Black & White Memories - old photographs revisited
74Let's get the technical bit out of the way first
The black & white pictures here were shot in Summer, 1979, in and around Oban, West Scotland, on a Russian Zenith E SLR, using Ilford HP5 film stock, at 400 ASA. I am gradually digitizing all my old photos, using a Plustek OpticFilm 7400 Slide and Negative Scanner and SilverFast imaging software. Though this is a time consuming process, it is certainly the best way to rediscover and preserve all these old pictures on slide or negative. It is particularly good for negatives, because the imaging software shows you the positive picture immediately it is scanned. If you've ever tried searching through a shoe-box full of negatives, you'll appreciate how useful this instant reversal can be. OK, enough technology. Here are a few pictures.
McCaig - no fool after all
This is a view of Oban sea frontage. Oban is a small but busy Scottish sea port and the main hub for the Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries that sail to and from the Western Isles. The town is dominated by a Coliseum like monument on Battery Hill. This is McCaig's Tower, also rather unkindly called McCaig's Folly. True, it has many of the hallmarks of a folly: John Stuart McCaig commissioned it as a monument to himself and designed it in a grand style, but it was also a work of philanthropy. He wished to provide work for Oban's masons and builders during the slack Winter months. Perhaps mercifully, it was never finished as the work ceased with his death.
McTavish's Rosé
Then there is McTavish's Kitchen, famous merely for existing and often being the only place in Oban to escape from the driving rain, especially for families with young children in tow. Though never featured in Egon Ronay, they do a good line in traditional fish and chips, hot if you're lucky, and have never been known to run out of tomato ketchup. What more could you ask? Resourceful too. My wife asked for a glass of rosé wine. "Huvnae goat it, but I'll mix ye one if ye like!" Five stars for trying.
to bring the herring home
Some are impressed by a Mediterranean marina full of 'luxury' yachts, but I'm afraid they do nothing for me. Floating caravans, I call them, and far less functional. But working boats, ferries, and especially fishing trawlers, I could watch all day. The Scottish fishermen used to chuck crabs back into the water. No-one would have thought of eating them! But that was before the days of foreign holidays, when France and Spain might as well have been on the Moon.
This is very typical of West Coast Scotland. The sea loch fingers reaching into the land, between the mountains, the shingle beach, seaweed and driftwood. And if you're lucky, not a soul in sight.
And speaking of beer...
Scotland used to be something of a beer desert. Our national drink is whisky of course with beer used mainly as a chaser. The two projecting signs on this pub, for Younger's Ale and Tennent's Lager used to be almost the whole choice across the country. Fortunately this has changed, with Scotland following England's lead in the revival of traditional brews, both from the small independent breweries and as specialist lines from the big players too.
Well, as I'm sure you've realised, this hub is really about nothing at all, so I'd better stop before it degenerates further. Besides, I have a few more shoe boxes of negatives waiting.
Thank you for reading!
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Hi John - In the old days, it was a decision to use B&W film stock, and I also deliberately went for the grainy HP5. I think I had a vague idea that it was more artistic? But I have to admit, I miss the darkroom :)
Nice pictures and history. I really enjoyed it. Hope more hubs like this are coming as well.
Hi JB - There is not much to do in Qatar, outside working hours. So I've brought my slide scanner and loads of negatives out here, to fill the evenings and (with luck) to keep me out of the bar, except for weekends, of course! So yes, there could be a few more in this series :)
Even though these were shot in 79, they feel much older. Black and white is very cool like that. I prefer to sketch more than use color too. The simplicity adds elegance. You see things you don't in color too.
Anyway, always enjoy your stuff. :)
Wonderful. I love black and white photos.The ones you have pictured are awesome.
Hi Shades - B&W always looks well aged, but with these ones the grainy HP5 fast film enhances the effect. I used that film a lot, because in Scotland even the summer light is not dependable!
IN2Deep - thanks :) I'm intending to produce a few more in this series. Watch this space!
Thanks for this nice pictures , i like old pictures.
Hi ImChemist - thanks for the visit :)
Hi Paraglider - There are no "old photos" when we are lucky enough to see them for the first time. Thanks.
Gus :-)))
Yes, I like this kind of hub too. My parents came from the West Coast, but I'm a Borderer through and through. I might go back through for a holiday sometime.
Greetings, Gus and Amillar :) We're spoiled nowadays with digital photography. It's so cheap and easy in comparison. Thanks for the look-in!
Really enjoyed this reminisce. will you be writing a hub to let us know the process of switching these over? I wonder what these places look like now. Thanks much for the share.
Hi Frieda - I might do a technical hub about the slide scanner process. It's fairly simple, but there are still a few choices that affect quality.
Hi Paraglider. Your photos were very interesting, relics of the past like dark rooms.
