Some time well spent at the office today

It's Saturday, and not too much happening over here in Nigg, Scotland. Not even workwise, as you might already know I've been a bit on the sick side the last few days. I'm better now, so I'll survive this one as well.
But with energy on the lower side I have used the day well. At least I think so myself.
I have been checking out a few photographers and what they are able to get out of a roll of Ilford PAN400 should they ever feel like pushing the thing a couple of steps. Besides a lot of visible grain and tons of contrasts there's a few of them getting a whole bunch of other good stuff out of them as well, which could be good for me as that's what I'm doing in my 365@50 project these days.
I'm on day 35 now, and had to swap to a fresh film for tomorrows snap as some hickup obviously happened during the loading of the film on new years eve. Don't ask, please...

Oh, and why did I point my camera in this direction, you may ask? Well, it's just what you do sometimes when you have just loaded a new film and need to get to the start of the thing. Especially valid for the Nikon F3, as it's a container of one of the most stupid inventions ever, the light meter that refuses to take a measurement until the first frame has been reached. Anyway, when I'm outside I don't care too much, because I know my Shady 4 rule well enough to use my eyes and make a decent enough exposure without the light meter. It's a bit worse inside the cabin in the evening on board the ship. And nope, these looks nothing like Clare's shoes at all. It's because they're mine.
Nikon F3, Ilford PAN400@1600

Anyway, I've been all over the interweb thing during the day to do some checks, and at one point I stumbled upon Verda Sigura, a photographer from Istanbul of all places. I don't think these are done on film at all, but I still like the snaps for some reason. At least I like a lot of them, and that's something to take on board anyway. If nothing else it's great to feel something again when looking at something that hits you in some kind of way.
I think it's something about the simplicified rendering of the complexity of the human being, the more or less total lack of tones and the quite strong and a bit overdone contrasts that kind of does the trick. And then there's the fact that they are quite strong and well done snaps as well. I would say that's about just as important.

Snapped one day during the yard stay just before Christmas. One of the workers from the yard making up a bunch of new hydraulic hoses for the ship. Lifeboat david's need that sort of things renewed every now and then, as some of us will know. I was walking around inspecting things and brought the old F3 just in case something popped up, so I sort of leaned towards a railing or something and snapped this one. Ilford PAN400@1600

So, I'm filling myself with some sort of inspiration again, which is a great feeling. Nothing less. We probably need some kind of reset from time to time.
I also had a look at a few blogs, as usual, and have been waiting a few days for a couple of great examples of contact sheets from over at Michaels place in the North East Liberties, of Northern Ireland. Those great examples really makes me want to haul some paper out whenever I get home from here, and start producing some contact sheets myself as well. I think he's on the right track here, the good Michael from the other side of the fjord, even though we should know that from way back in time if it was not for our old age, or something. It's actually been said and gospeled all the time that we should make a contact sheet out of our films before we start wasting paper. I know, I know... 
Still it somehow feels like some sort of waste of time, in some way. Because you don't actually produce anything for anyone to see, other than for yourself to study hard with your glasses on and what have we all. They're like some sort of thumbnails you will not be able to enlarge, no matter how badly you like to. Still, it's a wise thing to do, so I might just as well use the next few weeks to get used to the thought of it. 

Tomorrow I'm off for a walk if the weather is on the dry(ish) side. Been quite dreich today, to tell you the truth. I'd rather stay dry for the next few days as I don't like to catch that bloody cold again. Fever and stuff is no good to any man, and I should know that well enough by now. 
I might even tell you all about everything some time tomorrow, if the health still is good and all that.