France

Nantes Cathedral

Black And White Photography, Ian, Photography

One of my first photos inside the cathedral since the 2019 fire…

Shot on the Nikon FE with Ilford HP5+ inside Nantes Cathedral — a space that rewards patience. The high vaulted ceilings and narrow stained windows create pools of dramatic contrast that HP5+ handles beautifully at box speed. The challenge is managing the exposure gap between illuminated stonework and deep shadows; letting the highlights roll off rather than forcing them gives the image its weight. See the full article: Waiting for the Light: Reclaiming the Cathedral with Ilford HP5+ on IJM Photography.

Tu es magique

Black And White Photography, Ian, Photography

NIkon FE HP5

A Clisson afternoon with the Nikon FE and HP5+. The medieval town’s light — diffused through narrow streets and stone archways — is exactly what HP5+ is calibrated for. The grain structure stays tight in the midtones, giving faces and surfaces real presence. Working at wider apertures keeps the shutter speed honest while pulling the subject cleanly from the background. See the full article: Clisson — A Guilty Pleasure on IJM Photography.

Nantes Street Photography

Black And White Photography, Ian, Photography

Nikon FE HP5 edited in Lightroom

Nantes in monochrome — the Nikon FE and HP5+ on the streets. Street photography in black and white demands that you read light fast and commit to the frame before the moment dissolves. HP5+ tolerates a stop of overexposure without losing shadow detail, giving you latitude to expose for the subject rather than the scene. Edited in Lightroom to preserve the film grain structure rather than suppress it. See the full article: You Can’t Buy Happiness, But… on IJM Photography.

Clisson on a bad day

Black And White Photography, Ian, Photography

You don’t always get the great weather but you go out anyway? You adapt and get over not having gorgeous weather and golden hour to do the work for you.

Flat light doesn’t mean no light — it just means the contrast has to come from the subject rather than the sky. The Nikon FE and Kodak Tri-X on a grey Clisson afternoon. Overcast conditions are ideal for black and white; the even illumination lets you build contrast locally rather than battling it globally. The grain here carries the mood that the weather denies. See the full article: Messing About Along the River in Clisson on IJM Photography.