Category: Events

The Edinburgh Fuji Photo Trails

History

In the 1990s, Fuji and the Edinburgh tourist board set up phototrails of all the picturesque shots in Edinburgh. They produced a leaflet in 1993 guiding tourists round the most photogenic points in the city.

Nowadays, the trail is forgotten, but still exists as brass plaques embedded in the pavement.

In March 2010 a visit to Central Library led us to find the leaflet and to the creation of an online map to show the routes. This allowed us to make them available to all. Two days of photowalks were organised later that year. The Blue Trail walk round the old town in May was on a beautiful bright day but the Red Trail in July has to have been the most rainy photowalk of that year. (Remember Flickr…)

Fuji Photo Trail Back Page
Back page of the leaflet with some helpful film hints for your city visit!

Here are the routes revived for a lockdown walking project.

Map

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Click a map point for more information.

These trails are from the 1993 booklet “The Fuji Phototrail of Edinburgh”:

The New Town Trail (Red)

  1. The North Bridge from outside the Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre
  2. The view from Calton Hill
  3. George Street, Frederick Street intersection looking North.
  4. The East End of Princes Street and the New Town from the Mound steps.
  5. Edinburgh Castle from St Cuthberts Churchyard.
  6. Charlotte Square.
  7. Moray Place.
  8. Dean Village and the Water of Leith.
  9. Dean Village from the waterside.
  10. St Mary’s Cathedral from Grosvenor Crescent
Black and white contact sheet
From walking the Red Trail July 2010

The Old Town Trail (Blue)

  1. The view of the Castle from outside the Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre.
  2. Views from the North Bridge.
  3. Lady Stair’s Close.
  4. Ramsey Garden from Ramsey Lane.
  5. Views from the Castle Esplanade.
  6. Edinburgh Castle from the Grassmarket.
  7. Victoria Street.
  8. View looking down the Royal Mile from St Giles.
  9. Advocates Close.
  10. White Horse Close.
  11. The Palace of Holyroodhouse with Arthur’s Seat
robot 3 camera photo of advocates close
From the Blue Trail in May 2010 – Advocates Close taken with a Lomography Robot 3 Camera

Out of Town (Green)

  • South Queensferry
  • Swanston Village
  • Blackford Hill
  • Cramond Village

February 2021

This month we have been discussing :

Graham Vasey’s photography talk. https://hexhamphotographygroup.org.uk/graham-vasey-19th-february-2021

A Celebration of Stereoscopic 3D – Part the Second
20 – 21 FEBRUARY 2021
https://stereoscopy.blog/celebration-of-stereoscopic-3d/

Book – Photography Beyond Technique

Historic photo studios – preserved and recently discovered – https://eu.mpnnow.com/story/lifestyle/2021/02/01/rare-susan-b-anthony-portrait-historical-photos-found-geneva-ny-attic-during-renovation-project/6562923002/
https://www.petworthpenthouse.com/surviving-victorian-photographic-studios.html?fbclid=IwAR0ocPu50EUtvIo6DMIqw724zIvjiUHix34ZahUbMpobMo2NrcDCXw9nwaw

Firsts and fakes –
https://hyperallergic.com/83097/20-of-the-first-photographs-of-things-from-people-to-hoaxes-to-the-moon/

Gordon Parks – books and exhibitions – https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210203-gordon-parks-beautiful-photos-of-an-ugly-history

620 spools and respooling 120 –
https://filmphotographystore.com/search?type=product&q=620

Direct positive paper – how best to use and develop. https://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/harman-direct-positive-255-c.asp

Where to get digital negs done – at home printing tips and companies that produce them? – https://deadlydigital.com/services/#photographicprinting

Who has the right to your image? –
https://www.thecut.com/article/emily-ratajkowski-owning-my-image-essay.html

Extreme camera design – when the camera comunicates more than the images produced –
https://todayinart.com/untouchable-hiv-camera-by-wayne-martin-belger/

Pinhole cameras – new Stereo pinhole on Kickstarter – https://minutastereo.eu/

Our next online meetings are March 9th from 6:30pm and March 31st from 10:30am. Send us an email or DM on Social Media to get added to the call.

January 2021

Happy New Year!

Here is a quick summary of some of January’s discussions:

Nancy Breslin Pinhole Photography
A wonderful opportunity to see Washington DC artist, Nancy Breslin, talk about her work and to hear her review some of the Hexam Photography groups pinhole portfolios (16th of January).

Cliché-verre with sand.

BRNO Dry Caps and other ways to alleiviate the horrors of lens mould!

Bellows, brass, black paint! DIY view cameras.

Women Photojournalist’s (Library of Congress)

Pictorilist – F. Holland Day

Atget – 100 Years Later

The Calotype Society and the other The Calotype Society

The calendar everyone has been waiting for! LoFi 2021!
A5 duplex (PDF ~120MB) and A4 (PDF ~120MB)

Our February meetings are Tuesday the 9th from 6:30pm and Wednesday the 24th from 10:30am – DM on social media or drop us an email if you would like to join in – all welcome.

A Fish Eye’s View

John Beaver

Department of Physics and Astronomy, UWO Fox Cities.

UW Oshkosh Dean’s Symposium 8 October 2020.

A presentation exploring the physics and art of seeing the world with a fish eye’s view.

