Fat Cat

"My peoplz 'av gone shoppin' for some scoff!"

"They were supposed to get Lasagne! Why do they not listen to me? So unfair!"

Butterfly

A few days ago I met a gentleman who shares my passion for film and Black and White Photography. Deep in conversation I realized that I have all this film and equipment lying at home and do not use it enough to make it worthwhile. Essentially I talk, write and think more about taking good pictures than actually doing it.

The conversation we held over a cup of coffee remained with me for that evening and I decided to make an effort and... be inspired.

The result is shown below.

Let me know what you think.

Butterfly

(Nikon F6, Nikkor 105mm F2.8 Micro, Kodak TMax 100, 1/125 @ F8)

A new Dawn...

In the spirit of making it in B&W Photography, I have joined an online forum called the Film and Darkroom User (FADU). Its great for gaining further knowledge and developing skills in the area of B&W Film processing and printing. I shall follow it with interest and ample contribution.

www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk

Check it out and you shall be enlightened.

Therefore today's images:

Dog and Ball, a natural connection.

However, it will become a challenge if the ball is bigger than the 'gob'.
'Drop it!' is out of the question.

(Nikon F6, Nikkor 50mm 1.8D)

Fancied a play with a macro lens.
(Nikon F6, Nikkor Micro 105mm G, F2.8/3s)

Going Digital....? NO!

Most photographers that have been around for a few years started with film, transparencies or even Black and White Film. The challenge to go digital occupied photographers greatly in order to move with the markets and customer requirement.

I was fortunate enough to, or at least I had the money, start out with digital photography.

I have learnt to hate it.

I now spend far too much time in front of the computer and too little time taking good quality images. I never used to place enough effort into getting an image right in the first place and relied far too much on computer generated manipulation.

I have the honor to announce, on this very day, that I have given up digital photography! My Nikon F6 with its fantastic features has become my best friend and 'special' images will be shot on my trusted Mamiya RB 67. Quality will be placed at the forefront and quantity is a banned word.

So, if you want masses of pictures quickly: GO AWAY and don't come back!

If you want quality, be prepared to wait, as film processing takes time and effort by a specialist.

Ammunition

Yes, just one image today.

A commodity that most money is spent on in support of operations in Afghanistan.

Soldiers don't ask for mail, not for comforts, DVDs or a video link to their families.

When asked for any requests over the radio, all the command gets is:

"Send more ammo, over!"

The Benches

Conducting my duty in Iraq was stressful and draining and I often found myself looking for a quiet place to gather my thoughts in order to re-gain my emotional energy. Such a place was just round the corner of the entrance door to our operations room.

It was a set of two benches placed in a corner of our blast-walled compound forming the smoking area.

Some engineer or 'wanna-be' carpenter must have thrown them together with a few nails and some rough timber from pallets.

However, now that they have been placed in the same location for 6 years, baked and bone dry from the sun, barely seeing shade under the torn and dilapidated cam-net, the timbers are close to falling apart. The wood had shrunk under the dry climate barely giving the oversized nails anything to hold on to.

Many a soldier had sat here, smoking away and carving their marks in the edges of the boards. Some say each cut symbolizes a kill of enemy forces, others are the opinion that it must have been the desire to leave one's mark before perishing in combat.

The benches are part of the history of our unit.

I wanted to retrieve them and bring them home, however they were left to the US Forces taking over from us. I miss sitting on those benches. They symbolize peace and quiet, a place where I was able to gather my thoughts and recuperate from the daily stress whilst smoking my pipe. May they give US Soldiers the peace that I found whilst serving in Iraq.

All Images were shot on a Nikon F6 using Kodak TMax400 film.

Miss Piggy's Ordeal

Miss Piggy ended up on an operating table after being struck by a car. The piglet didn't really have a chance. It suffered from internal injuries and shock that the vet could not cure.

Little Miss Piggy died on the table approx. 20 min after being admitted.

Wild Boar should not be allowed to cross the road. The damage to the car was expensive, to say the least!