Photographer wants to change.
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- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
- After many years of posting videos here I think I need to change the way I work and make things more interesting for you the viewer and me too!
0:00 Intro
01:15 Liverpool Photoshoot
07:20 Shooting Harman 200
09:58 Photo Critique
14:09 The two B&W shots
15:16 The two Colour shots
16:56 Talking Harman 200
17:55 Photo Projects
20:14 A.I in Photography
Equipment Used
Nikon FE
Kodak Portra 800 and Harman Phoenix 200 developed in Bellini C-41
Preview App
Mark II Artists Viewfinder (iOS only on the App Store)
Vlogging Equipment
GoPro Hero 10
Incidental Music licensed from Epidemic Sound
Float
The Marathon will come
Etsy Shop
steveonionsphoto.etsy.com
Contact Details
Email: youtube@steveonions.co.uk
Twitter: Steve_ONions / steve_onions
Instagram: steveonions1 / steveonions1
UA-cam: / @steveonions
Not bored of watching your videos - I enjoy the conversational style.
I'm not bored of his videos either -- but if he's bored of making them in this same way, that's the best reason for a change, for me!
Thanks James.
Yes : always good to see a clean upkeep culture. I love the Slate mines too they are beautiful.
About more slate mines this year.
Steve, although you describe yourself as "a very average photographer" I think most people watching your videos would rate you higher than that. In any case, most of us are pretty average and probably see your work as a standard we can aspire to, rather than the unattainable heights of a Michael Kenna or an Annie Liebovitz. That makes you much more relatable and relevant. You also mostly photograph locally, rather than jetting off to take pictures in exotic locations most of us will never visit - kudos for that. I'm really looking forward to seeing your 'editing-light' pictures this year - a much-needed antidote to the growing number of videos that devote more time to Lightroom manipulation than picture-taking. Incidentally, Ari Jaaksi (Shoot On Film) has an interesting take on AI in photography; worth a look. Great call to make fewer videos - less is more and we'll look forward to them even more.
Thank David and I’ll have a look at Ari’s content. I do go to some exciting locations but rarely for photography, I prefer just to enjoy the experience. There’s something about making the most of what’s on your own doorstep, hopefully original and thought provoking.
i understand your desire to change the way you do things but i really enjoy your consistency and the, for lack of a better world, calmness of your channel - too many photography channels are all about gear, or presets or pixel-peeping or chasing dramatic locations on the other side of the world.. Your videos are slow paced and meditative and at the opposite of the current fast-paced trends - in the end, you just make me want to go out and take photos
and your points about AI are very relevant, AI can make shiny images, but it can't replicate the experience of being out there and experiencing the world and maybe taking a nice snap or two
Spot on
I’m glad you enjoy the videos, I think making them has made me appreciate photography even more.
Always enjoy your videos and the pictures you take. Just keep them coming!
Thanks, will do!
For years I've imagined you as a bit of a mentor of mine in camera-craft. I'm excited for where this new era takes you!
I liked the neon cup sign. it took me several seconds to figure out what was going on. Also, I really liked the two orange bins and the wine lodge even if they did look a little instagrammable. The spiral stairs along with the winding pathway both made me thing of Breson.
Thank you.
I’m hoping that I can photograph these same scenes in future but add something a little more personal.
I LOVE the Alf and Joan shot!!! SO STRONG!!!
Cheers, Steve. I look forward to your new format. I’ve long thought that the demands of producing UA-cam content tends to sap the photographic integrity of the “content providers.” You have a good eye and good taste. Follow your muse. 👍👍👍
Thanks George, there’s a balance to be struck between stills and video.
I aspire to half as thoughtful about my images as Steve O’Nions.
Thank you 🙂
You’re the real deal for me Steve, someone who demonstrates the joy of photography and proves that cutting edge equipment and exotic locations aren’t necessary to achieve it. Have enjoyed your previous blogs and am certain I’ll enjoy your new direction.
Thanks David, I’m glad you enjoy them 👍
Steve to be brutally honest I love your thoughtful and educated analysis of your images, it's something I can't pull off, personally I like to think I can see a shot and execute it pretty well, i'm quite confident in my ability behind a camera but trying to explain why it worked or delve too deep into my thought process is pretty alien to me, my verbal communication skills are about as advanced as bowl of cold porridge made with water, so keep on doing what you do I'm always interested and entertained throughout your videos. So many channels on YT have absolutely amazing presenters who talk a cracking game, but their work isn't all that stunning, but you are in the top club where you talk it and deliver it on a regular basis. Valuable content on your chan mate.
