They like their flags in the historic centre of Geneva, Illinois:
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| Paper Windmillls (well, probably plastic windmills) FP4+ on Foma 313 paper |
I've a ton of films sitting waiting to be developed from our days out when The Brother was here - but we're all still a tad fatigued, from the visit as well as the virus, so for now they sit in the darkroom, making me feel guilty every time I pass them. Some day soon, I tell them.
US spelling of traveller, 'cuz we're back in the quaint historic district of Geneva, Illinois:
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| Sign outside a store downtown Geneva; not anything like Walmart, obvs. FP4+ on Foma 313 paper. |
The Brother arrived here in The Liberties a couple of weeks ago with his eldest daughter, for a short visit. It was poor timing, as we've all, one after the other, gone down with Covid. It started with the twins father, who picked it up at a wedding a few weeks ago. Then his wife got it, then one of the twins (that required an overnight in hospital for the poor wee thing, but he made a good recovery and is back to normal now). We stood no chance, as we'd been babysitting just beforehand. My wife first, then me, now the Brother. Agh. Sore throat, congestion, shivering and aching all over for a few days. Coupled with extreme fatigue. I've still got what seems like a bad cold and can't seem to get a breath without coughing but am definitely on the mend. Staying away from mother as the consequences for her could be more serious.
The originator of the virus (father of the twins) is susceptible to any bug going around. We think it's largely due to the fact that he works from home (he's in software). Plus, he doesn't socialise much so when he's in large crowds he invariably picks up something. He's fit as a fiddle but I think he just has a rather poor immune system. His current job, which he moved to during the original Covid pandemic, is for a large software company originally formed in Belfast but which now has global operations. An interesting fact is that he has never actually met anyone 'from the company' in person in the 5 years he has worked for them. A couple of times he has had to travel to England to deal with projects but he only meets outside contractors and/or clients, not other company personnel. Ain't that weird? He likes it like that, and has always said if they ever insist on him 'coming into the office' to work he'd leave and work for another company which would allow him to continue home working. It's great he has a job that suits him, but as I said earlier, the downside is that his lack of social interaction probably has consequences. Obviously, we've all given him a suitably hard time for making us ill ;)
I was using up the last couple of shots in my camera last time I was leaving Newcastle after visiting my daughter. This scene caught my eye - all those lines and light and shadow. Then just as I pressed the shutter release some big Geordie lad decided to enter stage right. Typical. He's wearing black so not too visible, but when you know he's there...
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| Metro station at Newcastle Airport FP4+, Foma 313 paper |
This week sees Portrush host The Open golf tournament, when the world's best players try to lift the famous Claret Jug and become 'Champion Golfer of the Year'. Needless to say the place is chaos - more than 250,000 visitors are expected. It felt like they were all there yesterday when I strayed too close to the town. I'll not be making that mistake again - I'm staying well away, although I may watch a bit on TV should one of the local lads be in contention on the last day. Last time it was held here (in 2019) Shane Lowry won - and a very popular winner he was too. Sure he's almost a local boy - from Clara, in County Offaly (almost dead centre of the Emerald Isle). Everyone would like to see Rory McIlroy do better than he did last time, when he lost the plot on the very first hole. Whatever happens, hopefully we'll get good weather without too much of the wet stuff, although it might sort out the men from the boys if it starts bucketing down on the last day (Sunday).
I wondered if this crop might not work better:
While staying with The Brother we went for a walk around his local large town - Geneva, IL. Outside the courthouse stood this big boy, ready to blast any undesirables to Kingdom Come:
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| Note Brother's hand on the little wheel thing, taking aim at an unsuspecting passerby. FP4+ on Foma313 |
Geneva is a very genteel sort of place - at least around the Historic District. As us two shifty-looking Irishmen walked aimlessly around we were greeted by an elderly gent, who asked if he could help us find what we were looking for. The Brother answered to the effect that we were just going for an exploratory walk and thanked him. He looked disappointed - clearly, he wanted to help. Later on as we neared the car we met him again. I greeted him but he didn't respond - maybe he was still hurting after our earlier rebuttal. Or maybe he had come to the conclusion we were up to no good. Perhaps, in fact, that was his first thought, as we probably looked like we didn't belong. Oh well, can't win 'em all.
Another shot taken during our short comfort break off the I-65 in Indiana. I was going to title this 'Mine's bigger than yours' as it's not often the golden arches are outdone, but decided on 'Flying high' instead.
We didn't eat at a McDonalds, but we did a late breakfast stop at an IHOP diner in Lafayette as we stopped to charge up the brother's electric SUV. The menu ran to about 20 pages with every conceivable option but I eventually settled for a mushroom and spinach omelette which arrived in super-quick time. It was rather good I have to admit, but was smothered in a little too much cheese - unnecessary, and not terribly healthy.
