Pinhole explorations

Before we headed home from Goodwood I spent one more day exploring, this time using just my pinhole camera. I started off in Arundel, just following my nose and photographing whatever caught my eye.

The last time I visited St Nicholas’ Church was when I gave a concert here about 20 years ago. It was a little too dark inside for pinhole photography, but the churchyard was very photogenic. Click on any image to see it enlarged.

Across the road, the Cathedral was a sunnier place so I was able to photograph inside.

From the Cathedral I headed back out onto the quiet streets of Arundel.

A dramatic splash of flare from the sun behind the bridge over the River Arun.

Eventually I left Arundel and wandered back via Boxgrove Priory. The interior of the church was catching some beautiful sunshine and I couldn’t resist a ghostly self portrait beneath the arches of the ruined priory.

Photos taken 17 April 2023

Taking it slowly

During my day at the Goodwood Members Meeting last month I took a pinhole camera along too, for some slow fun among all the fast cars. I didn’t take many photos, but it was fun looking for scenes around the paddock which would work. Rather than a full size tripod I’d taken my small, table top model which meant I had to get creative with my shooting angles. For this one I found a place to perch it, atop a tool box!

I even tried some pinhole action photography, although the entire field of cars has almost disappeared in a high speed blur!

Photos taken 16 April 2023

Goodwood on a spring day

I missed out on all of the big events at Goodwood last year, so it was a joy to be back here for the 80th Members Meeting back in April, I only had one day at the event so I did my best to explore the paddocks thoroughly, as well as capturing a little of the on track action.

Taking photos of entire cars around the busy paddocks is always a challenge, but I found plenty of smaller scenes and details which merited a photo.

Click on any image to see it enlarged.

A selfie with a difference - can you see me?!

The St Mary’s Trophy this year featured an entire field of Ford Cortinas.

The cars competing in the S.F.Edge Trophy are always guaranteed to offer great photo opportunities. You can really see the drivers battling with their machines.

We finished the day on the main straight and I spent some time making slower speed panning shots. I had a tremendous failure rate but that didn’t matter when I found this one among the duds!

Photos taken 16 April 2023

Low tech London

I’ve long since known that I work best as a photographer when I give myself some photographic restrictions. That might be working with a single prime lens, or sometimes even shooting with a camera which is really simple. During a recent visit to London I went very low tech, taking just my Holga 120 camera and my 6x6 format pinhole camera along.

For a cheap camera (mine cost me a princely £21 on eBay) the Holga’s plastic lens is remarkably sharp, but it has a very characterful look, with a distinctive softening around the edges. The viewfinder offers an approximation of what’ll appear in the finished photo - a quirk I’m still getting to understand better, as you can see in my photo below.

I wonder who visits a park with benches but takes along their own seat?!

A trio of photos from around BBC New Broadcasting House.

A little multiple exposure fun around the Post Office Tower.

And finally, one pinhole photo from the courtyard outside New Broadcasting House.

Photos taken April 2023

Hidden in the Sussex countryside

Tucked away in the depths of the Sussex countryside, at Tortington next to a farm, I found the delightful church of St Mary Magdalene.

Photographing churches on sunny days can be a challenge as it creates a huge contrast between the bright windows and the dark interior. Despite that, a day like this also brings a gorgeous glow to churches like St Mary’s so it’s worth making the effort to work with the light,

Through the arched window(s)… Click on any image to see it enlarged.

Photos taken 17 April 2023

A fix of chrome and petrol

It’s been so long since I had an opportunity to photograph any cars that the first Barrington car meet of the year (a monthly gathering in Cambridgeshire) felt like an oasis in the desert!

I spent an hour or so exploring the cars using a longish lens which gave me the chance to isolate some interesting details among the chrome laden classics on show.

I’ve seen this beautiful classic BMW there several times before and am always drawn to its unusual shade of green.

A duo of door handles…

It was lovely to see that Gordon the Gopher has finally been released from his broom cupboard. Readers who weren’t teenagers in the 1980s can learn more about him here!

Photos taken 7 April 2023

Edinburgh through a pinhole

After my adventures in Glasgow my pinhole camera saw some more action around Edinburgh. I had no particular agenda, but followed my nose and photographed what I saw around me.

Elegant University buildings.

On my final day I took a stroll along the Water of Leith.

St. Bernard’s Well

Down by the water’s edge. I hadn’t noticed the whirlpool in the second image until I scanned the negative.

The elegant buildings of Dean Village lining the river.

My final destination of the day was Greyfriar’s Kirkyard. Scottish graveyards are always wonderfully dramatic and perfect pinhole material!

Photos taken 3 April 2023

A stroll beside the Clyde

A pinhole camera came along for the ride for my visit to Scotland at the beginning of the month and one of my first destinations was a jaunt to Glasgow to see my friend Matt. Before I got that far though I took a few snaps on my journey north, including a couple at Kings Cross Station, while I waited for my train. I had this image in mind when I visited in December, but a large TV screen was blocking my way. This time the coast was clear so I laid my camera on the floor and finally captured the photo I’d hoped for!

A longish photo of some of my fellow travellers, milling around the concourse.

My walk to Haymarket Station in Edinburgh threw up a couple of pinhole opportunities - the Union Canal and the trams passing the station.

My pinhole photos from Glasgow all seem to feature bridges in one way or another, starting with the Bell’s Bridge.

Further along the Clyde we found what locals called the ‘Squinty Bridge’ as its curve crossed the road at an angle. I couldn’t find somewhere to capture this quite as I’d hoped as I needed somewhere to prop my camera, but I quite like the result anyway.

My final bridge of the day - the Tradeston Bridge, which features some wonderful lines.

Photos taken 29 March 2023

St Giles' Cathedral

Fourteen years on from my last visit to St Giles’ Cathedral I had only the vaguest of memories of the building so it was interesting to return and see what I’d forgotten.

Tourist season had definitely kicked in so it was tricky to capture wide, sweeping views of the Cathedral but I found plenty of lovely corners to aim my camera at and the low spring sun created some beautiful contrasts.

One clear memory I did have from last time was the many regimental flags, some of which have aged so much they’re translucent.

My favourite part of the building was the Thistle Chapel, with its ornate ceiling and wonderful characters on the pews.

Just before I left I spent some time sitting in the nave, taking in the architectural shapes and noticing where the Cathedral had been altered over the centuries. A rather more modern addition are the extraordinary ‘space ship’ lights which I rather like!

Photos taken 3rd April 2023

Sunny Edinburgh

My final day in Edinburgh was a sunny one so I made the most of this and went for a stroll by the Water of Leith - the river which runs just north of the city centre. The crisp shadows and strong contrast just demanded a monochrome approach.

St Bernard’s Well

For most of my stroll the walkway was well above the river, but I did find one spot where I could sneak down onto the riverbank.

Playing with longer exposure times to capture the movement of the water as it rushed by.

Further west I found Dean Village, where the buildings tower above the river.

After lunch I wandered back into the centre of the city and spent some time exploring the graveyard at St Cuthbert’s Church, just beneath the castle, which looms on the Edinburgh skyline.

Click on any image to see it enlarged.

Photos taken 3 April 2023