Thanks Paul, it took me a long time to realise what made images work (and fail), I just need to refrain from shooting the ones that aren’t destined to go anywhere. BTW, I like cold porridge but only with plant milk 🥣
@@SteveONionshaha see what I mean you're educational,I'm off to buy plant milk now cheers.
Your awesome man, don't beat yourself up, just keep doing it. I enjoy your style, and honesty.
Thank you 😊
Steve. I just want to say thank you for your honest portrayals of the life of a film photographer. Your demonstrations of both the struggles and rewards have been a very realistic inspiration for me in my photographic journey.
Very very welcome 😊
I never tire watching your videos. I am not much of a street photographer though appreciate those who do. Your images always inspire me to get out and shoot more.
Thanks Michael.
I enjoy how your experience with landscape work obviously informs these urban images. Well done!
Many thanks Joe, there is a lot of similarity between the two subject types when it comes to composition.
love your videos, LONG LIVE FILM PHOTOGRAPHY.............
The one with the boy and the aeroplane and liver building i prefer in colour personally
Thanks for that Steve, really enjoyed it. Yo7 described exactly what I enjoy taking when I'm out doing street. Look forward to more of these..
Thanks Gordon.
If you change things around something nice might come up, you never know unless you try.
Anyhows I think the channel is more about who you are as a photographer and invidual. Just a down to earth photographer with superb skills. You are one of those photographers photographers that I enjoy to watch.
Too many channels are about that nonsense flashy stuff with icky marketing strategy to be fake person all the time. And most of the time those channels are the ones that succeed the most in this field and it is utterly shocking. Well... that same thing happens in every aspect in life doesn't it.
Hahaha what a preach here. Cheers for everything so far!
Thank you. Funny how looking back at the latest and greatest gear videos from a few years ago makes me realise that very little has changed and nobody would notice which camera was used for anything hung on a wall.
I've enjoyed your videos for years but I think you've done a great job on the "refresh". I was reminded of my own trip to Liverpool a few years ago too.
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I am encouraged by your planned approach and will be sticking with you Steve. I always find something engaging and stimulating from your videos and like you I love doorways. I have a dedicated album filling up with B&W prints that I have called Making an Entrance. To me a doorway is like the face of a building and gives it character (or not) and the variety is endless.
Glad I’m not the only one fascinated by doors!
Harman Phoenix looked surprinsingly good on this overcast day !
Like the self-reviewing part on your video for making us subscribers being more active into assessing the photos as you show them off.
I’m glad you liked the format, I dislike most of my photos but feel comfortable with that as it makes me keen to get out and shoot again in search of better ones.
@@SteveONions It's frustrating not to take photos when out downtown shooting. And you find yourself rushing or taking lazy shots fairly easily. I have been guilty of this, and most of us probably are.
You got the right mindset, using that session as a base to a greater body of work for the future. And I feel like you are giving us the method here with this video. Cheers Steve !
I've had most of last year away from photography, and fortuitously this is the video I find when I "tune in" again. There have been massive changes in that time, especially AI impacting many aspects of life. Only this am. the press got themselves into a right old state because an officially released Royal photo appeared to have been manipulated and no one wanted to take their chances with actually publishing it... So for an amateur, simpler, with more personal involvement is clearly a good way to go.
When you were out in the hills, or Delamere I always appreciated the scenery, but it was the sharing of your thoughts and intentions that provided the real interest and I don't see that changing just because you want to address different subjects.
I liked the shots across the graving dock, especially the first one - a strong composition as you said, but the restricted palette and the limited range of tones in the fore and mid ground rather remind me of prewar, colour postcards. Suits this subject - and an interesting effect to have in the repertoire!
Thanks David, I’m glad you enjoyed the video. The view of the docks is always one I enjoy and the dull weather was just perfect for the Phoenix film.
It will be interesting to see where AI takes us, there’s going to be a lot of accusations and mud slinging going on 😊
The first 2 shots on Harmon remind me of early color photography. I think they are nice.... and I'll watch you videos in any form you wish to present them. I'm here for the art and conversation.
