Last weekend I ended up in London. Was a time I went frequently, these days it gets less and less often. I do enjoy the “buzz” of London, but trying to get a few things done all in one day, often leaves me as much drained as invigorated these days. It’s an age thing! Anyway, of course I took a camera and a couple rolls of film. This time Ilford Delta 400 was loaded into my EOS30, with the usual 40mm STM.
I actually park outside of London and take the tube into the centre, apart from the stupid high cost of parking, security of the car, and the congestion charge, there is also the nerve frying road system, rather than traffic to deal with. All added together – I just use the tube! I got out at Embankment, wandered over the “Golden Jubilee Bridge”, actually there are two, they are footbridges either side of the Hungerford Bridge. (Charing Cross Bridge). One spot seems to be a graveyard for skateboards! (above).
At the other end of the bridge on the Southbank is the Royal Festival Hall, a concrete block left over from the “Festival of Britain” in 1951. It’s very stark, but there is something that I like about it’s bleakness. Underneath Waterloo Bridge are often second hand book stalls.
I like the walk along the Southbank. There’s always something going on, and then I’m soon under Blackfriers Bridge – the London skyline has changed so much over the years that it’s almost un-recognisable to me these days, compared to my early visits as a teen. I must dig out some of those early negs!!
This film was developed in Ilfosol 1+9 at 20°c. As I measured out the stock solution for dilution I noticed that it had gone off colour a little. I know what that means and what effect it’s going to have and yet, stupidly still proceeded to develop two rolls. I gave a minute longer than usual but still got slightly thin negs. That said they scanned better than I thought they would, I had more trouble with drying marks on this roll!
S.H.O.U.T. 