First film results

I got my first film negatives developed from the trip to Brighton a couple of days ago.

Overall I'm very pleased. The camera and lens combo performed really well - the 28-135 IS USM is the perfect lens for a full frame camera. And yes, when I took my first shot I instinctively checked the back of the camera for a review - and it felt kind of worrying that I was just going to have to trust the exposure.

I got through two rolls of colour and one set of black and white film. The colour results are pleasing, but it's the black and white photos that I find rather compelling. Black and white seems to emphasise the detail so much more.

There are two downsides. First, I don't have my own film scanner. My Dad has an old Epson film scanner that I can use, but it's less than convenient and I suspect the quality of the results won't be top notch. Second is the cost - at 20p per shot, film purchase and processing works out pretty expensive.

I'm going to enjoy playing around with film, but I think digital is likely to remain my main format.

The World of Film

A couple of weeks back I was lucky enough to receive a Canon EOS 55 from my parents as an early birthday present. I'd been meaning to get myself a film SLR to explore the possibilities of film, and so when my Dad spotted this particular camera at a local secondhand dealers he asked me if I was interested. It was in mint condition... how could I refuse!?

I'm particularly interested in black and white film - specifically for the purposes of urban street and architectural photography.

I haven't had the chance to shoot with the camera yet, but tomorrow I plan to remedy that with a trip to Brighton. I'm really looking forward to it. If I manage some half decent results I'll be posting them to eyematter - watch that space...

Patriots!

As a longtime Patriots fan I was really looking forward to the game against the Colts but, like most, I was somewhat nervous about the threat of Manning and the high powered passing game.

I shouldn't have worried.

This bunch of players continue to surprise and impress.

The game next week against the Steelers should be a classic. If New England can make it three Superbowls out of four, then (and I don't know much about the history of the game) they should surely go down as one of the best - perhaps even THE BEST - team to play the game?

I've been looking at...

http://www.tintil.co.uk/photography/2005/01/238.html

http://www.orbit1.com/dailyphotos.aspx?a=prev&pid=906

Night Photography - Orbit 1

John Perkinson of Orbit 1 has started an excellent series of articles on night photography. Starting here:

Night Work #1

Much kudos to him for taking the time and effort to produce such a useful set of tutorials.

The good stuff

One of the things I'll be doing on wordage is posting links to some of the particularly good or interesting photos I've come across.

Here are three to be going on with:

www.absenter.org/2005/01/05/reflect/

www.dockwalker.com/article/47/pipers-lagoon

www.bldg13.com/photos/index.php?showimage=75

eyematter - wordage

The original version of eyematter, created some twenty months ago now, was a mixture of words and photos.

Eventually I decided that mixing words and photos wasn't the way I wanted to go - the photos were of primary importance and the format of the original eyematter compromised the presentation of the photos. Hence the improved, photocentric, eyematter v2.

However, I've still got stuff I want to get off my chest and thoughts I want to share. So, eyematter - wordage is born. wordage will primarily be about eyematter and photography in general, but will also drift into sport and politics - and indeed whatever else takes my fancy. Hopefully it will emerge as a worthwhile edition to eyematter. Comments and dialogue are always welcome.