing I've used a bit recently.

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Yet Another Lens Review

As always, a cheap one that performs well, and (shock, horror) an auto focus lens.

May I present the Vivitar 19-35mm (sold under many other brand names but made by Cosina). Users of crop sensor camera probably will have littel use of this lens, but I bought the lens as it works on full frame/35mm cameras and is MUCH lighter than the 24-70mm. It's primary use will be on film cameras and/or urban architecture. It's not bad in the centre wide open and is usable at F5.6. Stopped down to F8 or F11 it works quite well (it only cost £40 with both lens caps and a hood).  Plus, ultra wide lenses can be good for creating perspective distortion.

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Crap Car For Sale

These were taken at an Italian car show in Bristol. The strange thing is that the cars either side were completely untouched and all arrived that morning.

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Finally, Some Improvement

I've dipped in and out of modelling photography a few times, but since May 2010 I have been doing this as a priority.  Helping me do this are the great models, make-up artists and photographers of a Flickr group I set up in September called 'Bristol & South West Modelling Photography' (we're also now on Facebook & Twitter).

The following are a few shots that I feel are my best images of each month so far this year.

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March (Model: Laura Ruffell)


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Who Needs A Light Meter?

This was just a test shot to see how the lighting was looking. I bounced 2x Yongnuo 560s off the wall behind me, both set on 1/4 power; given the distance to the model I estimated that that would give me F5.6. Here's the result which has had no adjustment to the exposure.

I think I've been doing this too long. :)

Model: Laura Ruffell http://www.lauraruffell.com/

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Hotwells Urban B&W Film Shots

It's been a while since I shot any film and I have a few cameras to test. These were all taken at the end of February on a day which started out cloudy with some rain, but turned into a warm, spring-like day.

I've been meaning to get some shots of the Clifton Rock Railway as well as some of the other sights that I have missed around the Hotwells area of Bristol.

All taken with a Canon EOS 50 loaded with Ilford HP5+ film developed at home.

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Modelling Shoot with Kate

These were taken with with new model Kate Davies. I used a few of lenses for the shoot, but my favourites were taken mainly with an old Meyer Trioplan 100mm and these are featured below.

In the 1st photo, I was surprised that a lens of such basic design and lacking the modern coating did such a good job when pointing into the harsh afternoon sun. I think some of my modern lenses would have let me down.

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Modelling Shoot - Lorena

These were taken at a recent shoot.  It was supposed to be an experimental lighting workshop, but as all I had available to me was my usual lighting rig which I know inside out, there didn't seem much to experiment with.  Plus, I was trying to demonstrate to my co-photog my usual go-to setup which is used throughout.

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Camera & Lens: Canon 5D mkii and Canon 70-200 F4 L
Keylight: Softbox 45 degrees camera right
Fill: Umbrella slight camera left
Backdrop lit by 2 flashes


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More Portraiture & Lighting Techniques

These were taken at a recent event and feature a few techniques that some may wish to explore.  The 1st two images I used an umbrella with 2x flashes as key light and a bare flash directly behind the model which gives a hard rim light and also illuminates the rain.

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Model: Ozy Hussain



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