We all love a good challenge now and again and one particular challenge that started out as a one off has become a regular event thanks to the enthusiasm of photographers from around the world. I'm talking about the #CameraChallenge organised by Jason Avery on Twitter. With democracy in mind we were once again given some choices about which camera we could use and what the theme could be. For the second month running the choice of camera was open to whatever we wanted, film or digital and the theme chosen by popular vote was Architecture.
As is now customary with the #CameraChallenge, week one is get out and take photos. I have been threatening to use my Praktica Sport Royale for one of these challenges and this was the one where it got the nod. I had loaded a roll of Kentmere 400 into my Praktica Sport Royale (which is now sporting go faster stripes to give it some cheese factor) a couple of months earlier, but hadn't got around to using it. I popped the cheesey camera into my pocket and headed into town on an overcast Thursday afternoon to see what I could find.
The demolition of The Galleries is proceeding at a steady pace and although I am sad to see the place being demolished, I am glad to see as much of the fabric of the complex is being recycled where possible. The slates have been removed from the roof, copper piping and electrical wiring is being removed as well as some fixtures and fittings The bricks and mortar are going to be used as hardcore for another building project somewhere and very little is going in landfill.
One thing I am sad to see has been removed is the big glass front at the Market Gate entrance on Market Place in the town centre. When this was built in the 1980's it was well received as being modern yet in keeping with the mock tudor shops on either side. I was hoping it would survive as a part of the new development, but someone else had other ideas. I think it's a shame it has gone, it was a well thought out addition to Wigan town centre 35 years ago and still didn't look out of place up until it's demolition.
It didn't take me long to explore the changes to the buildings around Wigan, I soon finished my roll of Kentmere 400 and headed back home. I was glad to be honest as I had been away with friends the previous weekend and I was still pretty tired after one hell of a party. I was chatting with a friend there who asked me if I wanted a camera, and of course I said yes and gave him my address.
A few days later I received an Olympus OM10 through the post with a couple of lenses, a posh neck strap and the manual adapter for the camera. I quickly checked the camera over, it looked to be in great condition and had fresh-ish batteries in it. There was also a roll of Fuji Superia 200 already loaded and, well, it would have been rude not to use it.
So, on the last day of the first week of the challenge, I headed into town to shoot that film and see how the camera performed. I will talk more in depth about the camera in a future blog, but it's safe to say I was suitably impressed. I soon polished off the roll of film and headed home to prep for Development Week.
Week two is time to develop your film or process your digital photos. I developed my Kentmere 400 in the tried and trusted HC110 Dilution B for 6 minutes at 20 celcius. My Fuji Superia 200 was developed in my aging Cinestill Cs41 kit and both rolls of film were soon hanging to dry in my bathroom. Scanning was done with my Ion Slides2PC 35mm scanner and post production done with Affinity Photo 2.
Finally we are in show and tell week and here's some of my favourite photos for the May edition of the #CameraChallenge. As always I have placed them and more in an album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. These challenges are a good way of fending off a creative rut. There's always plenty to consider when figuring out what to use and where to go in order to take part and it's always a good excuse to use cameras we may not have used for a while. I had a lot of fun taking these photos, the weather wasn't playing ball when I shot my black and white film, but it added to the shots I reckon. I hope you enjoy them.
May #CameraChallenge
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