Having a family break in Bridport

This half term has actually gone at a nice pace, sometimes holidays flyby but this one seemed to be filled with long productive days. This is not to say that I am looking forward to jumping back on the work train! We spent the beginning of our holidays in a lovely holiday cottage in Bridport. However old I get I am never going to stop enjoying the company of my wonderful family. If anything my love for them just gets deeper! It's funny how the tables turn I think I worry now about my folks as much as they probably worry about me! Not that they give me any grief, apart from my sides might ache with laughter or my heart might drop a little when its time to say goodbye.

West Bay Waves & Cliffs

Fossils at Charmouth

Binocular Bob

Post Storm Beach Combing 

We had a lovely Meal here - Lovely Staff and the best steak! 

We loved the Antique / Vintage Quarter but unfortunately the power was 

off so didn't get to sit in this lovely Cafe

I hope you had a lovely half term! 

Spring is so close I can smell it and the birds 

are beginning to sing

Gem xx

Grateful!

Maria and I longed for summer to come, for those lazy long summer days that are all our own to play with. No work, no marking, no clock....no bell! And it came, and we did all those things we longed to do! Apart from keeping our blog up to date! I really thought we would have more time to blog, but we were both far too busy enjoying the summer sun. This year my favourite past time would have to be swimming in the sea, and that I did a lot! So here is my little blog post a homage to a wonderful summer. I am looking forward to the Autumn and love the fact that the seasons are so defined in England. I have not given up hope that I might just get one more sea swim in, before the waves start crashing in and the trees drop their leaves.

Have a great weekend! 

I promise we'll be posting more often now the nights

are drawing in x

gem 

...making a special photo gift for Father's Day

One of my goals this summer is to learn how to use Photoshop. Luckily for me, Gem is a whizz at this, and has been helping me and giving me some excellent tutoring!
For Father's Day I decided to make the husband a sort of collage of pictures that I have taken on my iPhone over the last year or so. I used a couple of apps to change the filters and add some doodles-my favourites being VintageCam (read my post on this here), and A Beautiful Mess. I wanted to have the effect of an old photobooth, so Gem helped me line them up into strips. Then we printed it out onto A4 card, and I found a simple black frame in Wilkinsons. I was delighted with the end result-as was the husband, which was the main thing after all!
Stay tuned as Gem and I are having lots of fun with photography lately, and will be posting our creations very soon!

Maria x

....finding out about Vivian Maier and other inspirations

Tonight I have been mostly blowing my nose (summer cold.. or would be if it actually felt like summer)  and watching long episodes of Grey's Anatomy. Whilst this cathartic activity has strayed my mind a little I have still been reflecting very much on how memories are captured and saved. I am not sure if  this relates to the time in which we are in, at the moment at work; taking photographs of our classes and trying to somewhat capture that moment in a digital celluloid, that is making me slightly more obsessive about why I have such an instinctive need to have something solid to save my memories on. Maybe it makes it easier to say goodbye to the past...... sorry about my mindless cold induced ramblings. Anyway I thought I would share with you some of my inspiring finds that have really sparked my imagination these last couple of weeks.


This is  a film clip my friend Jindy sent me of London in 1927. It is just mesmerising and really moving, all those people busy with their lives and the vitality and life that is captured within the beautiful film making, appears effortless and seamless. I just can't believe it was filmed in 1927  - and don't get me started on the buses!





London in 1927 from Tim Sparke on Vimeo.

And tonight I found this. At work I am truly spoilt, surrounded all the time by like minded photography & film enthusiasts. Especially my boss who has more cameras than anyone I know and is forever developing his own film (I really can't see how jessop's went out of business) So I am always on the look out for news on Photography exhibitions and film projects. Tonight I found this amazing glimpse of a life of a secret snapper - Vivian Maier through The Jealous Curator blog.

I can't wait to watch this film! 

more info can be found here

Her photos instantly reminded me of the well known documentary photographer Diane Arbus. But this lady's talents were never really celebrated until this young man John Maloof bought some of her negatives at an auction. Spiralling from this amazing discovery is a documentary feature film and Photography exhibition of her work. Beneath the Americanisation of this story is something really exciting. This nugget of inspiration and the help of my creative friends have inspired me to get my Olympus trip out this holiday and  get snapping!

Have a great Friday! 

