Today is officially the start of Autumn, my favourite season for photography and one of my favourite times of year just to be out and about. Work is going reasonably well too, which helps – particularly after a poor August.

I am just about set and ready for my BIPP Qualifications round in a few weeks time, the prints need ordered soon but everything is submitted electronically and some test prints are arranged. I just need to make a final paper choice in the next few days (there may be a couple more test prints first mind!).

I also think the Fuji may now be sorted out. I added more light seals last week and ran a film through, which I also took more care on the loading technique of, and it seems to have wound on to the take up spool nice and tight as I think the last couple may have been a bit slack allowing light in and ruining the photographs. I will process that later in the week and report back!

This has led me to something of a realisation – in terms of analogue gear going forward. The DaYi BEAST and Fujifilm Texas Leica are I think keepers, but the rest I am less sure of. I am pretty tempted to sell all the 35mm kit and just get a Leica M something or other as a smaller camera, and perhaps add something like a Pentax 67 in for another medium format option. I may even look at a big field camera yet… perhaps a 5×7 would be nice! I am absolutely sold on analogue though for the fine art work.

Speaking of such work… once I have the BIPP quals out the way I am thinking of approaching a few Universities to see about studying for a fine art photography degree. The Glasgow School of Art offer a really interesting course, but it is a physical attendance approach which may not be an option at present. There are a few online options, but I am tempted to go full-time if I can (mainly because time is marching onwards)! If I can do so and skip straight to the final year due to prior experience, then I may follow that up with an MA.

This is quite an odd change in me to tell the truth. I am feeling hopeful, ambitious and excited about possibilities now. I feel I have been stagnating for a long while and now it is time to shine!