The photo I am featuring in this post is of Southern Cross Station, a major railway station in the city of Melbourne, which is the capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia.
Southern Cross Station is the terminus for Victoria’s regional rail services and for interstate trains from Sydney in New South Wales and Adelaide, South Australia.
As I was waiting for my train, I saw that during the arrival and departure times of the trains, a calmness descended on the station.
It was that calmness I tried to capture in this photograph.
Southern Cross Station, situated in Spencer Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The photo was shot using Kodak Tri-X 400 film loaded in a Nikon camera.
As a young child growing up, the corner store was a big part of my family’s domestic life. The supermarket, as we know it today, did not exist. The local grocer supplied our weekly groceries. The corner store was for buying things we had run out of, or for little luxuries, such as soft drinks, ice creams, lollies and other such items.
While the corner store still exists, many of these small businesses are struggling to compete with mega-supermarkets where so many of us do our grocery shopping these days.
On a recent trip to the Melbourne suburb of Yarraville, I took some photos of corner stores.
Corner Store, YarravilleCorner Store, Yarraville
For the above photos, I used Kodak Gold film loaded in my Kodak Retinette 1A camera.
Corner Store, YarravilleCorner Store, Yarraville
A few days later, I returned with my Nikon EM loaded with Kodak Tri-X 400 black and white film.
Corner Store, Yarraville
The corner store in the above photo is in another part of Yarraville. I have wanted to take this photo for a while now, and I wanted to use black and white film. Its weathered boards and peeling paint cry out to be the subject of a black and white photograph.
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The purpose of this post is to share my thoughts on my film photography. It’s been a little over a year since I took my old cameras and some rolls of film out of the cupboard and started re-using them.
My first thought is how much my photography has been rejuvenated. Now, I’m not getting into the argument of film photography is better than digital or vice versa. Both have their place. I will still be using my digital camera, particularly for bird photography.
A baby Galah (Eolophus roseicapillus) captured by a digital camera.
Think more; shoot less is a sage piece of advice. Thinking more about the shot I am about to take is paramount to my film photography. Unlike digital photography, where I can take multiple shots of my subject, film is too expensive to do that.
Lake Colac, Victoria, Australia
The above photograph was taken using a Kodak Retinette Rangefinder camera loaded with Kodacolor film. This roll of film was probably the first roll to be used in this camera for close on forty years.
Yarraville, Victoria, Australia
This photograph was taken using my Nikon EM SLR, also loaded with Kodacolor film. Both these rolls of Kodacolor film were bought in 2005 and were well past their expiry date. They had been stored in a cool dark place and showed no ill effects. I exposed them at box speed (ISO 200).
The Old Farm Shed, Irrewarra, Victoria, Australia
The Old Farm Shed was taken using a Nikon EM SLR loaded with Kodak Tri-X 400 Black and White film.
Finally, the anticipation of seeing the results once the exposed film has been developed, printed and scanned is so different from what I get from seeing instantly my digital shots.
Please Note: Fred O’Donnell Photography is the copyright holder of all photographs that appear on this blog. These images are protected by copyright laws and all rights are reserved. To purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
Continuing from a previous post, Using Expired Film, the following photographs are of some of the historic buildings which are found in the small country town of Camperdown. In an ever-changing world, many small towns use their past history as a means of attracting tourists to their area.
Old Leura Hotel, Camperdown, Victoria. Built 1857-59
The Leura Hotel is the earliest hotel in Camperdown, built for P. Douglas and J. Stevenson in 1857-59. Bluestone stables were added in 1860 by a new owner D.S. Walker and used by Cobb and Co. as a coach terminal and office.
Masonic Hall, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia
The Masonic Hall of Camperdown is built of rubble blue-stone. It was designed by one of the lodge members, John Young. It was constructed in 1867-68 and is one of the oldest surviving, continuously used purpose-built Masonic Lodges in Victoria.
Old I.O.O.F Hall, Camperdown-built 1896
Once the meeting place of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the hall is now the home of the Camperdown Historic Society.
Mechanics Institute, Camperdown, VictoriaHampden Hotel, Camperdown, Victoria
The above photographs were taken using Kodak Black and White 35mm print film. The camera was a Nikon EM SLR.
Please Note: I am the copyright holder of all photographs that appear on this blog. These images are protected by copyright laws and all rights are reserved. To purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
As a photographer, I know that using expired film has inherent risks. However, over the years, I have used expired film and I have never been disappointed-until now!