There’s definitely a retro feel to the Harman film, quite a lot of emotion in there.
Love your videos. Don’t stress if you don’t feel like making a theme for each video, we just like going along for the ride, as long as you’re shooting what you enjoy and having fun that’s the most important part. Editing videos and filming on location seems like so much work. The effort doesn’t go unnoticed. I’ve often thought about making videos myself but talking, shooting, editing is just so hard. Keep up the good work!
I’m glad you just enjoying coming along for the ride, that’s all I could ever ask for 👍
Great video Steve, was unsure when you started the video with the changes, but having watched it, the new format is good, really enjoyed the why it works in b&w segment, really helpful.
Glad you enjoyed it. I’d change regardless of likes and feedback but it’s nice to know I’m not on my own 😊
Not too shabby, Steve. 👍
Thank you 😊
Steve, thanks for such a wonderful video. I've always been a fan of your videos and your photography. Your style is right up my street, and I find your videos calming, and at the same time inspiring.
I'm looking forward to seeing your future work, and this Brummie is planning a trip to the Pool. Of course I'll also have to visit Perch Rock.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thanks Dean and I hope you have a good visit.
Great video Steve. Love the way you went through the images with such expertise and honesty.
Thanks Peter 👍
Re: your comments regarding AI: I couldn't agree more. Much of the joy of photography for me is the shooting experience. The best example I can give is shooting a manual film camera. In addition to framing, composition, angle of view, and so forth, if you don't nail exposure and focus, proper depth of field, etc., the camera isn't going to save you. That is both a challenge and a joy that I'm not willing to give up. On those rare occasions when I get an exceptional image, it's just a bonus.
I agree completely. I can get stunning images from my E-M1X, but I just love the minimalism of shooting my Leica M6. No automation, just an exposure meter. Its far more enjoyable experience to shoot film and develop it than to shoot digital and move a few sliders.
Photography is as much about the journey as the destination for me, couldn’t imagine conjuring up an image entirely in the computer.
6:39 What a great subject this bridge is, maybe because I am sucker for this kind of bridge, nicely framed! It would be great for pinhole as well.
And nice video and photos as well.
Looking forward to your new way of doing videos. As soon as I saw your two shots of the boat (portrait and landscape) with the Harman film, they made me think of the artist Laurence Lowry. They had tones of his paintings and the "industrial" feeling of his work. I also work with film at times and so appreciate the direction you take us with your videos. Well done !!
Thanks Karen. The waterfront lends itself to a nostalgic representation, it works very well in B&W too.
Your commentary on your own photos from about the 10 to 14-minute marks is very interesting and valuable. Would enjoy seeing/hearing such again. I hope that it encourages me to be more honest with my own photos.
Don’t worry Roy, I’ll be judging my images more harshly from now on 😀
A subscriber and I love your videos. Recently tried a roll of Provia 800 after seeing one of your videos. Loved the results. You have a nice humble style and its nice to see you find some great spots to photograph.
Thanks Rob, I’m pleased you liked the Portra 800, expensive but so worth it. After using it on the landscape I knew it would suit urban scenes on dull grey days.
I quite like watching your videos. In the Liverpool photoshoot I would turn the telephone box into black & white (mono).
The waffle made perfect sense! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
You are so welcome!
Interesting change to the video presentation. I'll be here for more. Thank you.
Thanks Nigel.
I really appreciate your new approach, Steve. As you put it, we all take lots of shots that are going nowhere, but your idea of showing the results and what we can learn from them is very useful, and we should all do it, too! I look forward to sharing your next adventure.
Thanks David, I’ll be treating my output just as badly on future trips 😊
I have been watching you for a long time and always always always enjoy your content!
Thank you, I appreciate that 😊
This is one excellent video, Steve. All around and overall, this one stands out. I liked a number of the images you came away with, even ones you did not care for. The thing that stands out the most for me is your clear straightforward critique of your own work. That is very useful for me. On another note, your comments on AI are useful too. Photography for me is a hobby; my main hobby. Few people see my images and I have no ambition of being anything other than the amateur I am. I am happy knowing my photos are real and what I saw. Thanks and cheers.
Thanks James. I see little point competing against people with better cameras and editing skills, I will always lose. Same as when I’m out in the hills, I can’t keep up with 30 year olds and it would make me unhappy to try so I go at my own pace and work with what I’ve got.
