It’s not often that the two cranes at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast are so close together. Samson and Goliath are both at the same end of the dry dock, to allow a ship with a huge mast to be repaired.
Photographed with the Nikon FM3a Camera, Underexposed by 2 stops. on Ilford FP4, and developed in Ilfosol3 for 4.25 minutes.
I was making a photograph of the Crosskeys Inn, Co.Antrim, when this motorbike and sidecar roared past me, – a rare opportunity to capture a rare mode of transport these days! No time to adjust the camera, so the existing settings had to do – and thankfully they were fine.
Fujifilm X-T30, Acros film simulation.
The public library at CS Lewis Square, on the Newtownards Road, in East Belfast.
Photographed with the Nikon FM3a on Ilford HP5, ISO400 film and developed in Fotospeed FD10.
Don’t ya just love The Hack! BallyhackAMORE! (Pretentious suburb in East Belfast!)
Fujifilm X-T30 F = 66mm, f/10 @ 1/125th sec on ISO1250.
Rarely is there anywhere to park a car in the vicinity of Queen’s University, – parking spaces are few and hotly contested, but on 27th December 2023, I was driving through the area on return from an appointment in South Belfast, when to my surprise, I found an empty space, right beside the Students’ Union. I quickly parked, and stepped out with the Fujifilm X-T30 fitted with an 18-135mm zoom lens.
Photographed with a Fujifilm X-T30, F=18mm, f/5.6 @1/125th sec on ISO250.
Because it was still student holidays, traffic around the university was light, and that helped quite a lot with the photography. I stood outside the Student’s Union to capture the main image, but it wasn’t long before some human interest occurred.
Continue reading Queen’s University, Belfast.St Andrews Church (Church of Ireland) Balligan, near Ballywalter, Co.Down, on a bleak midwinter day.
Built in 1704, the church became famous for choral recitals and classical music, and was a popular venue. Choral Evensong was held on two Sundays each month until fairly recently.
Continue reading Balligan ChurchIn September, 2023 I visited the Belfast Book Fair, held this year in Methodist College (Methody) at Stranmillis. There was little in interest this year, by way of books, (mostly Irish history etc), but there were a couple of dealers selling antique postcards, and I spent quite a time trawling through them – with no intention of buying, of course, (some of these antique postcards can be rather expensive), despite the enthusiastic sales techniques of one of the vendors, who mistook my prolonged browsing for a potential sale. I was looking for photographic inspiration! Actually, I was sorry I hadn’t taken a notebook and pen!
Continue reading Feehogue Terrace, RandalstownCAVE HILL, BELFAST, from Hightown Road.
Image made with a Nikon FG20 using Ilford Delta 3200, pulled to ISO1600. f=34mm, f/16 @ 1/500th sec.
A good film choice for a wintery day, although this image was made during weak sunshine.
This is a fast (by film standards) film, which accounts for its grainy appearance. In the developing tank, I split the processing time between 1600ISO and 3200ISO, giving it 10 mins 30 secs in Fotospeed FD10, mixed at 1/9 at 20deg, then 1 minute stop bath in 20 deg. water, 2 mins in hypo-clear and 10 mins wash.
It’s the first time I’ve used this film, and I must admit I expected more contrast in the scanned image, but, there’s another film loaded, and I’ll try again.
The Old Post Office at Lisbane, near Comber, Co.Down, now a restaurant.
Photographed with the 40 year old Nikon FG20, on Ilford HP5, ISO400.
I found this 2022 built motorcycle parked in Belfast today, – and I was transported back in my mind to the early 1970’s when I rode a Royal Enfield, – not dissimilar in style and shape to this beauty.
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