Rutland Cross on a 'blad

Took one camera to the National Trophy Cyclocross round at Rutland Water and that was my Hassleblad. I understood that I would be restricted in many ways. No built in light meter, no wind-on,no autofocus, one fixed lens. No nada. But what it took away with one hand it gave with the other. More mobile, less faff, superb glass, no back ache!
I soon learned what I had forgotten from so ago: the 80mm lens is the standard focal length on the 6x6 format and that meant if I wanted to isolate a rider, or whatever, from the background or crowd then I would have to get closer and find a better position. No biggie. In fact, for once I left spectators and debris in the frame on purpose. I slowed down. I took for ever to unload and reload a roll of film. I found the back to front waist level finder a bit of a mind game. So what. I got cold wet feet from wading in the reservoir. I shot six rolls of film and I had a grand day out. But this wasn't a paying commission. There were no deadlines. Still, given the right client and the right deadlines I wouldn't hesitate in using the camera again. Sitting feeding negs onto the scanner and listening to it hum away is fairly theraputic! Can't say about a flickering light on a card reader now can you?
NB: I am not a retrogrouch. At least I am trying not to be. I believe in using different tools to achieve varying results. If you like the images leave a message. Signing onto Blogger costs nowt and takes minutes. Ta!

Where's Ian?

The Shredded Wheat factory in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire is a lovely old building that once pumped the sweet sickly smell of malt cereals into the air. Surrounded by modern glass and steel office blocks, the factory stands in the middle of waste ground being prepared for further construction. The demolition ball has been in and done its worst. It makes me wonder just how long it has left which is one of the reasons I went out to shoot it. These images were captured on very different days in January. The first late afternoon with the lovely golden winter sun. The second after the heavy snowfall that crippled the country for a few days. Please click here to see the entire slideshow in its bigness. (and hang around while it loads!)

Back to the Future?

I hate sounding like a grouch. My kids tell me I'm grumpy in the morning but I tell them it's nothing personal! The idea of taking my Hasselblad to a bike race wasn't really an act of defiance: that would be as futile as Canute and the waves. (of which more later). Nope. It has more to do with the fact that I want to enjoy every photoshoot I do and I really like the notion of using a tool that isn't really designed for the job. And, next to the 9 frames per second, autofocus, colour-metering, 16G card toting digital bodies and lenses of now, it is patently overfaced.  By the time I had pulled the magazine out of the back, wound off the film, opened a new roll and loaded it with wind-chilled fingers, the riders - my targets-had come and gone. More than once. But then I wasn't there to concentrate on any one man. No 'must get the winner' for me. Lovely.  All I had to worry my tiny mind about was nice images and the taking thereof. I had a plan for this event which was held at Rutland Water in the East Midlands. The course went along the shoreline at one point and I took a pair of chest waders thinking I would get into the deeper water and shoot at water level back onto the shore. Well, a lack of water and a re-routed course put paid to that, but I did wade out in my wellies to attempt the shot. I think I nailed too. But not before a freak wave washed a gallon of freezing snow melt water down into my socks. And that right at the start of the race! Rather than look for the obvious: head on easy AF shots where the focus points pick up the subject and you can pop off a sequence and pick the best one later, I was forced to plan. To chose very carefully. Pre-focusing and timing. Getting used to a waist level finder: hey those guys are coming from the wrong direction! But it was a very pleasant day out. Now there is the excitement of sending the rolls off to the lab and waiting to see what I have got. No chimping today.
See, I don't like to think of myself as a retrogrouch, but if you don't challenge yourself every now and again what's the point?

Footnote: more strangers completed my camera than when I swing the Nikon DSLRs around!