I like your present video style. No issues with it.
I like the guy who explains his view of the scene and how to figure it out. The way you do.
Thanks Eric, I’m glad you enjoy them.
I shoot almost all urban work so I love when you get out in the city. My two favorites were the parking spots with the colorful mural, and the spiral stairs. Two absolute keepers. They would both make wonderful prints imo. Nice job Steve!
I do enjoy the sheer variety of shots in the urban environment and it’s so easy to pick out details everywhere you look. With landscapes there’s far less flexibility and it’s almost impossible to ignore the obvious honeypot locations.
Very interesting summary of AI and your simplification of style. I think more and more of us are going in that direction. When film photography started having its resurgence, I think the primary interest was in slowing down and being more involved in the photographic process. Now as software and cameras/smartphones are taking more and more of the process out of our hands, many of us are looking past technical perfection to creativity and authenticity of our own style and interpretation. I like how you stated it - "what I see" - that really is what hobbyist photography is all about. After all, I am photographing for me, no one else. Cheers!
Thanks Robert, for amateurs we can please ourselves and don’t need to keep up with the technology arms race. I’m convinced there will be a strong shift to less manipulation and taking greater care at the shooting stage.
i have always enjoyed watching your videos look forward to your new style the boy with the airplane needed to be in b&w i also like the shot of the air conditioners i have used the Harman film I like the vintage look you get from it.
It’s a worthy film to have available, I hope they progress in this direction and give us a faster version (that looks the same 😊).
Hi Steve, I just wanted to tell you that I have watched every one of your videos and not a single one has been boring, I really like the photos you take, I also have to say I really like Liverpool, it's lovely 🙂
Mihal
Awesome, thank you!
Fascinating video Steve! You raised interesting questions about AI and the future of photography, and how we make our images our own. Much to think about there.
That first Harmon image was fab - and I immediately thought of some of Lowry's paintings (wrong city I know!). Those verticals (cranes replacing chimneys) and a busy-ness at ground level.
Keep it up - you are doing fab work 😀.
Thanks Simon, I’ll bet I can never get those cranes and chimneys to line up that well in the future!
Great video , showing Liverpool and its photo opportunities, must have been a early start all the streets are my stomping ground nice to see with a fresh pair of eyes.
It was fairly early Robert, and being a Saturday the business district is very quiet.
Love the Harman 200 shots, very Lowryesque. Appreciate the thoughts on AI and your new approach going forward. Thanks for another great video!
Glad you like them!
17:09 Great image with the Harman. I especially like the coral reds and the vertical lines, of which there are three types (cranes, tower, ship masts). Nostalgic, yet modern feeling. Looks like you also positioned yourself to create sufficient space around each line and avoid overlap. Lovely!
Keep It up, Steve! Your videos are great
Glad you like them!
Im with you on the urban decay , I love it too, I did like the look of the Harmen film too. I hope they don't improve it. I'm doing more project stuff as well, looking g forward to seeing yours . You could never be boring Steve 😊
Thanks Christine, I think I could take decent pictures of Liverpool even with my eyes shut, so much to shoot.
Really excellent video. You covered a lot of ground & it was all very interesting.
Glad you enjoyed it Ted.
Thanks Steve, always great to see what you are seeing. Thanks for the inspiration for urban shots - I also look for geometry, signs and juxtaposition of elements, especially with B&W film. Have yet to use colour film since getting back into analogue in last 2 years.
For info I also picked the same 2 images for Mono conversion.
Fully concur with your thoughts ref AI, but I shall stick to some digital work too for now.
Im quite comfortable using digital too and can see many people happily working with it in a natural way. Part of the enjoyment with film is staying focussed on the shooting and not being distracted by the shots I’ve already taken.
I respect your thoughts on this matter Steve, you do what you need to. All your work is wonderful mate 👍 Totally agree on how you sum up AI and how to chart your own course through it, you mirror my thoughts Steve.
Thanks 👍, somehow the advancing technology is making me happier with my own basic approach.
You’re videos or never boring really inspirational i would say
Thanks Alan 👍
Thank you for this. I am just starting out... For the most part :) This is perfect!!! #BravoZulu
You're so welcome!
