I've spent the last 6 years enjoying exploring the capabilities of antique cameras and historical process to create wonderfully pleasing images. Follow links above or from the top menu to explore the different types of image making I am working with. My Blog and Instagram feed show my latest work.
If you’d like to collaborate, book a talk for your camera club or simply have a question for me, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Up-coming presentations:

Wye Valley Camera Club: 19-02-2025

Wells Camera Club: 17-05-2025

Busy morning testing lighting options for photographing a new series of fruit images in 1890 halfplate tailboard camera. #wetplatecollodion to make #ambrotypes

#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,

Always great to visit the Welsh #Waterfalls- #sgwdgwladys (Gwladus) #breconbeacons #breconbeaconsnationalpark #waterfallcountry - today with my large (full plate6.5x8.5”) 1920s camera and the 1910 Victo half plate - with the sturdy #gandolfi tripod - it was a workout carrying all this with 10 film holders and a reducing back for the Sanderson. #Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,

Flooded Curry Moor, Somerset.
Thornton Pickard Triple Extension Full Plate Camera (Circa 1920)
The XRay film negative has been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#Somerset #somersetphotographer #somersetphotography
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Back to Hodders Combe, Quantock, Somerset to try some double exposure images of moving water; one long, one short. Prompted by an idea from John Blakemore.
Each full-plate negative has been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#thorntonpickard
#longexposure
#doubleexposure
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Testing Blue Agfa X ray film out in the rain with @petesworldtoday at Avonmouth silos- shot with #alvista #panoramic camera. 9cmx30cm. ISO200 1/30s f6.8
Graininess of this blue film adds to the wet-misty atmosphere of the day.
#Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#Studiothree_Gallery

St Martin’s Church, Worle. Testing out recently purchased “blue” ( as opposed to the usual green) X Ray film in my full plate (8.5x6.5”) camera. This camera is a #thorntonpickard #imperial triple extension #camera from c1910 and will be #forsale soon. Comes with roller shutter 2 film holders and a brass lens f8-f64 - used for this photograph. Contact me if you are interested and in the UK.

Testing two things at the same time: Effect of focal length on Pinhole camera image sharpness ( 37cm, 50cm, 66cm then 50cm but closer to subject.) And the latest addition to the camera collection a full plate sized Houghton Victo triple extending camera with a half plate sprung reducing back in fantastic condition. #pinholecamera #largeformatphotography #houghtonvicto #antiquecamera

Lovely sunrise at #rspbhamwall #beautifulsomerset

Exhilarating to experience the morning lift-off of the starling roost at #rspbhamwall - photographed here with three antique Alvista #panoramic cameras onto #largeformat #xrayfilm - exposure times controlled by the air-resistance on the different sized fans attached to the clockwork mechanisms. 1/8 1/5 and 1/4 s approximately!

Wonderful starling and sunset display this evening at Ham Wall#rspbhamwall #murmuration #starling #somerset #somersetlevels

Back to Woodspring Priory with the Sanderson Full Plate camera c1920 - Nature re-claiming an outbuilding
The negative has been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Sanderson Full Plate camera c1920 - trying big lenses - Dalmayer Pentac F2.9 and Rodenstock F4.5 with a self-madeGravity (guillotine) shutter, 1:30s
Woodspring Priory area -
The negatives have been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_gallery #landmarktrust #woodspringpriory #platecamera

My latest post (sorry!)
Houghton Victo Stereo Half Plate c1900
Ross Homocentric 10” F8 lens on F22, 1:30s
Woodspring Priory area - always loved this old (lone) post - low sun accentuated the weathered grain. Now it has no functional purpose- but the place would be less without it ………
The negative has been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_gallery #visitnorthsomerset #visitweston

Successful test of the recently re-commissioned early 1900s’ Houghton “Victo Triple”. #largeformatphotography,#cameracollector #camerarepair
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#Studiothree_Gallery
#artspacecreatives
#alternativephotographicprocesses
#clevedoncraftcentre

A stormy Saturday afternoon’s work: Re-assembled the early 1900s’ Houghton “Victo Triple” having made repairs to the crusty bellows and cleaned the corroded brass in citric acid and tomato ketchup. #largeformatphotography,#cameracollector #camerarepair
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#Studiothree_Gallery
#artspacecreatives
#alternativephotographicprocesses
#clevedoncraftcentre

Lovely morning to catch the tide at Woodspring Priory with the 10x8 “New Countess” field camera with a Ross Homocentric 10” F8 lens onto X Ray film.

#Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#Studiothree_Gallery
#artspacecreatives
#alternativephotographicprocesses
#clevedoncraftcentre #visitnorthsomerset

Busy day working with the latest auction find of early 1900s plate cameras. Bellows to repair, ground glass to make(thank you @petesworldtoday ), shutter to repair- hours of fun: looking forwards to making new photographs with them! #largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Kodak Panorams (4B&C) from early 1900s. taking Views of The Black Mountains in Herefordshire: Black Hill & #olchon valley. Great stay @ty_gwyn_cider The 4”x10” XRay negatives are photographed on a light-table, inverted and toned in Photoshop/Lightroom/SilverFX
#landscapephotography #herefordshire
#kodakpanoram
#panoram
#panoramic
#Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#Studiothree_Gallery
#visitsomerset
#clevedoncraftcentre

Enjoyable morning with photographing the Monnow Bridge & Gate at Monmouth (c1300). This is Britain’s only bridge with a fortified gate on its span.
The negative has been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Lovely walk in autumn sun along the English-Welsh border - Black Hill, Herefordshire

#Lith print of X-Ray film neg. taken with 1910 Sanderson Full Plate camera. Paper is vintage Kodak Bromide WSG Normal 2 (Packet price label 6/2 so pre 1971) Chemistry Moersch Easylith (used for three days - toped up each day with 10+10 A&B, 1:20 Exposed +3 stops dev tray in waterbath 50C - 8 minutes. They are part of the Bristol Bulk Handling Terminal. Coal is unloaded from ships and moved from the dockside up into these silos on conveyor belts from where it is dropped into moving trains to be taken off for burning in power stations. According to the operators a 1750 tonne train moving at a steady 1 kph can be loaded automatically in 36 minutes. The silos are made of steel and can also handle fertilisers and cereals. There are a few construction photos on the website of website of Fairport Engineering ( https://www.fairport.co.uk/portfolio/bristol-port-authority-avonmouth/), one of the engineering firms that designed and built them.
(info credit to http://www.prewettbizley.com/graham-bizley-blog) #Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#studiothree_gallery

A dull grey day - perfect for staying in and doing some #lith prints of recent X-Ray film negs. This of a silo at Avonmouth #largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Celebrating the #texturesinnature - #lichen found on a dead branch on #exmoor (Pool Bridge). Full Plate image on #xrayfilm . 1920s Thornton Pickard Triple Extension #largeformatcamera with 10” lens on #f64 , 1 minute exposure. Photographed with 40MP Camera on light table and inverted in PhotoShop. #largeformatphotography,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Enjoyable morning with photographing at Berrow - The Wreck of the Nornen (1897)with antique Thornton Pickard Imperial triple (1910) vintage Kodak Process plates (EBay un-opened pack from 1950s)
The negative has been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#dryglassplate
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_gallery #visitsomerset #nornen

Recently acquired ( Frome Wessex Camera Fayre) https://www.facebook.com/share/xoUpBcrvBwT1JgVM/?mibextid=LQQJ4d) Thornton Pickard Triple Extension Full Plate Camera (Circa 1920) seemed to have sound bellows at first but closer inspection revealed bad insect and mould damage - fortunately almost entirely restricted to the extreme ends. I was able to remove a couple of folds at each end to get rid of the worst of the damage and re-fix into the excellent quality frame (much better than the example I already own). Holes in the rest of the bellows were fixed from the inside by patching with silk shutter curtain and contact adhesive.

The Ross Homocentric 10” F8 lens is in very good condition, the roller shutter needed a new curtain.

First test shot in the garden f22 2s
#Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#Studiothree_Gallery
#artspacecreatives
#alternativephotographicprocesses
#clevedoncraftcentre #visitnorthsomerset

Recent acquisition of a very rough Al vista 5D panoramic camera has now undergone refurbishing- broken case repaired, leather “bellows” replaced - first test today in the field was successful - this lens has a diaphragm aperture. A fan was used to slow exposure to 1/6s F22. On X Ray film ISO 100. The negative is photographed on a light-table, inverted and toned in Photoshop/Lightroom/SilverFX
#multiscope
#al-Vista
#alvista
#panoramic
#facesofclevedon
#Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler
#Studiothree_Gallery
#alternativephotographicprocesses
#clevedoncraftcentre
#visitnorthsomerset

Enjoyable morning with @petesworldtoday photographing at Aust with antique Sanderson full plate camera (1910) on X-ray film.
The negatives have been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive. #severnbridge #riversevern

#Xrayfilm
#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

Enjoyable morning photographing with antique 1910 Sanderson Whole Plate camera. Using vintage Kodak glass process plates with some enhancing artefacts.
The negatives have been photographed on a light table and digitised into photoshop for inversion to a positive.

#windmill
#birnbeckpier
#burnhamlowlighthouse #chapelallerton #birnbeckregenerationtrust #birnbeck

#largeformatphotography,
#largeformatcameras,
#analoguephotography,
#diydeveloping,
#vintagecamera,
#largeformat,
#darkroomprint,
#blackandwhite,
#studiothree_galler

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Contact Me

oldparson@me.com

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Contact Me