Relics VII
A room with a view (and good ventilation).
Relics VI
Given all of the iron ore in Minas Gerais, it is surprisingly how frequently we found structures such as this (probably part of an old press) as well as wheels made from wood.
Relics V
Abandoned house. I think that this was originally as part of a hotel expansion, but it is now gradually disintegrating.
Relics III
Abandoned wooden cart and cachaça still.
Relics II
Gears used as part of a belt-driven sugar-cane press. The juice would have been fermented to make cachaça. Behind this room is another with a pair of abandoned stills.
Relics I: Gateway
I am still catching up with the film processing and scanning. This is the first in a series of images all taken of or around abandoned buildings at the astonishing Hotel Relicário, in Minas Gerais. We will write more about the hotel specifically later on. All the photographs in this series were taken with the Leica M7, Zeiss ZM 2/35 and Ilford HP5+ (the last roll I had left on this trip).
Dark Skies
Some landscape images from Parque Nacional da Serro da Cipó, shot on 35mm film. These were taken using a combination of a dark red filter and a polariser. One disadvantage of using the Leica is that you can not directly see through the lens, and so aligning the polariser for best effect is challenging.
Some Thoughts On Shooting Film
For nearly three months now I have shot almost exclusively with film, as an experiment to find ways to improve my photography. So far, it has been an odd mix of frustration, learning, and also pleasure. I thought that it might be helpful to summarise some thoughts on this process so far. Changes in the way I shoot I think the first and most obvious effect of shooting with film has been the impact on the number of images taken. Lightroom shows that roughly 400 shots were taken in the last three […]
Montseny
Sky and tree textures in part of the Parc Natural de Montseny, Catalunya – one of the most beautiful parts of the region. Leica M7 with Zeiss 2/35, Ilford HP5 plus and an 091 dark red filter.
Area Privada
Schoolboy humour, Seva, Catalunya. Seva has along with many other municipalities declared almost-but-not-quite-there-yet independence from Spain, currently yielding much the same practical effect as the modification of the sign has had on local hunting. Leica M7 with Zeiss ZM 2/35 and 091 red filter (again). Shot wide-open in a doomed attempt to separate the sign from the background. This was taken using a test roll of Ilford FP4+, to get a feel for how this ISO 125 film compares to HP5+. It is clear that the grain is finer, but it is still quite […]
Parlament
The Catalan Parlament, appropriately next door to the zoo in Barcelona, and possibly the seat of a new nation if the nationalists eventually start acting rather than just talking. Leica M7 with Zeiss ZM 2/35 and Ilford HP5+ and 091 dark red filter.
Autumn Fire
Definitely a good time of the year for high-contrast light. Both taken with the Leica M7 and Zeiss 2/35 and the usual grainy Ilford HP5+.
Autumn Earth
Another texture – this time tree roots on some rather barren soil. Leica M7 with Zeiss 2/35 and Ilford HP5+.
Autumn Skies
Branches, Barcelona. Leica M7 with Zeiss 2/35, Ilford Hp5+ and 091 deep red filter.
Yesterday’s Paradise
The boating lake at the Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona. Leica M7 with Zeiss 2/35, Ilford HP5+ and 091 red filter.
Parc de la Ciutadella
Photograph of the paths at the Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona. Definitely winter now. I took a few shots like, trying to get some symmetry and contrast with the subject. Here is a second example, with a slightly different composition and light subject against a dark background: Both taken with the Leica M7, Zeiss 2/35 and Ilford HP5+. A dark red 091 filter was used to increase contrast on the sky and folliage.
Transient Eye 