That Harmon 200 makes the images look like Gum Bichromate vintage photo's.I like it a lot.Great video Steve,enjoyed it as always 😎
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice call Steve, the change will do you good ( there is a song there somewhere). You’ve obviously got what it takes. I’ve looked at that statue of that boy many times and the Liver Building probably a million times and never put the two together. Nice shot. Liverpool is a good place to combine old and new architecture in one shot.
Thanks David. There’s so much to see and shoot in Liverpool, can’t imagine ever running out of material.
Hello Steve.
Nice new intro and a new look to the video. You have never made a bad video but it is understandable how using the same format can become the same and difficult for you to remain motivated. The new look and feel seems good. It is not to far from what your original goals were. Focusing on what you like, film, is probably the right move for you and as you say, creating the groups of images of doors or the like certainly will help focus you on projects.
I like the changes and I look forward to the next one, probably a little more than before.
Best wishes and good luck, Phillip.
Thanks for your continued support Phillip, I hope to make each video a bit different to the others, rather less predictable and more spontaneous.
@@SteveONions thank's for the reply. Do anything for 8 years and it can get a little stagnant. For old fogies like me, I do not mind but the millennials have a short attention span. Keep trying a few different things to find something that fits your style. Good luck.
Refreshing to see other work from your hand. Interesting to see more of this, also in some kind of book. Also the self-critique really informative. I completely follow your vision on AI. I believe it will be some kind of temporal selfkilling movement. It will distroy all the fun of photography for the photographer, namely the process of being there at a specific moment. Film will always be special. My motto is "do what you like and shoot what you like". I still hope to see you a lot out and about in nature with your large format and medium format film camera. These vdeos and photographs will always interest me.
Thanks Ruud. I enjoy a mix of photographic subjects and find that switching between them stops me from becoming bored.
Amazing.. the buy with the plane, mother out of shot... With the Lived Building in place I took a few years ago.. on my Insta... Sunny day and it looks completely different..👌👍🙏
It’s work well on a dull wet day too, not one for the sun methinks.
Hi Steve very interesting video, chose not to skip anything!
Your decision to change how you shoot is interesting to me, I pretty much shoot in that way, trying to get as much right in camera with minimal editing afterwards but in my case it’s because I loathe sitting at the computer and I can only do the very basics 🤣 looking forward to future videos, I hope you get a lot of pleasure from your new strategies.
Thank you. I think my limited attention span has something to do with the need for change 😊
Your channel is one of the few that is always enjoyable to watch. A lot of photography channels have lost their luster. I think over exposure is bad for photography (pun not intended). I like your approach to selecting images. I also liked the Harman 200 images as well. The graffiti image at 16:30 is good but not so much the framing around it. The image at 17:10, while quite grainy is my favorite. My personal taste when it comes to colour is to have the colours muted. Never been a fan of overly saturated colour images. Keep up the good work!
Glad you enjoyed the video. I also favour muted colours and have a general dislike for saturation and excess in most things.
Some very interesting urban shots. And yes, the statue of the boy and airplane positively drips with intentionality and care. Thanks for the post-shoot critique. Very informative, if perhaps a bit harsh at times.
Thanks Bob, I like to criticise my own work so I’ll try harder next time.
That's fair, so long as you know what you might want to do differently in order to improve it. Hopefully our inner critic can offer encouraging suggestions. I forget which poet said this, but his desire was to "fail better" with each new work.
I’ve watched all your videos Now steve although I am a little late to the party ! What I have noticed is a common theme in all of them and it’s not photography , camera equipment , films or subjects ! Its your enthusiasm to share your interest with other like minded people , are your photos great ? does it matter ! , is your equipment top of the range? again does it matter ! Your ability to keep people watching and waiting for your next video says it all !!!!! Til the next video (when ever ) Take Care .
I’m glad you enjoy the videos and my rambles, if I was forced to review equipment I’d have given up long ago. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years it’s that equipment matters to a point but 90% is about being there and learning to see.
The port shot on Harmon might be interesting on b&w. Interesting video, could see more of this. Thanks.
Thanks Gary.
You are never, ever boring! I doubt your way of photographing, will change!
I went Digital, for last of my pro jobs! I loved that I could shoot, till I dropped! The huge editing after, stopped that nonsense! I had my film cameras, in use!
Harman color makes it expensive, for me! Need to use a lab.. The color and grain seem awful.. Use your phone! The quality of newer ones is good.
