Holy Grail

Happy new year. (only 4 months late)

Cannot believe it it is April 2016 and I last posted Dec 2015. I will have a word with myself..

However, come that mix of interests, cars and photography, I was happily, merrily going about my business when I stumbled upon the Holly grail of lightweight automotive porn. In one of my favorite photo locations. A planetary alignment of sorts. Dropped the anchors and reversed up.

Couldn't pass this buy. Jumped out and struck up a conversation with the owner. Turns out, first time he had brought it out since purchasing it.

I appreciate not every bodies cup of tea, but in my book, this is sex on wheels.

So what was it? I'm glad you asked. Could only be one thing really. Clue in the description, lightweight.

But, before we get to the pics, I have become an almost one lens photographer. I have shot primerily with the Leica 50mm 2.8 Elmar-m f2.8. Unsung hero of the Leica line up.However, I decided to change lens and strapped on the 50mm Summitar. Its bokeh is not really demonstrated in these shots but no matter. The shots were grabbbed abd the pixels burnt. As ever no fiddling about just straight off he chip warts n all.

So, with out further a due, I give you the Ariel Atom.

 

 

And my pretender inthe background.

knitone

Just like buses, nothing for 6 months then two posts back to back.

Out 'n' about on the Queens Road and came across this knitted pavement bollard adornment.

My highly honed powers of deduction lead me to believe the above may have something to do with
www.knitone.uk.com

Barrow Boxing Day 6 2015

Over six months since I have posted something here. One wonders where that time has gone, who knows but gone, it has.

So I find myself out and about on boxing day supporting a favorite race of mine. Just though I would throw up a couple of shots from the morning.

My favorite is the vegan runner shot juxtaposed with the cattle traffic warning sign. Made me smile.

The Nuns

Perhaps being chased by the Cat Woman

Off focus but the juxtaposition makes up for it.

Got to the spot in my chariot of fire

Pancreatic Cancer

So I find myself at the second Ben Manners Memorial Trophy 5 a side football competition. In aid of  Pancreatic Cancer research Fund PCRF
I was there to support and enjoy, however, there was no one to take official type photos. So here I am on a purely social event and all of a sudden now official photographer, no pressure then.

I am armed with a manual focus camera, a 35mm lens, no flash and who knows what type of indoor lighting.

First things first lets sort out the white balance. This was done  manually in camera using a WhiBal Card

Most shots were pre focused and then waited for the action to to come to me. I had the lens pressed hard up against the netting to try and remove it from the shot..
I then grabbed some informal shots. and finally the presentation to the winners from Ben's sisters.

Overall I am quite happy with the results given I had not arrived expecting to take 'the' photos.

I hope they meet the needs of those that asked me to take them.

So regardless of time, I ask you to raise a cup, mug or glass to Ben Manners.

All shots taken on M9 and Voightlander 35mm f1.4. ISO800.  If you are by any chance a regular, then you will already know these are straight off the chip no fiddling about.

Well done to all.

West End 8

One of the many annual running events came to town today. The West End 8. Start and finish at Syston Rugby Club. Quite a demanding course with many hills. I decided to pitch myself at the top of the very steep and demanding hill in South Croxton. Back in the day, I have ran this course myself, always felt like I was wearing my lungs on the outside.

Today I gave an airing to the little used Leica 90mm tele-elmarit f2.8. Seemed to work quite well. Set a manual white balance in camera, Pre focused, iso 200 no more than f4 and good to go.

Rattled off 80 odd shots.

Why is it the ones that make it look easy never seem to be in touch with the road?

Another one

Same hill very different faces.

Who looks comfortable? it's the floater again.

This is what support and encouragement looks like.

This is what commitment looks like.

The award for most colourful goes to.

Just for the hell of it, go on leave a comment.

Auto Porn 5 with Leica M9 and Summar.

The sun  was out; so I was out and about in the chariot of fire. Stopped off at one of my favorite spots to take in the views. (Tilton on the Hill)

I was in the mood to mix things up slightly by using the youngest Leica Camera I have with the oldest Leica glass I have. So today I bolted the 5cm F2 Summar on the M9. For those that might be interested, yes it collapses just fine. Talk about compact cameras. Have always liked this piece of glass. Yes, it has it's faults, your the photographer deal with it. However, it does give a look you can't get today with new glass.
Some say it's not sharp, really? Also comes with f stops from a time before they became standardised, so today I was shooting around f3.2.

So here I am minding my own business squeezing a couple off when I see in the distance one of my other loves, an Alfa. If there is one thing that photographs do not do well, it's sound.

The Alfa sounded superb under load as it climbed up the hill. Depending how large the pic opens on your monitor you can see the smile on the drivers face. One very contented chap.

So I was passed by an Alfa and then joined by some bikers. I am not a bike man, but that does not stop me from appreciating the machine. 

So all in all a nice afternoon, 3 passions all rolled into one. Driving the chariot of fire, photography and Alfa.

Standard tag line. All images straight off the chip no fiddling.

Chariot of fire, shot with a  Leica Summar from 1936. Looks sharp enough to me.

 And how it handles colours.

 Alfa and smiling Alfa driver.

Bikes

Speaking of bikes, who had one of these?

Thomson Holidays web site payment screen A word of warning.

Sadly nothing to do with photography.


Just a word to the wise.
If you are thinking of booking a holiday using the Thomson web site consider this first.




I tried to book a holiday with Thomson on Monday night.(13/4/2015) All going well till payment screen. Hit the submit button, then blank screen. No confirmation or booking ref.

Card payment was requested by thomson and duly authorized by card company.

So I am now £1600 out of pocket and no holiday. Thomson acknowledge fault their end with their web site. A known issue.

I am being told funds will not appear back in my account for 3 to 5 days. How can that be?
They leave immediately. So why the delay?
Card company can see the funds sitting there allocated to thomson, but they will not be taking them as they have no record of the holiday I was booking because their site crashed on pressing the submit button.


After many phone calls, I am basically told.
Yes we screwed up, no you cannot have your £1600 back for some time and no you do not have a holiday.
Oh and by the way you will be the one doing the running around and spending loads of time to call centers.

Totally unacceptable.

So as a public service to anyone thinking of booking with Thomson, take plenty of screen prints or go in a shop. Or go elsewhere.

You maybe fine and everything goes smoothly, but if it happened to me it can happen to you.

I shall not book with them again.


Jason