Wrapping up Summer on Ilford's HP5 Plus 400
My favorite season is easily the end of Summer. The first day that requires a light jacket is always a great day.
Two men walking along a path near the Tacoma Waterfront at Dune Peninsula
I'll be honest, it look me a minute to remember what film I'd loaded in this camera; but once I remembered that it was this B&W film I immediately caught these guys walking by. I love their style and the contrast between their shirts really made them stand out. There's a symmetry to their fashion and haircuts, but contrast between their shirts and shoes.
People sitting at benches, tables, and even a rock at the Dune Peninsula
When I went out the sun was already starting to set and I was losing light quickly, so I had to open the aperture pretty wide to get these shots. With the black and white film it's hard to tell, but you can definitely see some of the lights kicking on at the Port of Tacoma.
It was a beautiful sunset and the lack of hues in these shots really let these photos highlight what folks are doing at the park as opposed to what we're all there to see.
People fishing in the Puget Sound
I haven't shot many rolls of this film stock but I am really happy with how much detail there is on the subject and how the background fades away. Even more so than the normal blur you get from having a wide-open aperture.
One of my personal fears is getting stuck in a rut with my 9-to-5 and letting that prevent me from getting out on weekdays. These shots are important to me because these folks all ended up here on a weekday just to get out and enjoy the evening fishing.
Left: A couple plugging their ears from the train horn Right: A paddle boarder in front of the USS Cape Intrepid
When I first got to Tacoma I ended up at the wrong spot and was out taking a few shots before I realized I was supposed to meet my friend down the road. There are always trains passing by and the horn was a little too loud for this couple on the left. On the right you can see a paddle boarder making her way back to shore with the USS Cape Intrepid.
Left: A family looking out over the Puget Sound, possibly at an Otter. Right: Folks walking around a rock covered dune.
The next time I come back I'd like to bring my Nikon DSLR with the 50mm or the 70-300mm to get some more up-close shots. Overall, I really love this film stock for B&w. I did overexpose some of the shots by lowering the ISO dial on the camera and I'm really stoked about how it turned out.
When in doubt, blow it out.