Hello from Bristol, UK

[bestbefore1978]

Hi there,

I've been a long time lurker on the forum, ansd have made a few posts, thought it time I introduced myself and a

My name’s Duncan, I’m 32 and live in Bristol, UK

I've been interested in photography on and off since I was 7 or 8, messing around with a hand-me-down Kodak Instamatic 126 camera and hated having to wait 2 weeks for the pics to come back from the mailorder lab!

I moved on to various point-and-shoots until I got hold of an Olympus OM-10 SLR at 15 and used that exclusively for a couple of years, developing and printing black & white at school.
My interest in photography waned until about 4 years ago when I bought an Olympus digital SLR, but I soon got interested in shooting film again when I re-discovered the OM-10 in a box in the attic.

I now have lots of 35mm and medium format cameras from the 1920s to 1990s.
I’ve settled on a Bronica ETRSi for my main camera as I like the fact it can take interchangeable lenses and film backs, gives me 15 on 120 and I can use it like an oversize SLR, but with much better quality than from 35mm.

I develop my own black and white negs, and shoot colour neg and transparancy as well. I have a hybrid workflow though, as there is no room for a fully functioning wet darkroom in the house (the negs are developed in the bathroom when I get a chance!)

I love to shoot landscapes, and I'm now getting more interested in portrait photography, dipping my toe into a strobist kit soon. I have done various shoots for local bands and musicians and a few of my pictures of the band Crippled Black Phoenix and Beak have been published in Classic Rock magazine.

I also have an account on flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/people/bestbefore1978/

Nice to meet you!

Duncan

 

[M.A.Longmore]

.
Pleasure to meet you, Duncan !

Enjoy The Weekend !


Ron
.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Hello Duncan, and a warm welcome to APUG. There might be a darkroom at a local community college.

Jeff

 

[Paul Green]

Welcome Duncan

 

[Black Dog]

Welcome to the APUG jungle and good luck with rediscovering film!

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Duncan, welcome to Filmland.

 

[Chazzy]

Welcome to APUG, Duncan. There are a lot of Brits on APUG—maybe you have a neighbor that you don't even know about who shares your interest in film photography.

 

[Steve Smith]

There are a lot of Brits on APUG—maybe you have a neighbor that you don't even know about who shares your interest in film photography.

Britain is quite small. We are all neighbours here! Looks like Duncan lives on that big island just off the north coast of my little island.

Welcome Duncan.



Steve.

 

[bestbefore1978]

Thanks all, looking at the thread before there's someone here whos just registered from my home town! small world. I'm looking forward to contributing more to APUG

 

[Steve Smith]

I have just had a look at your Flickr gallery. There is some great stuff there. I'm also listening to some of your tracks from Lord Gammonshire's Guide to Everyday Sounds. Some great stuff there as well!


Steve.

 

[Tempt f8]

Duncan, I really liked your "Listen for the pips.." photo on Flicker. Great use of available light! Nice style. My Mum & Sister live near Frampton-on-Severn, north of you... small world!

 

[papagene]

Duncan - hello and welcome to APUG from western New England.

 

[bestbefore1978]

Thank you all, Temptf8 - small world indeed, i got engaged at a circus in Frampton-on-severn! That photo was from the only roll of Ilford XP2 i've shot so far, i was surprised how fine grained it was in low light.

Steve - glad you like the album, i'll send you a PM. By the way is that a Gretsch on your avatar? Lovely!

 

[Steve Smith]

Steve - glad you like the album

I love the sense of humour in your music and its presentation. It reminds me of my friend, Jake Rodrigues: Dead Link Removed who does some odd and interest things musically.

He produced an album a few years ago called Major Chicken. If I can find any audio clips on the web, I will send you a link (the picture of him on the front page of his website is one I took with a fifty year old Rolleicord).

By the way is that a Gretsch on your avatar? Lovely!

That is indeed a Gretsch. It's a Nashville 6120AM. I have always wanted a Gretsch and when I joined a rockabilly band a few years ago I realised that if I didn't buy one then, I would never get one. I went for the amber maple finish rather than the cliché orange version so it wouldn't look out of place in a blues or jazz gig.


Steve.

 

[Q.G.]

It has a Bigbsby hasn't it?
How do you like that thing?

 

[Steve Smith]

It has a Bigbsby hasn't it?
How do you like that thing?

It does have a Bigsby. I like it a lot as it stays in tune unlike those silly things on Fenders!


Steve.

 

[Q.G.]

Yes... After spending too many hours trying to set them up so they stay in tune, i have wedged wood blocks in the 'synchronized tremolo' (don't know what's synchronized about them - the strings each go out of tune without any sychronism between them) of my Fenders. Silly things indeed.
Still, they are standard issue, so many people will have more luck setting them up so that they do stay in tune. Or they are more patient than i am.

I have decided (no real reason) that my next guitar would be an Epiphone Casino, with Bigsby.
Never used a Bigsby before. So am curious.

But i guess this is rather off-topic. Sorry!

 

[Tempt f8]

Wow, now Gretsch guitar talk as well? I have 2 myself... a red G5129 and a gold G5128, both with Dynasonics, Bigsby's and Sperzel locking tuners (plus a little Gretsch 5222 tube amp)... Love 'em! I seem to play them more often than my vintage Gibson & Fender gear.

 

[Tempt f8]

Come to think of it, I still have a wild looking Epiphone FlameKat with a Bigsby also, that I've thought of parting with... flames & red dice, yeah baby! I use 11's on Bigsby's and with proper set-up, I don't have too bad a time with tuning and intonation. My red Gretsch handles tuning the best, though, since I replaced the bridge with what Gretsch calls the 'rocking bar' bridge... very comfortable, as well!