The boy plane statue is really wonderful. BW for me! Again a good video. Bravo!
Thanks Jason, phone cameras are far too good for my style of photography
I always look forward to and enjoy your videos Steve , the boy with the plane image looks like a Banksy , I’ve been trying to think of a title for it but I’m struggling.
Hmmm, a title, I like that . . . Now you’ve got me thinking too 🤔
Hey -- yes to film, and yes to the new direction, if this one centered on image analysis is any example. Project-oriented vids also sound like a good idea. A few years back I became preoccupied with doorways on some of the lovely homes here in San Francisco. Thought the project should be called "Entryscapes." Thanks for the vid.
So I’m not the only person fascinated with doors 😊. As a project they work well, they are everywhere and each place has its own style, especially in remote regions.
Great video - thanks again. I think the images at 4:41 and 7:09 would lend themselves to B&W as well - but your choices are spot on as well. Like the new video format.
Glad you enjoyed it Bob.
The .new film is a new tool in the bag. Originality is the goal. Let's hear it for black borders and the decisive moment.🤓😎🤓
Yours is one of a small number of favourite photography channels.
I wondered if in the future you might share your ‘workflow’ and how you organize your negatives and digital scans?
Maybe one day Matthew, I’m always reluctant as it’s constantly changing (although I think I’m close to something sustainable now).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, have to say that I enjoy your videos and the way you keep things real. I only shoot digital because of the cost of film but always learn something from your ramblings as you would put it. 😅 I like the more simplified way of taking an image and really enjoy using manual focus lenses, it makes me feel like I'm at least having some input into an image. The creativity and sense of satisfaction for me is the reason to take the image. AI is obviously a very powerful tool but it's nice to know that you'll be keeping to the more traditional methods of photography.
I do like using manual focus lenses when I have the time but you cant beat autofocus for working quickly.
Steve I swapped my old(er) etrs with the ae-II for the slightly newer sq-a today! Got the dumb prism, wlvf, and grip without spending a penny! I love your work and it has really opened my eyes to square format!
I’m pleased you like the 1:1 format, it does tend to divide opinion but I love it.
Thanks Steve - I love the variety of ways you create images , with Holgas and pinholes - medium and large fomat - its all about the process - not the "perfect finished image" - one of my best photo outings I used an olympus OM-1n hadnt loaded the film properly - I was completely absorbed - in the groove framing and composing each shot waiting for the light - metering choosing and using filters etc. Id had great day out and even the complete lack of negatives didnt spoil that.
Well at least you saved some money on that outing 😊
Because of advanced age my hands tremble! I have to use a monopod! My work has improved enough to make up for the aggravation of the loss of freehand freedom!! A good ball head makes the transition easier to accept!
The improved steadiness allows shutter speeds down to a quarter second and any f stop! I am now free to
enjoy my love again. Thanks again for your thoughts on Ilford XP 2 it's become my choice for all my latest work!
Great video, Steve. That's the main reason I started shooting with film (color and BW). Post processing is usually as I would in the darkroom. In color, I do tend to pump up the vibrancy some and will move a piece of debris in both medium . Thanks. KB
Thanks Ken. I know it’s often said that once you digitise a film shot there’s no difference in what you can do in post but I find that people tend to apply much more gentle manipulations.
@@SteveONions yep Steve, agree. Basically, I just think of digitizing film and printing (pretending) as my virtual darkroom. I just don't have the time and energy for the wet darkroom . So no need to go the full post processing route . It just makes shooting with film more fun. Thanks. KB
Don’t knock your style. Not been watching for 6 or 7 years so don’t know if you peaked but love what you do. Was going to have a weekend in Liverpool but hotel was rubbish so came home. Need to realise that stuff can go wrong but work round it. I need to stop relying on the phone and get the camera proper out you do it brilliantly.
Cheers Mike 👍
My right ear enjoyed this video
Sorry ☺️
I totally agree with your take (pardon the pun) on A.I, smart phone and philosophy of your photography. In the past 12 months I have managed to dig myself out of the rabbit hole I was going down. I still do shoot digital but have gone to early digital when there was the cross over between film and digital. These cameras and their tech place similar constraints on you similar to film. You have to work harder to get a half decent photograph. That is no bad thing and makes photography ‘real’ for me. I have also purchase several 35mm SLRs. a 6X6 and a 6x9 bellows camera. I’ll likely shoot mostly B&W on those. I can develop them at home and enjoy that ‘start to finish’ ownership of my work ending with a print. I put up 3 gallery style shelves at the back of the living room that I got from IKEA which weren’t that expensive. Anyways enough rambling on. Good work Steve!
