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  • Project Powerbox

    Late 2025 into early/mid 2026 I was running a bit of an ongoing photography project with my Canon EOS300D camera. Really, it was the main thing keeping the camera in my possession as it kind of gave it the legitimate reason to hold onto. Well… I sold it, and along with the sale the project stopped. No real reason why it would, but it did. So here we are, an unfinished project shared for all.

    Project Powerbox.

    The goal of the project was pretty simple – find a powerbox/telephone exchange box/utilities box with art on it, and take a photo. I dont know about you and where you live reader, but we have them all over the show – the older the community the better. No ugly green or grey boxes – just spaces which were once a blank canvas asking for an artist to display their talents.

    Generally no two look the same. Some are clearly commissioned work and if in a shopping village area, carry the same colours and themes with them. Some have art specific to the place they sit. Others are just random pieces. Though all are by artists, some are likely paid and others just people wanting a splash of colour – or to paint over tagging.

    What is pretty common is the art being NZ/Kiwi based – local landmarks, rolling scenery, native birds are a big popular one. They are cool – they serve a purpose to turn ugly boxes into something. To give ones eyes a moment to wander on a walk or when stuck in traffic.

    Technically, each and every example shown here needs permission of the box owner and/or local council. Thats fair – Im not sure all have it, or that the owners would paint over in bland green if someone didn’t ask permission. I’d like to think not – as long as no damage to the unit or its locks occurs.

    Even though I stopped the project, I often pass more new ones I had not noticed or discovered before. Part of me regrets stopping the project – but then again, nothing is stopping me picking it up with a different camera at some stage. I guess unless making a book or presentation out of it – why?

    OK. Im running out of words for today, so thats the lump sum of them all. That very last one in the above group is the one shot not made on the Canon – I recall it being in the car and pulling out my phone. It was a very sunny day and the phones exposure was terrible. The much older 300D generally performed great for a 6.3MP beast.

    OK. Something else next time!

  • Holga Week 2026

    Life can be busy at times. I almost missed Holga week. Holga week? – yes, one week in the year where people head out with their Holga cameras, whatever the model (well, technically film only) and shoot some buttery blurry film.

    Armed with Lucky SHD400 120 film and my trusty Holga 120N, I headed out to burn off 12 shots

    First stop, Mairangi Bay and a shot of a recent growing landslide with mini person. I attempted a not thought out triple exposure. It didn’t work. I am so many years out of double exposure practice that I used to be ok at… will have to try again planning ahead some time.

    We then ventured to Motat for a tram ride and visit of the olden day technology. There is something about film and trams I enjoy. Period wise, they simply make sense with basic limited control black and white photography. I’ll have to continue that on with some box camera or pinhole camera shots some time in the future!

    A few shots I tried the multiple shutter pressing technique for low light. It mostly worked… I needed to press it several more times for the second failure below!… The opening photo was a dual push one as I leant against the wall – I like that one.

    Rounding off the film (but thats only 11 shots Michael! – yes, I kept a close up of family out) we have a high angle of an old truck. It almost looks like a toy – but is a full size wagon!

    And thats it for me, Holga week! Done.

  • Through Someone’s Vintage Eyes – Dundee Scotland

    A short sail North places our adventurer in Dundee Scotland. Founded in the 11th Century, it is currently Scotland’s 4th largest city. A big industrial port at the time, Dundee FC (Football) competed in division 1 and finished 9th!

    Most of the above shots are Tayport from the River Tay. That may be the McManus in the final image – makes sense as near the Tay. Once a church (perhaps obviously), it was rebuilt into a museum/art gallery.

    Looks like our adventurer had friends or family in the area. the elderly couple is Mr & Mrs Stott. The first image is our traveller(?) and Val. The last is Janice. The other guy is Elex Stott (Not a typo – thats how its written on the slides) – the one on the hillside, him on the Sidlaw Hills.

    Check out that countryside. Beautiful.

    A little more of the city, we see the Tay Bridge – about 80 years old at the time of the photo being taken – 3265m long. The other images, looking North from Law Hill.

    The wind up set, part of the same series from my opening photo is ~Dundee Centre. Packed streets with people walking up the cobble/brick roads.

    I’ll finish with another from the countryside. It just looks so calm and peaceful.

  • Through Someones Vintage Eyes – Edinburgh 1965

    Its been a while!

    Today we dig into a new series of slides from our unknown traveler – The United Kingdom – or more precisely this episode , Edinburgh Scotland.

    Dated 1965,. Edinburgh was going through a massive infrastructure change around this time – steam locomotive transitioning to diesel, sections of the M8 motorway opening, the ending of capital punishment and transition to life sentences.

    The opening shot is the view of the city from the castle battlement.

    A few more shots of the city before turning around for a view of the castle. Situated on Castle Rock, people have inhabited the site since the Bronze Age! The castle itself started in one version of another in the 11th century – with royals living there until 1633. Its seen a few battles over these years!

    That canon above is called Mons Meg – its a big canon with a barrel diameter of 20 inches. The barrel broke in 1680, but its since been restored. I like that phone box just sitting inside a castle walkway.

    The above series help remind us the benefits of modern digital (and auto focusing) technology. Multiple shots, perhaps slow shutter speeds or something – just a bit of missed focus all around. Still, everyone would have been recognisable and look to be having fun. The lady in red is marked as being called ‘Betty’ – she is the closing one of today:

  • Ilford Micro -Neg Pan Type B on Tram Day

    Weekend been featured ‘Tram Day’ at our local technology museum Motat. What better a subject to take out a roll of my vintage (60’s) 6ASA Ilford Micro-Neg Pan Type B film. Armed with the Canon EOS 10 (one of the few SLR’s which can shoot sprocket-less) and a nifty fifty set to 1.8 for the vast majority of the shots.

    As with my opening image above, there is something cool about the feel of this combination. Wide open adds a touch of vintage softness in look and feel, the film itself is high contrast and old…add a few trams from a golden age – what a combo.

    It was a pretty challenging day light wise really – bright sun in the most part combined with the naturally high contrast film made a few scenes difficult (like that one of a train in the distance above). Overall I was pretty pleased with the result. As you might recall in another post about this film, I went part’s with a mate in purchasing it. He’s not had much luck With what he shot. Don’t know if its roll of a dice or different developing techniques – Im not getting the same issue with what we think is emulsion lifting. Different part of the roll – I have more film left, so may yet experience it.

    It was great to see all these old trains and trams out in live action. I loved the steam tram – I had not seen that one before. I was also amazed how many working trams they have in action also. A lot of the conductors and drivers (in full uniform) are the engineers who work on restoring them and there is no shortage of volunteers of all ages – great to see younger people (I’ll admit Im not young anymore) getting into historical transport from a age long gone.

    [Digital] Developing wise, I just reversed the negatives and added a boarder. I didn’t apply a full monochrome selector as I love the slightly sepia that came from the film. Again – adding to the age.

    The fourth shot in the above was inside the train. ‘Usually’ on F1.8 and say a 400ASA film you can get away with indoor shots. Not sure where I had a mind blank about being on 6ASA, but it was about a 15 second shot…’this won’t work’ I said – I was right, but Its still an interesting shot (to me).

    Old army trucks – another good theme for this film. But I ran out. I had gone a little bit snappy on the trams and before I knew it the film was out. Not to worry – a fun outing, a successful few images from a film long past its time.

    More of something photo’s next time!