black and white photography

Dacha shoot (analogue B&W) 3rd January 2026

January 31, 2026February 11, 2026Posted in AD7800, analogue, FMP, MA Photography, photoshootTagged 7800, analogue, black and white photography, complete, environment, FMP, landscape, MA, module, photography, photoshoot, project, university

This is the analogue shoot I did alongside the digital one on the same day. I used Ilford 400 film, which has been reliable and forgiving in a broad range of conditions. I had loaded the film before heading to the lake, I wanted to photograph without having to think too much.. however, this did become tricky at times when I couldn’t feel my hands! I moved slowly around the lake, listening and feeling the environment. I studied the places I have walked many times before but noted how they were almost unrecognisable in this new, icy world. An entiurely different atmosphere exists, it was both eerie and intriguing. My curiosity meant I stayed much longer than planned, fascinated by the images frozen on the lake surface. I literally couldn’t stop watching. Nothing moved. It was silent and as the sun went down, a pink, orange, winter sky cast its image across the ice. It was so beautiful. I wrote a short poem in response:

winter spreads its cloak across the lake
frozen images, as though printed on satin, hold soft light
silence reigns, I just hear myself, living, breathing in place.
Trees are looking down at me,
their branches hiding the tiny spies
who watch my every move.

I plan to use several images from this shoot in my final book. I love the texture in the images and the light, I keep reflecting on how easily I could have stayed at home in the warm! I would have missed out on an experience, let alone th opportunity for some photographs.

Selected images: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9 & 10

Original images are here: 7800 IMAGES

Dacha shoot (analogue) 25th August 2025

January 10, 2026February 11, 2026Posted in AD7800, analogue, FMP, MA Photography, photoshootTagged 7800, analogue, black and white photography, complete, environment, FMP, landscape, MA, photography, photoshoot, project, universityLeave a comment

Mamiya 7ii 80mm lens. Handheld. Shot at around 7.30pm, bright sunny day.

This was a particularly bright day, I had Delta 100 film in the camera, which I don’t normally use but I wanted to give it a try. Immediately it appears more metallic than the Ilford that I’m used to but that’s not to say I don’t like these, on the contrary, I can see how some ambiguity and abstract compositions might be an effective method of conveying my theme. The images remind me a little of some of the photographs from a series by Marjolein Marjolein in her series ‘Riverland’ (fig 1)

Fig1. ‘*Riverland*‘ Marjolein Martinot, 2022

My favourite image is no 5. At first it looks as though it could be a charcoal drawing and then I noticed the reflections, you can see the bottom of the lake because the water is so clear, there is debris on the surface, reflections from the trees above, the weed and debris on the bottom makes it a possibility for a large scale print.

I had explored the lakes slowly, having already been around once with my digital camera. I tried to think about my surroundings, the heat had been quite intense and was levelling off a bit given the time of day. There was a very distinct stillness all around, insects could be seen above the water, and light bounced off every shiny surface. All in all it was a perfect summer evening. The was a a lot of algae visible on the surface of the water, in some areas make it look like solid ground. Under the shade of the woodland I photographed under the canopy of the trees, I noticed the reflections and the shapes they made, the initial investigation with the digital camera really enabled me to pause and reflect more on a second walk around. Its worth using this method of documenting and exploring again, it is as if I need to use up some mental and physical energy first.

Link to images: 7800 IMAGES

Dacha – 1st August 2025

January 8, 2026February 11, 2026Posted in AD7800, analogue, FMP, MA Photography, photoshootTagged 7800, analogue, black and white photography, complete, environment, FMP, landscape, MA, photography, photoshoot, project, universityLeave a comment

This was an early shoot with my analogue camera, I tried a few ideas out when at Dacha and also when I was away in France at my in laws. I hadn’t thought too much about these images at the time but on reflection, I decided to include several in my analogue book (images 6, 8 & 9) these were taken when we had a very hot period over summer, I shot the photographs at Dacha in bright sunshine and I think this shows in the colour photographs, the greens are not right and the overall scene looks too bright. I do like image 1 but this doesn’t fit well with what eventually will become my series. This shoot was predominantly about getting used to a new camera and to practice being present in the landscape.

In image 9, I particularly like the reflection of the clouds in the sky. It looks as though someone has swished a paintbrush across the centre of the scene. I like the many shapes around the frame of the picture, from the trees on the bank of the lake and the leaf debris floating on the top of the water. I think there is quite a lot going on in this frame.

For photograph 6, this shows the extent of the dry summer on this part of the lake. The bank was bare and dry, the water level is very low. It signifies the time of year as well as aims to lead the mind to wander what is around the corner, in my direction of travel. I have included this in my final selection as it acts as a link between images.

In photograph 8, I like the various shapes here, this emphasises how my stepfather alters the shape of the place. In the two photographs below you can see what was originally there when they created the lakes back in the 1990s. It is a very different place now and it has changed shape many times, almost like an ongoing large scale work of art!