Here’s another instance where I was working with two cameras and two very different photographic media.
My Lumix LX7 is an easy tool to capture images digitally, while the Leica IIIa I carry requires a bit more work and yields a very different result using traditional 35mm black & white film.
Newcastle, County Down is a classic sea-side resort on the Irish Sea at Dundrum Bay.
It’s been many years since the old Belfast & County Down Railway branch line saw activity, yet the station-building survives.
Exposed on Kodak Tri-X using a Leica IIIa with 35mm screw mount Nikkor lens. Film processed in Agfa-mix Rodinal Special mixed with water at a ratio of 1 to 31 at 68F for 3 minutes. Negatives scanned with an Epson V500 flatbed scanner.Colour view exposed digitally using a Lumix LX7. Notice how the Lidl logos jump out at you in the colour views.Flowers work better in colour than in black & white.A sidelight view of the old station building showing old railway fencing. Exposed on Kodak Tri-X using a Leica IIIa with 35mm screw mount Nikkor lens. Film processed in Agfa-mix Rodinal Special mixed with water at a ratio of 1 to 31 at 68F for 3 minutes. Negatives scanned with an Epson V500 flatbed scanner.
A couple of weeks ago, Honer Travers brought me on a tour of rural County Down and was keen to point out the old Newcastle Station and nearby railway hotel.
Today, the old station has been repurposed to house a Lidl market, while the old railway hotel remains as a resort hotel (sans railway traffic).
Exposed on Kodak Tri-X using a Leica IIIa with 35mm screw mount Nikkor lens. Film processed in Agfa-mix Rodinal Special mixed with water at a ratio of 1 to 31 at 68F for 3 minutes. Negatives scanned with an Epson V500 flatbed scanner.Does this colour view work better?The automobiles are part of the scene. Lumix LX7 view.The old station as seen in context with the surrounding buildings and streets.
My intent was to document these historic structures in their present roles.
Great work Brian. I’m a big believer in the premise that colour should be used when colour is the story; and these are perfect examples of that. What interests me is how the digital images would compare to the Black & White film images if the were converted to B&W in Lightroom, say. Fascinating work as ever Brian; keep them coming.
Thanks for you comments! That’s a good idea for future post: comparing film B&W with digitally converted B&W.
Great work Brian. I’m a big believer in the premise that colour should be used when colour is the story; and these are perfect examples of that. What interests me is how the digital images would compare to the Black & White film images if the were converted to B&W in Lightroom, say. Fascinating work as ever Brian; keep them coming.