Haha, I tried to think of a better title but nothing came to me... so I'm sticking with it.
I have no shame.


The weather was glorious last week and I think even these friendly and inquisitive cows were enjoying it too.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a long Bank Holiday weekend and then we also have the rest of the week off too - I'm so excited, I can't wait to spend the week with Thomas relaxing (this year has been hectic so far) and hopefully taking lots of pictures with my new and old cameras. I'll have some posts scheduled though don't worry - I still have lots to catch up on if you can believe that :)

Have a great weekend!! 

Camera: Refurb LC-A
Film: Kodak ISO 200
Location: Leeds

Thomas and I rarely have our photo taken together, he hates it, I don't pester... (well, too much.)

So I was very excited when my sister and her husband (ha, so weird) gave me a CD with photos from February (at the barn and Heysham) with these on it!

{Photos by my sister and her husband}

When I got my first refurbished LC-A I mentioned that with each new (to me) camera I get, I feel like I'm on a new learning curve trying to figure out its mechanics and then learn how to use it to get the results that I want... 

I also mentioned that I thought my LC-A had a steep learning curve as the results weren't exactly as I was expecting. However, now that Lomography have sent me a replacement and I've succesfully tested it, I'm now wondering if that original camera did have a steep curve, or if it was just malfunctioning. Looking through the photos they don't seem that consistant and more were underexposed due to the faulty shutter than I first thought...

So, I'm starting all over again... again with a refurbished LC-A.

 Here are some results from my first test roll.


The major problem with comparing these photos with the photos I took from my first LC-A is the sunshine... we've had a lot of it lately and the other photos I took were all in winter.

Obviously, like all film cameras, this LC-A loves the light but these photos seem crisper to me with a lovely contrast and colour balance but it will be interesting to see the results with this replacement LC-A in the winter for a better comparison.

It's silly how much better I feel having a working LC-A again, although I didn't have my last one for that long, it definitely made an impression on me and I can't wait to use this replacement more, especially if this weather continues.

Camera: Replacement Refurbished LC-A (from 1991 this time)
Film: Kodak ISO 200
Location: Leeds

It's been no secret here that I am completely in awe of Susannah Conway and having taken part in one of her E-course's this is even more true.

When she announced her book, This I Know, I knew that I would own it, I had to. For a number of years now Susannah has been a huge inspiration to me - both in my blogging and photography and there was no way I was missing out on her book. However, I was going to be patient and ask for it for my birthday (which isn't really that far away now...) along with Instant Love until I saw this...


Pre-order This I Know and get a free E-Course by Susannah for free. FREE!!

So of course, I caved and pre-ordered it 
and then did a little dance.


"The goal of Exploring the Senses is the renewal of our senses – becoming more aware of them, how we use them and how we can strengthen them. It’s so easy to jog through life with our eyes shut, our ears closed, our sense of smell dialled down to zero, so we’re going to be gently challenging this as we work through the course. This I Know is all about mindfulness, living in the present moment and mining our lives to uncover the truth about the past and our dream."

I can not wait to start!!

For more information on this offer please check out Susannah's blog post today, 
 I can promise that you won't regret it.

Note. This special pre-order offer will close at midnight GMT on Monday June 4th 2012.
 

As part of my 'take more photos' goal for this year - I decided that I wanted to use more of the cameras that I haven't actually used before in my collection.

Yes, I might have missed a camera in April... we'll ignore that :) I can do two next month perhaps?
 Also, it's ok because this camera (and its results) are exciting!!!



I've actually had this camera - a polaroid automatic 340 land camera - for a while now (perhaps a year, maybe more) and I'm now feeling like I've wasted the time that I've had with it as I love it so much already!

I've really struggled with polaroids in the past and I've never been able to find that micarulous balance with the Impossible Project film that others seem to find so beautifully. But finally I've found a polaroid that works for me and it works incredibly well!!


Apart from when I haven't checked that the battery is properly plugged in... oops. I was a little upset with this first picture but luckily, it was just the battery that was the problem and...


Ta da! A photo is born!
{Please ignore our crazy long grass, annoyingly our landlord mowed it that afternoon after I'd taken this photo. I still love our garden though. And our washing line!}



I'm so impressed with the focus on this camera - it has a rangefinder focus, which I've never used before but I loved. I also love the contrast that comes with the Fuji FB-3000B film, I was a little wary of the 3000 ISO but this film is blowing my mind! I've ordered some colour film too (I'm weak, I have a film problem) and I can't wait to see how those look when I use it now too.



 I even attempted a double exposure with this camera but I seriously underestimated how sunny it actually was at the weekend and it came out very overexposed, I am thrilled that it worked though and now I know what to do for next time...

Camera: Polaroid Automatic 340 Land Camera
Film: Fujifilm FP-3000B
Location: Leeds

You can see the other cameras that I've used this year here.

{The first photo is my favourite tree and the black and white photos are of Norfolk in the Fifties, how fun!}

My favourite thing about Instagram is that in sharing places that you've been hundreds of times with people, you start to see it with fresh eyes, seeing things again in a new way and appreciating the things that you love about somewhere even more.

One day I'm going to go home and make the time to go to Norwich and photograph it properly I think, rather than just fleeting visits, it really is a fine city.

The week before I went home for the wedding, the weather was horrendous! (I sulked here lol) but luckily one evening on the way home there was a short break of sunshine and I took full opportunity of it by getting off the bus a few stops early and going for a little photo walk around Kirkstall Abbey with a camera for a film swap and my phone.

It started to rain again after a while (you can see splodges of rain on the last two photos) but I was so thrilled with the sunshine that I had managed to capture that I didn't care...

Luckily this week is glorious (I mean, Summer glorius too, woo), I have a replacement LC-A and I now have two rolls of film to develop. I am enjoying combining both my film and instagram photos on here though - it gives me the opportunity to share more and thats never a bad thing right.

This weekend I'm hoping to take even more film photos (I think my mojo is back, huzzah!), experiment with my polaroid land camera and soak up some sunshine!

Have a great weekend!!

{A portrait of me by the amazingly talented and lovely Caitlin from Hue and Hum} 

Last month, my blog friend Caitlin (who I first blogged about here featuring her amazing art) from Hue and Hum posted about accepting portrait orders and I jumped at the chance to have one of me with one of my cameras...

And here is the result. I just adore it. I love the yellow camera, all the stripes, the cute shoes and my usual outfit of a cardigan and jeans, woohoo!!

See more of Caitlin's portraits here, she is one seriously talented lady!!!


p.s. you might notice the original portrait that Caitlin has that I have an earring, I edited it out as I don't have my ears pierced... sorry Caitlin :)