Thank you. Basic equipment and black and white film are my preferred tools but I get your point about early digital and its useful limitations.
I've seen a bunch of these videos now reviewing Harman film. I'm not so keen on the results in low light. Or the lack of sharpness. I believe it's still in the development stage and could be improved upon in the coming years.
I think you got some great images with it and did a great job of showing it's capabilities and where it's not so forgiving. Absolutely love the huge graffiti shot.
It’s not a great film when viewed objectively but it just looks marvellous on the right subjects!
Steve, I think we all sooner or later find ourselves re examining our photography and finding new directions. It seems the number of photography related videos has falling off dramatically. Those that were basically gear reviewers have found less and less new gear to review with fewer and fewer new items to review as folks seem to be moving away from the photo "fad" with their cell phones or have become disillusioned that buying new gear hasn't really improved their work. One of my favorite youtubers who review primarily older gear, the Angry Photographer has stopped making photo videos. As diverse and complex as photography can be, after 20 years of hundreds of folks making photo videos, it has pretty much been all covered at least a half dozen times. Your videos stand out because you are a photographer, not a gear collector and not only know what you are talking about, but teach it so well. I have a roll of IR film in one back and will re watch your videos. Oh, will be screwing on a softar filter ahead of the IR filter to give me that glow missing in modern IR film. Your film lessons have been invaluable. Many of us found new inspiration returning to film... and approaching it in a new way and you guided us on that journey. You showed us how you too enjoyed choosing a film camera, film stock for particular shots. That adds a whole new dimension to a shoot and new tools to use to create our vision.
I’m glad you enjoy the videos and like you I miss angry Ken’s gear (lens) reviews. The incremental improvements in still cameras are getting harder to measure and largely focussed on video and noise reduction, not something I’m looking for.
The Harman shots look really neat, you inspired me to buy some but after seeing it’s $22 a roll in my area, I’ll have to think about it haha.
Ouch, a lot cheaper over here.
How exciting, a man doing what he wants to do, excellent. Personally I'd love it if you dropped the "without further ado" but otherwise it's a great new format. Cheers 👍
Without further ado consider it dropped! 😀
liked this one , nice to see something a bit different
Thanks John.
I like this format too. Glad to see the quirky b-roll-shots are gone. And here is a thought: the more average day, down-to-the-moment you make your videos, the more people can actually relate. There is nothing wrong with beautiful Snowdonia-videos but a) they are aplenty and b) Snowdonia is a long way to go for most of us. But shooting the streets of Liverpool or your local forrest is very relatable to a Dane living in Copenhagen.
Thanks Jens, only been to Copenhagen once when my daughter lived there but plenty of great photo opportunities (and so few people!).
The drydock with the skycranes behind is very 'Lowry' like, the muted neutral tones really set off the reds, agree, a bit more exposure will give em more punch. Lovely composition.
Thanks Tony, I really like that shot and I’m glad I’d run out of Portra a few minutes earlier 😀
@@SteveONions Kodak seem to operate on false economy, the price for Portra is insane! If cottage industry can bring affordable colour film into the market, they're are missing a trick, supply a demand or go away. Their chemistry is becoming less relevant now, also, companies like Bellini are getting in to a vacuum which is still clearly open, I want to support this growing enterprise ,I think it's great.
Love the shots around Liverpool - and I think you may be a bit hard on yourself. You have a great eye for really creative images.
Thanks Graham.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. (ramble) See you next time
Thanks for coming 😊
Personally I enjoy your videos. You do have a new, interesting twist.
Glad you like them!
Interesting video Steve and I enjoyed and agreed with your critique. Find the boy and plane image particularly strong and meaningful. Love the grain in the Harman film, and the colours too, but perhaps only for urban photography I think. It really looked an awful quality film!!😂 Love your “waffle” so as I’ve said before, please don’t be so hard on yourself.
I do think Phoenix 200 is an urban film and coming from the Mobberley factory it’s well suited to our grim northern weather ☔️
What I currently like is shooting BW film on my nikon F3.
