Ashmolean

The University of Oxford's museum of art and technology, founded in 1683:

Spotmatic/28mm; FP4+ on Foma 133, lightly toned in a home-brew thiourea mix.

It's an impressive big lump of a building (this is actually the side view, the front is hidden behind to the left).   You can read more about it, and the collections/exhibitions currently running by clicking here.

I'm all out of sorts at the minute and will probably take a break from posting new material for a while.  My mum had a bad fall a couple of weeks ago and is still in hospital recovering.  At 91, recovery is a slow process.  It's unclear at the minute whether or not she will return home - she's been living independently in the family home ever since my father died, over 40 years ago.  That's a long time and she's been doing well until this year, when I've noticed a sharp decline.  This is her third fall in a couple of months and although (miraculously) there were no fractures, clearly there is a lot of soft tissue damage.  We'll see how things pan out.  We have options here in Northern Ireland - from supported independent living facilities to full nursing care homes.  I've no doubt she would like to return to her own home but I think in her heart of hearts she knows that's a tall order.  But then again, she's a strong woman (mentally, not physically any more) and could surprise us all yet.  I guess you don't get to the age she is by being anything other than tough.  

Artist

 As I passed St Mary Magdalen's Church in Oxford I came across this lady doing a sketch of part of the graveyard.  I asked if she would mind me taking her photograph and she was fine with that.  I didn't want to disturb her longer than necessary so composed and tripped the shutter as quickly as I could and walked on by.

Spotmatic/28mm; FP4+ on Foma 133.

St Mary Magdalen's lies on the site of a wooden Saxon church which burnt down in 1074.  A stone church was built in its place and that formed the basis of the building as it is now.  It lies diagonally opposite the Ashmolean and it's a busy old place so I dandered on up the road away from the hustle and bustle. 

Street photography

I find street photography challenging.  What works for me is finding an interesting scene/backdrop and then waiting for the people to populate it, ideally (a) people doing something vaguely interesting and (b) me waiting until the main actors are separated.

For this shot I was standing on the steps leading up to the Bodleian.  The steps were wide enough so I wasn't blocking anyone, so I was able to wait as long as I wanted while various scenarios played out in front of me.  From the negatives I think this one was the best but I might print some others just to see.

Oxford, looking towards Hertford Bridge/New College Lane.
Spotmatic/28mm; FP4+ on Foma 133, thiourea toned. 

Oh, and I almost forgot.  I turned 60 a couple of days ago. I wonder what adventures lie ahead for me?

In the city

So there I was, wandering around the city of Oxford a couple of weeks ago with an old Pentax Spotmatic and a 28mm f/3.5 lens attached, FP4+ loaded.  Anywhere around the Bodleian is usually a good shout and I caught it lucky when I lifted the camera to frame this scene - the couple appeared in the doorway right on cue and I tripped the shutter as quickly as I could.  

On Foma 133 paper.

I had grand ideas of wandering around the city most of the week while Missy was at work or in Uni, but in the end I only had one good day out with the camera - the first full day I was there.  The rest of the week was very overcast and as I said somewhere else, quite cold at times.  I had checked the forecast before I left and was promised full sun and high temperatures, so I'd only packed short sleeved shirts.  Mistake!  I ended up having to buy a jacket thing to keep warm.  Between that and the exceedingly dull light I had no appetite for any more camera work.  Plus I was pretty wrecked after the travelling and helping my daughter to move into her new digs for the summer.  She has a lot of stuff.  Must be a girl thing. 

I'll get told off

Neither daughter nor wife like this shot ("I think you enjoy taking bad pictures of me") but I like it so here it is:

Pentax Spotmatic, 105mm preset Takumar; FP4+ on Foma 133, home brew thiourea tone.

Posed portraits are really not my thing, I know.  Not sure what my thing is, exactly, mind you.

Sounds of the sea (updated)

My friend A, studying the sea in Portrush.  A lives in London now but visits home whenever she can.  I think she records the sounds of the sea on her phone, presumably to listen to when she gets fed up of the sounds of London.

Pentax Spotmatic, 28mm Takumar; FP4+ on Foma 133, toned.

I made two prints of this, as I thought my friend might like one.  For the second one I diluted the toner and I think the print is better for it:

Home and away

I've not been in the darkroom this week, due to the fact I'm across the water (England, that means, in Northern Irish-speak). So I'm posting this to remind me that as nice as Oxford is, things aren’t too bad back home in Portstewart:

Portstewart Strand, looking towards Downhill.

Truth be told I’ve had enough of folk now - Oxford is a busy place. Heading for home tomorrow and an early morning walk on the Strand is looking very attractive right now. To make matters worse, I’m missing the best weather of the year back home while here in Oxford it’s decidedly cool. It’s usually the other way round. Typical.