Ravenscourt Park

The walled garden

/ mikeosbornphoto / 23 Comments

This little gem is literally around the corner from my new home. I’ve been there many times over the years, but it’s now part of the neighbourhood.

At the moment, the walled garden in Ravenscourt Park is bristling with blooms and is a real oasis of natural calm. Visitors amble through the gates for a tranquil few moments, while young couples steal some time to themselves on the sheltered benches that line the old walls.

Such a small space can produce an unexpected array of shots. You have to be very discreet to attempt any candid shots, and I largely failed in that pursuit on this warm, sun-kissed evening.

Summer was alive and well, and a far cry from some of the photos I captured here in the grip of the icy winter.

Click first image for the full gallery experience

Here’s a selection of related posts you might also enjoy:

Anatomy of a rose

Park moments

Waterlilies

The rebirth of film

/ mikeosbornphoto / 43 Comments

Zenit macroZenith-3

It’s been more than seven months since I took delivery of my 1968 Zenit-3 camera, a beautiful, mechanical beast from the Soviet Union promising the retro joy of film photography and a new way of looking through the lens.

I soon became used to its weight and vintage clunkiness, the lack of battery and digital function. A flurry of enthusiasm was dampened by my lack of experience, leading to the pain of ruining an entire film of shots.

The heady smell of my Zenit’s leather case was left untouched for months before I dived in for another attempt. This time I minimised the risk of destroying another roll of film by winding it back prematurely. That was after fast-shooting in an afternoon to avoid further long delays.

Well the first results were returned, and it evoked the boyhood memory of checking a sheet of negatives against the light. Yes, I had shots, although some had failed due to overexposure on a very bright day.

This selection of monochrome images are simple, safe and taken around my west London neighbourhood of Hammersmith and Ravenscourt Park.

Click first image to launch the gallery

Was it worth the wait? I love the grain to these shots. They feel entirely different to the crisp images produced by my Fuji X-E1. The focus and depth on the garden wall image is very good, while the floral images have a compelling quality in black and white.

But the initial results of this return to film expose how digital has dulled my instincts for the technicalities of photography. I had to made blunt guesses about aperture and exposures – although analogue aficionado Stephen Dowling says a pocket light meter is a must. These photos, taken on a sunny day, seem a little bleached and lack the strength of contrast monochrome offers.

However, the Zenit makes me think differently about taking pictures and often goes against my usual thinking. It obviously has practical drawbacks and requires the effort we used to exert without a moment’s worry.

Right now the camera is sitting idly and may not be picked up again for a while. But after 45 years in existence, this patient creature is always ready for the next assignment with its latest – still wet behind the ears – owner.

Made in USSRRead the first post about my new Soviet friend here

Back to the benches

/ mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

An autumn walk in Ravenscourt Park, west London. This is the place to find some light, air and nature close to my home in west London. These trio of benches are a familiar sight. They sit enclosed in a grassed area and don’t seem to attract many sitters.

This is also a photographic revisit. I took a shot of these seats a year ago, and it became the first post on my Flickr feed.

A year is a long time in photography, and this time I wanted to attain a more adventurous angle and stronger contrast in the edit. The original seems safer, while the composition is less than sharp. Personally, I’m happier with the return to the benches. Do you agree?…

As a footnote, there is something irresistible about capturing empty seats, whether they’re in Ravenscourt or an entire row of them in Battersea Park across London.

Tufty red paws

/ mikeosbornphoto / 5 Comments

I quite like cute furry animals, but I certainly don’t go out of my way to photograph them. They’re not really my thing – I prefer a landscape, architectural detail or a more solid subject.

But this little chap practically presented himself for a photo while on a walk round Ravenscourt Park, one of my neighbourhood green spots. The moment was right and I could hardly deny him his moment, paws neatly clasped and striking a pose.

The distinct touch of russet is a reminder of our less robust native red squirrels here in Britain, which have largely given way to their sturdier grey cousins. In any case, I was glad to have clicked the shutter this time.