Scanning it with a GFX50s, but!!! With an Nikon 55mm 3.5.
It smears the corners. It is not perfectly sharp. It gives the scans of my BW images a very oldtimey vibe, but at a rather large resolution.
And I love it!
Some of my favourite images have come from older lenses with dubious corner resolution, it brings your eye into the centre.
I know that you may not agree with me Steve, but those subjects were begging for something like Kodachrome, RIP. I think the one @ 4:41 was begging for B&W film. Highly entertaining as always with great photography. Thank you. PS: That Harman film is something that I would have expected from LOMO, like their Metropolis. It does have a sort of Bleach Bypass look.
I’ll bet they’d sell boatloads of Kodachrome if they could reformulate it for E6, the muted palette would stand out against the modern saturated vibe.
I agree 100% with you Steve. I miss Kodachrome so much to tell the truth. I doubt if they could adapt E6 to Kodachrome. As you know Kodachrome was 3 layers of B&W emulsion that went through a colour process. Maybe they could bring out an Ektachrome that could emulate the Kodachrome colour Palette and dynamic range. Now that would be worth paying money for. I have to admit it , but I have a Kodachrome Preset that works rather well with digital files. It is close' but no fat cigar, maybe just a cigarello. I think it works better than others because I have to change the camera profile to a custom Kodachrome one before applying the preset. Good talking to you Steve.@@SteveONions
At the end of this Video I think you sum up everything that we all should be doing in Photography getting away from all this over processed style everyone seems to enjoy producing millions of poor to mediocre Images with hundred of likes on social media not because the images are any good but because they have large number of followers that have not got a clue as what makes a good Photograph, look forward to your revised style, regards, Colin, great video by the way.
Thank you 🙂
The AI-topic fits to my "style": using film, a simple camera (OM 1, Practica L1 and/or Leica IIf) a lightmeter and my eyes - it's a kind of taking pictuers (you like) by fair means......ok, digital/IPhone is a nice add on, but for me just for documentation, not for taken pictures.................some rolls of film, a darkroom, smelly chemicals, paper, prints - but I let the digital users do what they want, lovely pics created this way, yes, but not my cup of tea. ;-) BTW like your vids/channel. Regards from Germany.
A simple film camera and a few rolls of film are a great way to explore a subject, even if the same result can be achieved with a smartphone.
Never found your videos boring, Steve, but if you're bored, by all means change the pace. By the way, I, for one, liked the entrance photo; the smallness of the sign adds a bit of comic pathos to the image. Liverpool seems to be a very fertile source of subjects new and old. I hope we won't be deprived of those moors and mountains, though.
Thanks Bernard. There’s no chance of me forsaking the mountains, I had a hike into Snowdonia last week and more are planned.
You must be doing something right, Mr. O'Nions because at 12:09, into your photo summary, I was immediately drawn into a double comparison, before you said anything.
The stair way is very reminiscent of Cartier-Bresson's - 'Principles of a Practice' - albeit without 'le vélo'.
The doorway took my mind straight to Eugene Atget, and his pictures of old Paris.
The lighting of the doorway is pure Atget.
If a clear shot were available, with a soft(ish), lens, this would be, absolutely 'Eugene'.
So: crack on!
Thanks Michael, there’s a wealth of information in the City and never the same twice.
I think you are amount best online
Aww, thanks 😊
Short tip (cause i appreciate your videos): If you're using premiere, there's a "balance left with right" audio effect which will help with weird directional audio stuff
I did cock up here so apologies, it sounded OK’ish on the headphones but I should have spent more time balancing it out 😟
“Rising Bollards Operate” 😂
🙂
Phoenix is measured at 125 scientifically, and works well there. It works even better if you pull it, in ideal circumstances... since that tames grain and adds some latitude, but "64 ISO film but also cloudy out and low dynamic range" is not a very winning recipe usually in real life if you want to hand hold. I tend to shoot at 125. It's my favorite color film, it's so beautiful all the time. I like keeping it simple and low detail, the crazy grain makes it look like a painting with lots of bokeh and low busy-ness. And a large isolated subject has enough detail if it takes up a lot of the frame.
It was a struggle to get enough speed to shoot handheld in the dull conditions and I was fortunate that only one shot was soft. I find the look of this film absolutely beautiful and I hope they can retain those characteristics but get the true speed up to around ISO 400 (or more).