The fast chargers were outside a Walmart (where else?). It was my first time being in an electric vehicle and I was impressed - very smooth, very quiet and very fast. Charging was fairly straightforward - check the App for the closest available chargers, navigate to the location and then drive round the car park for 10 minutes until you spot them. There were four chargers in this particular location and they were pretty popular, though this was Memorial Weekend so a lot of people were on the move. Although each charger had two outlets strangely only one worked at any one time (we found this out when another guy showed up and selected the other outlet on our pump...which promptly disconnected us. He was most apologetic). We went from 30% charge to about 70% in about 15 minutes but then the rate slowed dramatically. To get from 70% to 90% took almost as long. That was more than enough for the 2-hour trip home. I guess a longer trip would take a bit more planning. But if there's to be a lot more electric vehicles in the future (as seems to be the case) there's going to need to be a heck of a lot more chargers.
Back home I see a lot more electric vehicles on our roads. I think we probably have a near perfect environment for them, as for most people here, a 120-mile round trip to Belfast would be probably be the longest drive most people would make on a semi-regular basis - and generally speaking 95% of journeys are likely to be a lot shorter. So I think most people with electric vehicles here rarely have to worry about charging up away from their own house.
On the way back from Indianapolis to Aurora we pulled in for a stretch of legs. It was hot and those highways are a tad relentless, so it was a welcome 10 minutes. When I saw the flag and then the all-American Airstream trailer I had to take a shot:
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| FP4+ on Foma 313 paper. |
I didn't take many shots at the Indy500, but this one caught my eye as I checked the negatives over the lightbox:
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| At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway FP4+ on Foma 313 paper. |
It was a vague attempt at panning, though when the cars are going past at 200mph that's not so easy. Anyway, it captured the essence, I think. Those guys are nuts for not just driving at that speed, but driving so close to each other. They must have a lot of trust between them.
Lots of signs around the place like 'Welcome to the Racing Capital of the World', 'Thanks for visiting the Racing Capital of the World'. And who am I to argue with that? It's certainly the biggest venue I've ever been to. It's well thought out in the centre of the oval track is where the merchandise stands, food halls, museum and VIP parking are. You enter by a short tunnel which runs under the track and you're able to get very close to the action even by just standing in the General Admission areas. The Brother and I caught a bus from the airport (our hotel was close by) and it was well organised - a fleet of those famous yellow school buses took us (and a few thousand others) right to the track. Mind you, the bus we were on was the most uncomfortable means of transport imaginable - probably on account of the fact that it was designed for young kids and not 60-something guys with back and hip problems. I could barely get into the seat and after the hour-or-so's journey I had all but lost the will to live. Then we faced the task of finding our seat (located just behind the start-finish line) through the multitude of people. Several times the crowd just ground to a halt for several minutes, before starting up again at a snail's pace. Eventually, of course, we made it and enjoyed the grandstand view of the action.
The race is over 200 laps, which takes around 2-3 hours, depending on weather conditions, yellow flags, crashes etc. They run behind a safety car at the slightest hint of rain - understandable give the speeds involved - but it didn't seem too long before they were able to go racing again so there weren't too many hold-ups.
Our driver had informed us that buses would start running back to the airport when there were 50 laps to go so we decided to make a run for it (metaphorically speaking) well before the end in order to avoid the crowds. That worked well and we got back fairly quickly as the roads were relatively clear. A hot shower and a cold beer back at the hotel and we began to feel normal again. What a day and what an experience but I'm not sure we'll be back. Just too busy for me.
It was a seriously windy day when I took this - there was no-one on the platform and I didn't feel like venturing out on it myself:
I’m just back from visiting The Brother in the US for the first time in a long time (pre-Covid days, remember then?). He waved Indy500 tickets at me and it seemed mean not to accept, so off I went. Race Day will be remembered for years to come - the venue itself is huge and I think half of America were there that day. That’s how it felt, anyway. It was too busy for me - sure I can barely deal with the crowds in Portstewart on a sunny day. The racing was good - those guys have nerves of steel, driving at speeds over 200mph in close proximity to each other as well as concrete walls. I took a few shots, but only a few as I was well out of my comfort zone. We’ll see how they turn out.
Out and about, east of Portrush looking over the ruins of Dunluce Castle towards the Causeway:
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| FP4+ on Foma313 |
Not quite sure what's happening there on the sky - reticulation, perhaps. I'm usually pretty careful with my temperatures, though, so it might be something else.