I visited Scotland for the one and only time (so far) three years ago and was fortunate enough to visit Oban. We stayed in Dunoon, another lovely town. It cost 150 pounds for a five day stay with meals included. I should have retired there. The most surprising thing that people rarely mention about Scotland, that stood out above all else. Was the amazing architecture, where almost every building is hewn out of solid stone. It sets it apart from England, Wales and Ireland. Even small modest homes were mini mansions and the larger building were unbelievable. I loved Glasgow where the administrators are saving those magnificent facades. Those building could not be replicated and i just think that it's a point not well emphasized enough. I must get up to Edinburgh next time i visit, hopefully this Nov'. Cheers my friend.
attemptedhumour - You're right about the Scottish stonework. Most of the older buildings are built of huge masonry blocks, with bricks used only for internal walls, or not at all.
If you keep an eye on my stuff, I'll be putting up a hub on Glasgow West End soon, with more b&w pics from the same era, when I lived there.
When I moved to London, it took me a long time to get used to the bricks!
By the way - McCaig's tower was built entirely of granite, so it will probably last a few more years!
I'll look forward to your hub on the once richest city in the world.
You're right - it once was exactly that. Ships & sugar, the main contributors, but much else besides
How nostalgic your mention of the old HP5 film is. I used it a lot too back then. I also miss the darkroom - all those chemical smells and watching the image slowly emerge on the paper - magic stuff!
I am also slowly (very slowly!) digitising my old stock using a Canoscan 4400 and Xnview which also gives the positive image immediately. Haven't heard of Silverfast. Will look it up.
Thanks for the wonderful photos - I really like old photos.
Love and peace
Tony
Hi Tony - I used HP5 for the speed, because Scotland does a special line in dull grey days where the slower FP4 film just wouldn't hack it. I used to have an enlarger and all the trays and chemicals, and used to convert the pantry into a darkroom quite regularly, but I got rid of it all years ago.
The digital age has made photography so much easier, but not half as much fun!
This was fun, Paraglider. Were you the one who recommended to Shadesbreath that he buy a bottle of Macallan Scotch? I did, and I am enjoying it. You might enjoy reading my comments on Tony's hub about Robert Burns.
Yes, I always recommend Macallan as the most approachable single malt for anyone who hasn't already acquired a taste for the peaty Island malts. Glad you're enjoying yours :)
B and W gives some kind of elegance and makes you travle down the memory lanes. Makes you stop for a bit, look at the pictures and you imagine more of it. I love it more than the colorful vintas and boats in a busy port for example.
Thanks for giving me us a glimpse of 1979 Oban, West Scotland. Beautiful..Maita
Hi Maita - I think you're right about B & W. It does stimulate the imagination. Thanks for the visit :)
Re.slide scanner I have hundred of negatives,all mixed up.Once I read of a scanner that can produce the negatives into photos,is this what your slide scanner is?? here I am hoping,jandee
What the scanner does is turn the negatives into jpeg or tiff files which you can then do what you like with - view them on computer or print them as photographs. After scanning, the files are exactly the same as the files from a digital camera.
Is that what you were asking?
Hello Paraglider,Well I didn't really expect it to be, what sounds,so easy ! I shall try ! thanks,jandee-ordinary scanner/printer or special one ???
Not an ordinary document scanner. You have to get a 35mm slide and negative scanner (assuming that your negatives are on 35mm film?)
Hello Paraglider,excellent and thanks for info.jandee
Very cool. TFS!! The photos are absolutely beautiful. I don't have any negatives...yet. However, I will keep this in mind for the future. Just in case.
Thanks Lynn - most people have gone fully digital now, except a few serious art photographers. But scanning is the answer for any legacy stuff. Thanks for the visit :)
Paraglider I am so pleased ! husband picked up a leaflet from Aldi and there before my eyes-he saw it first-was the cutest little film scanner ! I drove back to shop and now have it here! So pleased and many,many thanks ! WoW! photos from the 60s onwards .I can't wait,best from jandee
That's great! I'll look forwards to seeing some of your first results posted as a hub :)
If you don't already use it, I'd recommend downloading Google's free Picasa software for managing all these pics you're going to make.
More thanks to you Paraglider(good idea re.hub)will certainly go for the free Picasa software from Google,jandee
Beautiful Paraglider. I love the black and whites. My daughter is good with those. Thank you!
Cheers Micky!
gorgeous b&w's love them.
Thanks Lynn :)
Really enjoyed these black & whites thank you, scanning negatives may be time consuming but is so rewarding!
Movie Master - it is rewarding, especially when you find pictures you'd completely forgotten about. Thanks for the read.
Nice wee Hub Paraglider and I'm ashamed to admit I've never even been to Oban. Going to put that right this summer though.
Great pictures
Greetings Shinkicker. I don't think you'll find a vast amount happening in Oban, but it's a good base for visiting a few Islands. Hope you get the weather.
Thank you for sharing your magnificent photographs. I have been to Oban! :D
Thanks for the visit, James. I don't think I've been to Oban for twenty years or more. Very different from Doha!
Wow! Paraglider you seem to have all the answers for things I've been thinking about doing, but didn't know how. I also have boxes of b&w negatives and slides been wanting to convert to digital. Now have something to get me started in the right direction, much appreciated!
Hi snakeslane - thanks for touring so many of my hubs over the last week or so! The slide scanner takes a little bit of practice to get best results, but it's quite easy when you get the hang of it.
lightning john 16 months ago
Some things look better in black and white for a certain effect. I like the pictures.