‘strewth, I cannot believe we are in March already.

Today is grim, just like so many days so far this winter, grim, wet and windy, not a good day for dogs, but a good day to check over gear inside and ruminate at the announcement of the passing of yet another great product – Fuji FP100C. I can recall the joy at sourcing a back for my large format cameras to take this wonderful instant film  but I suppose the earlier passing of its sibling B&W 3000 should have been an ominous warning that the Grim Reaper was approaching. I have never known anything like this film for wondrous skin tones in properly lit situations and recovering the negatives provides unique alternative images every time.

I have had to source a new lab for my C41 processing after the demise of Redwood in Colchester so I’m glad to be sitting inside in the dry waiting for the postman’s knock with a package from Paek-Imaging. They rarely knock twice these days. I am still quite swift of feet and many is the time that a delivery person is already backing halfway down our very short footpath to the pavement by the time I get to the front door. God help me when I get older!

I’m hoping for 48 medium format and 10 large format negatives today that are all from Muntons maltings at Stowmarket, the latest location in my continued Edgelands series.

Last week was very busy. I was earning a crust in London Monday-Wednesday and waking up to wonderful dawns and being very frustrated at not being able to be out in the field. That is the way it has been this winter. I also had an editorial and layout meeting with Eddie Ephraums who is producing my limited edition catalogue for the closing of  the Edgelands exhibition at the Museum of East Anglian Life. Progress is being made in leaps and bounds.

Last Thursday was very busy indeed with Kate Jackson’s PV at Culford School and the UCS Fine Art Auction being held at the same time. I was already committed to Kate’s PV so Mrs O forged down to the campus to bid. I got back there about a third of the way through the quite feverish auction. I’m glad I met up with Kate again as we are planning a collaborative event once she has got the promotion done for her new album.

I’ve also been testing Canson Infinity paper again. I don’t think I have ever come across an inkjet paper that has such a colour gamut. At four times the price of my normal paper I’ll have to hold back and dome images it has to be said suit the cheaper paper better with the optical brighteners, but for archival work and tonal range it really cannot be bettered in my opinion.

Hopefully I’ll have some processed negatives to post later this week.

Oh, and by the way, I heard then saw my first kingfisher of the season yesterday at twilight whilst I was site at Muntons. Marvellous!