Well the twins have passed the one-month mark and as expected, it's been challenging for everyone. The usual issues with newborns - getting them to feed satisfactorily and trying to get into some sort of pattern where people at the coal face can get some quality sleep. It was, of course, a major shock to the new mummy and daddy (pictured below) who for the first 30+ years of their lives had no-one really to think about except themselves. Now they've two little people who depend on them for everything, 7 days a week (and 7 nights as well, of course). All the grandparents have been heavily involved so that mum and dad can get a break. Since it's only just over 20 years since we were in that situation with Missy it seems to have come around again pretty quickly - but of course it is a source of joy and my wife and I have loved taking care of the wee ones when the need arises. Things are already getting better and hopefully that will continue. Eyes are open more often and there's the beginnings of smiles and baby noises coming forth and that will all help.
I've tried to take some shots but nothing near what I thought might have been possible as it's all hands on deck when we are with them. I did manage to pull the new parents into the garden one day last week with one of the twins but it was very sunny and a tad contrasty, as you can see. I shall endeavour to do better before they reach school age.
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| It's a baby! FP4+ on Foma 313. |
I'm still here - just busy busy with the new arrivals at home as well as Missy over there in Newcastle. Not there for much longer, as it turns out, as a move to Liverpool is imminent. She's certainly getting around, that one. We spent the weekend over there, looking at various accommodation options. Liverpool is a big city and like all cities there are some parts that are best avoided. So we drove around most of Saturday trying to get a feel for the place. Back on the ferry yesterday - a day crossing, which dragged for all its 8 hours. At least you can sleep though it on the night crossing but for some strange reason all the cabins were fully booked and even the recliner seats were all gone for the Sunday night crossing. I really didn't fancy trying to sleep on the regular seats - hence the change of plan to the day crossing. This was a last-minute decision so next time we'll try to be more organised and plan ahead. We're all a bit jaded this morning but it was worth it - always nice to see Missy and we came away feeling like we had identified the area that she would be safest in, with decent transport links to the city campus where she will be based.
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| Another view of the front of the Holy Trinity Church in Ballycastle. Lith print. |
The big news here in The Liberties is that my wife and I have become grandparents! My wife's youngest boy (who is now in his early thirties) and his wife have somehow managed to make two lovely babies at the same time. A boy and a girl, who of course are just the cutest most perfect little people imaginable. So be prepared for the odd photograph or two, once things settle down a little - they just came home at the weekend and are still very tiny (the girl is just over 4lbs weight, the boy a little bigger). It was an emotional week for everyone but mother and babies are all well so that's the main thing.
(You might remember this shot of the new mummy from a while back).
In the meantime, here's another lith print for you, detail of the front of Holy Trinity Church of Ireland in Ballycastle:
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| Hasselblad, 150mm, FP4+ on Foma MG Classic 133 Velvet paper, Moersch Easylith developer |
I actually got myself out and about a bit over the last couple of weeks and Saturday just past the cloud formations were rather nice. This was the view over Portstewart Bay, with Donegal in the far distance. I had a few sheets of Foma 133 left, the fibre-based chlorobromide emulsion which, they say, is suitable for lith and bromoil. Here's what I got:
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| 'Blad, 150mm; FP4+ in Ilfotec HC on Foma 133, lith |
I was expecting some a bit warmer, closer to the Foma 131 classic paper. In the end the result was maybe halfway between the the almost-too-warm 131 and the oh-so-cold Slavich paper. Quite nice, I thought.
The Central Arcade in Newcastle looks like it was built a long time ago - the mosaic tiling on the floor, the antique lights and the curved glass ceiling make you stop and stare for a good while as you pass through. There used to be a very large and beautiful music shop on the right - the sort of place where you could drool at the guitars in the windows and browse the extensive collection of vinyl records. Extensive and expensive. On our last trip the shop had closed and all stock removed. What a shame.
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| Central Arcade, Newcastle. HP5+ on Foma 313. |
Happy St Patrick's Day! Patron Saint of Ireland and all that. Legend has it that the big man, when he was a young man, was captured from his home in England and transported to Ireland, where he tended swine on nearby Slemish Mountain (more of a big hill, truth be told). Then he got a kind of enlightenment or something, went back to England (strange decision that one) before returning to the homeland and bringing the message of Christianity with him. Oh and he banished all snakes from the country too. Good job, I say - and definitely beats tending pigs up Slemish where it kind of rains a lot.
Anyway, I actually stole a few hours in the darkroom last week and printed a few more from my Newcastle walkabouts:
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| The famous bridge over the Tyne, Newcastle. HP5+ on Foma 313. |
The Nikon N80 coped remarkably well saying as I was pointing it directly into strong sun in auto-exposure mode. The negs weren't overblown and still retained a little detail in the shadows although it can be tricky to keep that detail in the final print. I think I ended up printing around grade 0.5, which gives you an idea of the dynamic range in the negative (multigrade papers can handle anything from grade 0 to grade 5 and the norm would be around grade 3).
