Welcome back, fellow pinhole photography enthusiasts! Today, I'm thrilled to take you on a journey through my exhilarating experience celebrating Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2024. Buckle up as we venture into the charming dockyard town of Newhaven!
Let me set the scene for you. Picture this: it's the day before the globally celebrated Pinhole Day, which, if you ask me, deserves a full-blown weekend. Nevertheless, I was determined to kick off the excitement a day early. Now, here's a little backstory—I had already explored Newhaven the week prior, but my photo session was plagued with pesky light leaks and technical hiccups. It was a nightmare! But fear not, I returned to the scene, armed with optimism and a determination and a different camera to redeem myself.
The pressure was also on. Not only was I attempting to salvage my previous misadventure, but I also had the added responsibility of doing justice to the film generously provided (Ilford Delta 100 4x5). by none other than Andy from Irresponsible Pictures YouTube channel. Shoutout to Andy for having faith in my pinhole prowess! Despite feeling a tad guilty as 6 sheets of film he donated where almost only good for the bin, I was determined to make those last four sheets of film count.
The previous week I've been out testing the new me at 4x5 modular pinhole camera which comes with changeable cones for different focal lengths unfortunately one of these cones had a bit of a horrendous slight leak which was just a small problem from something that hadn't been added or had come off in the packaging on its way over to me there was also a small leak coming in from the film holder which hopefully will soon be sorted out.
Ah, the trials and triumphs of testing out new gear! the previous week, I was out putting my new Mia 4x5 modular pinhole camera through its paces. Now, this camera is a marvel in itself, equipped with interchangeable cones for different focal lengths, promising boundless creative possibilities. However, as luck would have it, one of these cones decided to throw a curveball my way in the form of a sneaky light leak. Oh, the woes of something as trivial as a missing part or a loose fitting during transit! But fear not, for every setback is just a setup for a comeback.
To add to the drama, there was also a little leak creeping in from the film holder. I'm optimistic that this minor hiccup will soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a little tinkering and troubleshooting.
3 of the photos from the previous week came out okay the other three were completely written off due to the light leak as seen above, this was on the 50mm cone the 35mm was actually fine, just the leaks coming in from the film holder.
This was my best from that week, a short 1 second exposure.
An abandoned boat
Morning light at the skatepark.
Moving on to world pinhole day 2024 or the day before at least.
I was loaded up with my ONDU 4x5 and my alway delightful Holga WPC
4 sheets of Ilford Delta 100 and the Holga loaded with a roll of Fomapan 100.
I headed back to the skatepark, unfortunately this time there was no nice sunlight casting shadows on the different curves on the ramps, but there were some puddles to try and make the most of reflections.
The first option for a photo which caught my eye was this launch ramp.
The composition didn't come out as well as I had hoped plus there seem to be some odd things getting in the way of my of the light path on my holder as can be seen on the right this is always a delight using the whole guy as for some reason it always seems to be something new.
Moving on to World Pinhole Day 2024, or at least the day before
I packed my ONDU 4x5 and the ever-charming Holga WPC. With four sheets of Ilford Delta 100 and the Holga loaded with a roll of Fomapan 100, I ventured back to the skatepark. Unfortunately, this time lacked the picturesque sunlight that had previously adorned the ramps with captivating shadows. Nevertheless, I found inspiration in the puddles, determined to capture their reflective beauty.
My attention was drawn to a launch ramp as my first photographic subject. Despite my hopes, the composition didn't quite meet expectations, and peculiar obstructions interfered with the light path, evident on the right side of the image. Yet, this challenge only added to the "joy" of using the Holga, where each trip out presents a new surprise.
My second, the skate park bench reflecting on the wet ground with the moody sky I had the hunger on the floor for this to get a nice low angle and I actually quite like the shot.
My final shot at the skatepark was with my ONDU, aiming for simplicity by capturing the expansive bowl section. I felt a slight uncertainty regarding the ideal subject to capture with my 4x5 here, however, the resulting shot, with its encompassing view of the bowl, resonated with me. Perhaps introducing a skateboard or a bike into the foreground could have further enriched the composition, a consideration for future visits.
Moving on from the skate park I headed up the hill to the old World war positions, there's also an old fort up there which is undergoing some extensive renovations at the moment but there are a couple of old gun positions which I wanted to capture some images from.
En route to one of the gun positions, I encountered a staircase leading up to it, flanked by old, now sealed buildings. The week prior, I had attempted to capture this scene, bathed in beautiful light filtering through the foliage on the left. However, on this occasion, the light had faded. Despite its absence, I remained drawn to the composition of the shot, finding its allure enduring.
At the top of the hill, overlooking the English Channel, where a formidable gun would have once stood, now stands a telescope. From this vantage point, the vista stretches out over the Newhaven Harbour arms reaching out, and down towards Seaford. The sky was moody and grey which set a perfect backdrop for the scene.
Top I headed back down to the bottom of the car park of the harbour entrance I'm greeted here by this old abandoned looking shed. I decided I want to do two photos of this same composition one with the ONDU 4x5 and the other with the Holga WPC. The ONDU had a red filter on to help darken the blue skies and drag the exposure out for a slightly longer 10 seconds, and on the Holga I put on an ND8 filter, this gave me a one minute exposure.
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Just behind the abandoned looking shed lies an abandoned boat, a subject I had photographed from the front the week prior, as evidenced in the photos above. This time, opting for a different perspective, I positioned myself just behind the boat, avoiding the glare of the sun that would have hindered my shot from the front. However, despite my efforts, a small light leak managed to sneak into the frame, prompting a whimsical thought that perhaps this boat is cursed.
Just on from the abandon boat I decided to photographed this scene again, it was my favourite and my only decent photo from the week before but trying it in the 6x12 format was something I wanted to do
On my way back into New Haven, I had originally intended to explore another spot, one that I had stumbled upon accidentally a few weeks earlier. Despite its rugged appearance, it seemed promising for photography. However, en route, I encountered a scene that had caught my eye numerous times before, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to finally capture it.
This is a tidal river and I do feel coming back when the tide is higher and slightly submerging the boat might be a slightly better photo.
And there you have it—my collection of photos from World Pinhole Day 2024, a journey filled with attempts to redeem myself from the previous week's endeavors and to honor the generosity of Andy from Irresponsible Pictures for providing me with the fantastic Ilford Delta 100 large format film. While my photographic exploration of New Haven is far from over, I couldn't resist sharing these moments with you. I hope you've enjoyed this brief glimpse into my experience. Don't forget to check out
my YouTube channel for the behind-the-scenes video, and until next time, thank you for joining me on this adventure.
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