Gem x

..... taking in some amazing Spring Sunsets

OK the weather has been particularly unfair this month, but every now and then I am treated to the most spectacular sunset. On these evenings (if I am home early enough) I like to jump on my bike and cycle around the harbour and watch the sun go down. There is some hope that summer is on its way!

Gem x

Developing black and white film

It has been years since I have developed my own films, I have really missed the passion that I used to have for black and white photography. I was really into it around 10 years ago. Perhaps I had more spare time then? Dusty rolls of film have been waiting to be developed on my shelf for a long while. So I made a rash purchase on amazon and bought myself a changing bag, and the necessary chemicals.

It is so fun! It's really exciting in a nerdy way - Digital photography just doesn't have this level of anticipation!

The first challenge is remembering to pack your changing bag with everything you need;

Scissors (small)
bottle opener (to open film canister)
Tank
Film Reel
Film
(cup of tea) You should always drink tea as you work!

That funny looking black T-shirt thing is the changing bag - It has two layers, to make sure that no light gets in. On the flat large bottom side there is a zip, where you can put all your items in, and then you put your hands in the sleeves.

Your next challenge is finding all of these item, and opening the film canister and loading it ontothe reel and putting it into the tank all in the dark.

My notes
It takes a bit of maths and getting familiar with your ml to work out the mixing process of the chemicals. 

Once you have your film reel safe in the tank it's time to get developing. 

This is the order of the b&w process
 *Developer

* Stop bath/ Wash - I just use running water

* Fixer 

*Wash

There is quite a lot of careful timing involved (for a range of films and chemicals)  I used this link! 

ILFORD - HOW TO

Timing for each process - I used 8.5 minutes for the Developer ( I added a few more minutes as our bathroom is quite  cold - The chemicals like a warm temperature (pref 20oc) and work slower if cold. 

As soon as I put the developer in the tank I agitated my tank 4 times, slowly turning it upside down to let all the air bubbles out. Once every minute I repeated this. 

Then I Poured the developer away and washed the Tank with running water - KEEP lid on! 

When I was satisfied it was clear of developing solution I rinsed the tank out

Then I poured in the Fixer - knock the bottom of the Tank to release the air bubbles - Fix is quicker and only takes 3 minutes - I agitated every 30 seconds, as suggested. 

After 3 minutes or as directed, pour the fixer away and wash for a good 3 mins, 

you can keep the tank under a smooth running tap. 

Then comes the most exciting bit - Opening the tank and seeing if you have some images on your reel! 

I didn't have a squiddgy so used my fingers, gently wipe of any water droplets and hang your negatives to dry in a warm dust free room. 

I was so excited when I discovered one of my old films was from my Fish Eye Lomo Camera! 

I will upload my photographs on Thursday, Have a go you will love it!

I am well and truly addicted! 

gem x

.... sledging in the snow

Yesterday I got that phone call that everyone wants to get! The 6.30am call that tells you not to rush out of bed because it's a SNOW DAY! I leaped out of bed did a merry dance and then got back under the covers! It was a very cold day, but I decided to brace the cold air and head down to the beach, we didn't get it so bad on the coast, but it was Freezing! Some like minded friends were also heading for the beach for a game of Baules!....... I know! ...They are mad!

After a morning of hot chocolate and waffles we headed to Badbury rings, as we drove further into the main land, it was like opening the wardrobe doors to Narnia. It was amazing, we threw ourselves down the ring slopes on  tiny kids sledge and on skim boards. It was so much fun. I took some really funny pictures. But half way through our day I realised to any bloggers/instagramer's horror that I had  lost my new iPhone! Whoops so somewhere on Badbury rings is a very wet phone.  I don't regret the day at all though it was the best friday I have had this year! We where also lucky enough to be fed a delicious hot welsh beef soup from Rob's mum (thank you Rob's mum)  So all in all a very fun day! Thanks Jon & Rob, we have some funny videos so I will upload them as soon as I get them from Jon!

And today, I did it all over again, Not everyone got a snow day yesterday so my flatmate and some friends and I headed back to these ancient rings for some more snow fun!

 Snow prep! 

 Oh the anticipation of another day in the snow! 

Ree enjoying a very Hot Choc! 

Go Tom! 

Go Cheers! 

I hope you have all been enjoying the snow,

Keep safe and Have a fun weekend! 

Gem x