Belfast in black and white...

I did something brave - I used the Ilford XP2 film in a camera that wasn't my Diana Mini... what do you think?

After looking at these quite a lot, I think that I like them... I'm still not 100% sold on the La Sardina, the fuzzy edges are really fuzzy, but I think it took to the Ilford (or vice versa) really well and these photos do capture the feeling of the city whilst we were there pretty well (it rained lol).

I am quite taken with the photos that are taken close up though - the face and the fish in particular, I think I need to use it for close ups more...

Camera: La Sardina Sea Pride 
Film: Ilford XP2 
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Along the canal with my Sardina...

Our apartment was just a short walk away from the St Martin Canal in Paris... the area was perfect - exciting, bustling and it offered a different side of the city away from the tourism and the distractions of the centre.

On the Sunday morning we decided to walk along the canal and I'm so glad we did - there was so much happening around it in comparison to the canal here in Leeds... people playing ping pong, working out, walking their dogs... It was active yet strangely relaxing at the same time.

Although I had been to Paris before when I was 14, this trip was completely different and although I knew I would love our visit, I didn't expect to love Paris as much as I did... especially the area around the apartment. I'm so glad I took so many photos because everytime I start to feel like I'm forgetting what it felt like to be there, I just look at them (which is fairly often) and I remember so much more.

Location: St Martin Canal, Paris
Camera: La Sardina Sea Pride
Film: Lomography Colour Negative iso 400

p.s. you can see a few of my favourite photos from along the canal on Everything Reminds Me of You as part of Elle's La Sardina review posts - theres even pink in one photo and I like it a lot!

p.p.s. I had a little layout upgrade, what do you think?

Rock en Seine...

One of the reasons we chose to go to Paris over the August Bank holiday was due to the music festival Rock en Seine, held just outside Paris. (We also went to a music festival whilst we were in Krakow, we are well travelled music lovers! Barcelona next I believe... haha) Neither of us took many photos but I managed to get some with my yashica samuria with my first try of Lomography Xpro film.

I'm still undecided on this film, its very green, though some others from the two rolls I used did turn out quite well, so I guess this is a limited selection to judge it on.

I also took some photos with my Sardina too and I love the results, the wide lens is perfect for the setting...

Highlights from the festival include the Foo Fighters - Dave Grohl is amazing, the Artic Monkeys, Anna Calvi, Lykke Li and Austra, who I just love!

Cameras: Yashica Samurai and Sea Pride Sardina
Films: Lomo Xpro and Colour Negative 400
Location: Rock en Seine, Paris.

Around Paris with my Sardina camera...

Our first three days in Paris were mainly spent at Rock en Seine (photos to come) but we were ambitious on Friday morning and we decided to go explore some of the city before heading to the festival.

We walked down the Rue de St Martin and across the river to the Notre Dame and then across the river again to the Palais du Luxemboug and I tested out my first roll of film in my Sardina Sea Pride.

For a first go, I found this camera awkward... its undeniably pretty however I didn't realise you had to pull the lens out and twist it to be ready to shoot - this action felt extremely clunky. I just left mine out in the end, probably not the right thing to do but oh well. Then winding the film back on I managed to catch my knuckle on the edge of the 'can' and cut out a chunk of skin (please tell me someone else has done this as well, was I doing it wrong?) and honestly - the shutter on this camera is pathetic, it sounds so tiny, I wasn't even sure it was working at first. So after using my first roll, I wasn't expecting much as I wasn't blown away by the photo taking experience...

However, I think I actually really quite like these photos - I was expecting the results to be similar to the Superheads Slim and Wide, yet these photos have quite a different quality to them. I think the lens is a little wider and I like how the edges are fuzzy in comparison to the middle and I think if the day had been sunnier (it was nicer when we left or I'd have used a higher iso film definitely) then the colour would have been much more vivid. So despite my original misgivings I am actually quite intrigued by what else this camera can do...

Do you have a Sardina? I'd love to hear what you think of it too.

Location: Ile de la cite and Palais du Luxembourg, Paris
Camera: Lomograpy Sardina Sea Pride
Film: Lomography iso 400 (I think)