More Harewood House Details

I remember when I developed these photos I was completely thrilled with the results - and then I sat on them for a while and they lost their lustre. Well maybe it was me who lost my lustre - I can imagine most people are feeling like that at the moment. However after a little break away from them I’m back to being quite happy with them - hurrah!

I really miss going places and taking photos. I’ve seen some amazing people taking stunning photos during lockdown but between lockdown, learning how to balance my chronic illness and my job - photo taking for me has gone out of the window - along with leaving the house on a daily basis haha. I’ve gone through dry patches before, so I’m not worried about it as such - I just miss it. Its all very strange at the moment isn’t it. How are you doing?

Camera: Canon EOS 750
Film: Kodak TMax P3200
Location: Harewood House, Leeds

Along the canal

These were taken last September - and honestly, I can not wait for warmer weather and longer walks. I’ve always been quite sensitive to the cold but this winter that combined with CFS/ME led to the worst cold intolerance I’ve ever experienced. Any temperature drop and I was sluggish, unable to regulate my temperature properly and at the very worst, barely functioning at all.

Bring on the warm weather and a functioning body again!

Camera: Canon EOS 750
Film: Fuji Colour 200
Location: Leeds/Liverpool Canal, Leeds

St Georges Field, Leeds

Can you believe that before I was made aware of St Georges Field - or Woodhouse Cemetary - in Leeds that I had no idea it was there. The ‘field’ is an old cemetary dating from the 1800’s that is thought to have over 10,000 bodies buried there - though you wouldn’t think to look at it as all the monuments and graves are quietly sat in the corners.

Now part of the University of Leeds Campus, the field is a quiet sanctuary on the edge of the busy centre and if I’m walking that side of the city, I now take a detour to walk through. I’m a little sad that I no longer have to go to Uni every Thursday actually, because it was a nice little spot to stretch my legs before heading to the library.

Camera: Canon EOS 750
Film: Kodak Tri-X 400
Location: St George’s Field, Leeds

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles

These photos are from the first rolls of films that I developed myself last year - and as such, they are full of all the beginner mistakes that you make when starting something new. These particular photos have ‘bubbles’ on them, left behind by the chemicals as the film dried after developing. I didn’t realise at the time that there was an optional stage of ‘wetting agent’ that would have stopped this which is frustrating, but here we are.

Funnily enough, I’ve now run out of all the other chemicals I had, and now I have a big bottle of wetting agent just sat in a cupboard haha. We live, we experiment and we learn right!

I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to develop my own films again - on one hand, it was a really tactile, methodical process that I enjoyed doing - and the feeling of seeing the photos that you took straight from the tank was pretty awesome (I must also add that the feeling of a blank roll from the tank is also incredibly gut wrenching - high highs and low lows this film business) . On the other hand, I now have my ME/CFS diagnosis and on top of working full time and all my other hobbies (crochet, knitting, reading and cuddling my cats) developing my own film just seems like something thats easier and less effort to outsource now. (Chronic illness, the gift that keeps giving). I guess I wouldn’t say I would never do it again, just not in a hurry.

If you want an accurate reflection of how this film looks when done right, this is not the post (haha) however I will refer you to this review on Emulsive.

Camera: Canon EOS 750
Film: Kodak TMax P3200
Location: Harewood House, Leeds