It's very pleasant down by the river in Newcastle but actually getting there from the centre of the town was not so easy for me. The nearest Metro is some way away and there's a big drop in elevation to get to the river. Missy and I ended up traversing several dozen stone steps which were clearly very old and very uneven. Not my favourite pastime, that, but we managed it OK and had a lovely stroll along the water. Coffee and cake included. By the time we hiked back up to town I was ready for a small libation, not to mention two small collations.
Not much happens in Coleraine for St Patrick's Day, by the way. We don't turn the river green or anything, like they do in the well-known Irish city of Chicago. There's probably a parade of some sorts but it's nothing to write home about. You have to go to Derry or Donegal to get a sense of the pride Ireland has in the Big Day and saying as I'm increasingly adverse to hoards of people that's a no-no for me. Anyway, I spent most of last night attending our local Accident & Emergency Department on account of a severe infection I have in a finger. Stupid finger! But boy is it painful. And got even more painful at around 4am this morning when the doctor decided to cut into it to relieve the swelling. I'm all bandaged up now and back home, albeit with about 4 hours sleep. Hope you appreciate the effort typing this drivel has been!
Still alive but not doing much camera-wise at the minute. Apart from the inclement weather (apart from the weekend just past) there's a lot going on 'around the house'. Well, around the garden to be more accurate - cutting back of trees and shrubs before the new growth starts and lifting up the million+ sticks that have fallen onto the lawn so I can give the grass a first cut. I say lawn, but that's somewhat optimistic - it's mostly moss and bare patches but hopefully that will improve as the temperature picks up.
I've not been out with a camera for a while and can't get into the darkroom either, so it's an oldie for today.
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| Bergamo, Italy - just before Covid struck when the scenes from Bergamo were horrific. There have been a number of articles about it, including this one. |
A shot from the hip (maybe) as we wandered around the Indoor Market in Newcastle a while back:
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| Sharing time in Grainger Indoor Market, Newcastle Nikon N80, HP5+, Foma paper |
Not much news to report at the minute. Not out and about much at all - too cold. Waiting for spring to make an appearance, but apart from the odd snowdrop and daffodil there's not much sign of it yet. My wife reminded me that it was St Patrick who 'turned the stone' - and that's exactly one month away. Let's hope the big guy comes good this year.
Back around 1980 or so The Jam released the classic track 'Going Underground', of which I was a big fan. Fast forward to 2024 and that's what Missy and I were doing on the Newcastle Metro:
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| One of the lights was out, which I didn't realise until I printed it. Nikon N80, HP5+ on Foma paper. |
The Newcastle Metro is, I have to say, rather useful. Although we did nearly get stampeded on by a group of over-enthusiastic (and probably over-inebriated) girls one night, when just as we were reaching the bottom decided they would try to run the wrong way up the moving stairs. Missy was alert to the danger to her old man and quickly guided me to safety, so there was no harm done - to me, anyway. A quick glance back showed that the girls didn't get very far up the stairway until they lost their footing and collapsed in a heap, the stairway doing it's best to transport them back to the bottom. All good fun when your fit, 20-something and tipsy.
Almost every time we rode the Metro there was a significant presence of security guards - both on the trains and at the stations. I'm not sure if this was due to a lot of problems in the past or a decent attempt to stop problems from occurring in the future. The latter, I think - so well done Newcastle.
One from Grainger Market in Newcastle - although we were well past Halloween the spooks were still hanging around the Cheese Stall:
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| Nikon N80, HP5+ on Foma paper. |
Finally got back in the darkroom yesterday morning. It felt good to be doing something again. This was a shot from Newcastle city centre taken when visiting Missy before Christmas.
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| HP5+ on Foma 313 |
I've just noticed the sign for Nelson Street in front of the column - but it's not Nelson on top, as that one is in London. This is Charles Grey (Earl Grey) and was built in recognition of his tenure as Prime Minister and MP for Northumberland. His claim to fame was passing the Great Reform Act of 1832, which reorganised the system of parliamentary constituencies and increased the right to vote.
Anyway, as I was in the darkroom I got to thinking about the process. You make a first print (or a test strip if you prefer) and then examine the result. Hmm...a bit more (or less) contrast? A shade lighter (or darker) perhaps? It's all up to you - there is no right or wrong. Ok so you might want your whites white and your blacks black but even then there are times you want a different look. Perhaps that's what the attraction is - doing your own thing.
An oldie for you today, just to keep this thing alive while my life is a whole lot of busy-ness.
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| North Parade Buildings in Bath, Somerset; lith print. |
I like the old flagstones, all higgledy-piggledy. Wonder when they were laid.