The film I used for this project was about 20 years old. It was Kodak Black and White 35mm print film, ISO 400. It was designed to be processed in C41 chemicals.
A card, attached to the box containing the film, has the following printed on it:
Make Time Stand Still in Black & White
Extremely fine grain and outstanding sharpness make this film ideal for enlargements.
Processed at any photofinisher with standard color processing.
Do not process in black and white chemicals.
My first impression of the film is simply it is an extremely grainy film; certainly, there is more grain than the Kodak Tri-X 400 film I have been using recently. Or, has it become more grainy with age?
Failure (shown for an example only) -the first photo on the roll.
There were a few failures like the above photo. I am thinking that the age of the film has played a large part in these failures.
A side view of the Camperdown Post Office, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia
Like many towns in regional areas of Australia, there are many heritage or historic buildings, many built in the 19th century or early 20th century. Post offices played an important role for the people of these areas, often isolated from the rest of the world.
The Old Shire Hall, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia
The Hampden Shire Hall, designed by leading Melbourne architects Smith and Johnson, was built in 1886. The architects designed the building in a Lombardic Romanesque style. It was constructed by local contractors McAllister and Stansmore.
I must admit the old Hampden Shire Hall is my favourite building in Camperdown.
Old Court House, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia
The Old Court House was erected in 1886-87 by W. A. Moore, contractor. It replaced an earlier wooden structure of 1859. It was designed by architect G. B. H. Austin of the Public Works Department, who designed it in a medieval Gothic Revival style.
Please Note: I am the copyright holder of all photographs that appear on this blog. These images are protected by copyright laws and all rights are reserved. To purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
I recently did a photo shoot in the streets of Footscray, a western suburb of Melbourne. It is a fantastic place for this type of photography.
My camera of choice for this shoot was a Nikon EM SLR film camera and I had loaded with Kodak Professional Tri-X 400 black and white film.
Footscray Railway Station
1904 – Historic facade
Street Art
Street Art
Street Art
Please Note: I am the copyright holder of all photographs that appear on this blog. These images are protected by copyright laws and all rights are reserved. To purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
The following photographs were shot using film (Kodak Professional Tri-X 400 black and white negative film). I believe that by using black and white film it compliments my love of taking pictures of old buildings. Many of these old buildings were built in the 19th century or early 20th century, and seem to have more character than many modern buildings.
Please Note: I am the copyright holder of all photographs that appear on this blog. These images are protected by copyright laws and all rights are reserved. To purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
I have finally finished shooting my second roll of film for this year. After reading some good things about Kodak Tri-X 400 I decided to give it ago. And, I must say, I am extremely pleased with the results.
Street ArtColac Botanic GardensGarage DoorThe path Along the Creek
Please Note: I am the copyright holder of all photographs that appear on this blog. These images are protected by copyright laws and all rights are reserved. To purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
Today is National Eucalypt Day. A day to celebrate the magnificent trees we Australians call Gum Trees.
The following photos are of Eucalyptus regnans commonly known as Mountain Ash, also Swamp Gum, or Stringy Gum. Mountain Ash trees are native to Tasmania and the state of Victoria in south-east Australia.
Eucalyptus regnans is the world’s tallest flowering plant and is also the world’s second tallest tree.
I remember when I was in primary school, my teacher told the class that trees were the lungs of the world. I can clearly remember my thoughts: “Then why are we cutting them down?”
I still ask that question decades later.
Please Note: All photographs appearing on my blog were taken by me. They are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. If you would like to purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
The School of Arts was built in 1894. These photos were taken last year on a visit to my hometown of Rockhampton in Queensland. All that remains of the building now is the facade with the original building having been rebuilt.
In keeping with so many heritage buildings in Rockhampton, it has been beautifully restored. It was growing up in Rockhampton where my love of heritage buildings was nurtured.
I have included a black and white version as I think these old buildings lend themselves to this format.
Please Note: All photographs appearing on my blog were taken by me. They are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. If you would like to purchase a print please contact me by leaving a comment below with your order and contact details. I will then get back to you.
A collection of photographs describing the natural beauty and wildlife of the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh and beyond.**** All pictures are taken by yours truly with Canon Powershot SX50HS****
fredodonnellphotography 