Camera Talk

Graham Serretta Photo.net Patron Prolific Poster, aug 23, 2005; 09:02 a.m.
Took the Pentax S1A for a drive up the A1(M) a couple of weekends ago, to the historic stone town of Stamford. We strolled around, had a pint in a pub, and just enjoyed the ambience of an old English market town. This is quite a difficult town to photograph because its beauty lies in the architecture of its limestone houses and churches which are built along narrow streets and lanes and along the banks of the river Welland. You can read more of its history here. Although the weather was "changeable" and I was using the sunny sixteen rule with Fuji 200 Superia colour neg, I must be getting better, as all of the shots were correctly exposed, apart from one when I tried the unmarked 1/1000th on the shutter speed dial, and only half of the frame is exposed. I guess the cause was shutter tapering, but then this speed setting is not really a part of the camera's specification anyway. So, these are just record shots, all with the 55/2 SMC Takumar. I have thrown in some shots from Ipswich as well. I hope you find them interesting. I sure enjoyed taking them.
mark kittleson , aug 23, 2005; 09:26 a.m.
Hi Graham! Nice Work! I have an H1a and the same lens. I love this camera..I have not shot anything with it lately. There is something about what I call "elegant simplicity" with this unit...no meter or bells or whistles. I also think that cosmetically it is better looking than my Spotmatics. Thanks for your work! Mark
Nancy Bueler , aug 23, 2005; 11:49 a.m.
Graham, those are some of the prettiest photos I've seen on the forum for a long time. Such charming scenes. I especially like the one with the black cat, but I wonder what it is that he does know? I also love the Limestone Cottages, makes me wonder who lives in those homes! It's amazing how well the sunny 16 rule actually works, once you're used to it. I spent a week in Spain using sunny 16, and of 16 rolls of film, I think only a few shots were underexposed. You obviously have a firm grasp of sunny 16, as evidenced by these wonderful photos.
Nancy

George Bogumirskas Photo.net Patron, aug 23, 2005; 01:16 p.m.
Very nice work, Graham.I like all of them but the best beloved best. She's got a very cool facial expression.
Sandeha Lynch Photo.net Patron Prolific Poster, aug 23, 2005; 03:39 p.m.
You done well, Graham. Just wondering if that cottage terrace might have been almshouses? They remind me of others I've seen in the past.
kerry kennedy Photo.net Patron, aug 23, 2005; 11:49 p.m.
Really wonderful photos. I am a little colorblind, so not to be taken seriously, but on my monitor at least, the colors came across with a gentle old-timey feeling of lower contrast, rather than vivid. It is a great look. Would you attribute such a look, if you get the same impression, as an attribute of the film, or the lens, or both?
Graham Serretta Photo.net Patron Prolific Poster, aug 24, 2005; 02:56 a.m.
Thanks for the compliments, everyone.
Mark - I agree the S1a / H1a is a style icon - the definitive SLR design.

Nancy - Sometime in my wild, irresponsible youth my father confiscated my exposure meter. I was also shooting a lot of newsreel work on B&W at weekends with an Eymo 35 newsreel camera which was a purely manual beast with a turret and three prime lenses. I either had to learn to use sunny 16 or I didn't get the shots - there is no time to take considered exposure meter readings when shooting news. The ability is slowly coming back to me. It's something every photographer should teach themselves.

George - The look gets better after the second pint...

Sandeha - I also thought they were originally alms houses - there is no plaque to say so, but it's a likely bet.

Kerry - the scans are from an ASDA/Wallmart Frontier, which were very low contrast. You are correct, I only boosted the colour very slightly and left the contrast alone - suits the subject matter.

Dennis Gallus Photo.net Patron, aug 24, 2005; 05:01 a.m.
Graham,
This is a very nice series of photos, and the village history is enticing too. It is the type of place I'd like to visit someday. I particularly like the alley shot with the restaurant sign, but the cottages are neat too. Are my eyes deceiving me, or is the building with the 5-foot blue door entirely out of plumb?

Have a great day, and keep shooting!

Dennis

Graham Serretta Photo.net Patron Prolific Poster, aug 24, 2005; 08:25 a.m.
Dennis - Absolutely entirely out of plump - built in Elizabethan times out of mud and wattle on a timber frame, many of these old buildings still survive and are protected or "listed" as we say.
If the floor is not level, you have the furniture legs cut to suit!

It's curious seen those old houses from 1600 and 1700 how the paviment raised along the years making them sunk into the ground.
Same happens here in Moscow, the old the house the bellow they are from the actual paviment.
Second theory, fundatuons on those times where so-so... but look the Romans... still up

I think your first guess is correct - the pavement becomes built up over time. However, I wonder what they do about the risk of flooding in severe weather?