Recording of the presentation https://us-lti.bbcollab.com/recording/9353a56c85bb48858f06db6c9b249c84

Download a copy of the slides (PDF 149Mb) https://www.dropbox.com/s/gfhm3rufu2www8a/fisheye.pdf

And that album cover…

Dark Box Studio Visit

LoFi was invited to the studios of Dark Box Photography to make some wet plate collodion images.

The “Dark Box” in this instance is their travelling darkroom in the shape of a well known police box – just the right size to pour the collodion plates , sensitise them in the silver bath and develop after exposure.

Dark Box’s director (and LoFi member) Gregg McNeill generously showed us round his studio and lighting set up before letting us loose on his beautiful victorian cameras.

A very enjoyable day even with all the covid secure measures! A collodion club when possible would be wonderful.

Plate in final water bath.

Our guided efforts turned out very well but please look at the Dark Box portfolio to see just how beautiful the unique plates can be.

Dark Box is available for portrait sessions in the studio and on location – full details can be found on their website.

Join in with the Dark Box photographic explorations on www.patreon.com/darkboximages including the new film about John Mawson and his petzval lenses.

Summer Outings 2020

Summer Outings while we maintain social distance will be difficult but in the spirit of LoFi – pack up a cake and coffee and self-guide yourself safely round our suggested routes.

We will set off from the start at 11am, if you want distant company. Please stay 2m apart, bring a mask and hand sanitiser!

Sunday July 26th – Forthquarter Park and Shore

Map


View Larger Map

Route

Start with a view of the Granton Gas Works off Waterfront Broadway.

Head south to the park entrance.

There is a large Morrisons supermarket if provisions are required.

Forthquarter Park is a newly developed previous industrial site .

Walking west through the park you will see part of the Granton Burn and wildlife at the quarry pond. Granton House stood on this site before it was destroyed by fire in 1954.

Leaving the Park at West Shore road travel north east through the redeveloped land to Caroline Park Avenue and Granton Castle Walled Garden.

North from the garden follow Charles Darwins path by the Firth coast along West Shore Road looking for photographic specimens to collect. The 3 bridges should be visible in the distance.

Continue to the grassy area of Gypsy Brae, the location of Granton Sea Quarry.

At this point you can choose to continue along the Shore to Silverknowes/Cramond or head inland through the tree-d area to West Shore Road and south Marine Drive and the Muirhouse Roundabout where buses to town are available.

Want to know more about the history of Granton and spend more time exploring? Try Curious Edinburgh’s Granton Tour.

Download the route as a PDF –

ForthquarterPhotowalkDownload

Please email in photographs from this walk to add to the Summer Sundays gallery.

Sunday August 30th – Ravelstone Woods

Meet at the Queensferry Road entrance at 11am.

Map

Information leaflet.

Route

We will circle through the woods back to the start point. Coffee will be available in Craigleith after.

Public transport – LRT buses 13, 38, 41, 42 and 43 stop nearby.

Please email in photographs from this walk to add to the Summer Sundays gallery.

Sunday September 27th – Three Harbours and Porty

Meet at Port Seaton Harbour at 11am.

It is Cyanotype day this weekend so we will make some impromptu sea shore images.

Map

TBD

Route

We will continue along the coast to Cockenzie and Prestonpans. Cockenzie house cafe is open. For those wanting to make a day of it Art Walk Porty also has events on – including an outdoor screening at 7pm.

Public Transport – LRT 26, 111, 118, X26.

Please email in photographs from this walk to add to the Summer Sundays gallery.

Anthotypes Workshop

6:30pm, 11th June, 2020 (TBC)

An anthotype is an image created using photosensitive material from plants – In 1842 Mrs Mary Somerville created an emulsion from crushed flower petals, which when exposed to direct sunlight bleached the parts not covered by a mask and created an image. Sir John Hershel later presented her letters to the Royal Society sharing her findings with the world. Learn how to create your own at home with simple equipment, sunshine and plant juices in this months virtual photography workshop, run by Brittonie Fletcher.

Spinach example – B Fletcher

The workshop will comprise of an overview of the process/ how and what to set up / a demo. Brittonie will then be online a couple of days later to troubleshoot your process and answer questions.

Plant materials – B Fletcher

Basic materials:

  • paper which will withstand coating (watercolour for example)
  • brush to apply
  • plant grinder (pestle and mortar or improvised)
  • seive or cloth to filter fibers from liquid
  • apron/old clothes
  • newspaper/plastic sheet etc. to protect work surface
  • printing frame (clip frame)
  • plant materials (such as spinach, turmeric)
  • items to use as a mask – digital negatives, stencils, leaves etc.
Colour swatches – B Fletcher

Please email brittoniefletcher@edinburghlofi.com for full information on materials required, payment details and live workshop link.

Coronagrams – Online Photography Workshop

6pm, 29th April, 2020

From writing with light to writing with chemicals, the chemigram uses photosensitive material, chemical solutions and resist materials to form a unique print directly on the paper surface.

This fun workshop, run by Brittonie Fletcher, will add a lockdown twist to the process by using everyday long expired items found while cleaning out cupboards to show you how to produce your own “coronagrams”.


Basic materials:

  • light sensitive photo paper
  • developer and fix (DIY recipes or standard)
  • trays to holds chemicals
  • disposable gloves / tongs
  • apron/old clothes/safety glasses
  • newspaper/plastic sheet etc. to protect work surface
  • a selection of kitchen/bathroom/cleaning closet disposable things for resists

Please email brittoniefletcher@edinburghlofi.com for full information on materials required, payment details and live workshop link.

Chemigram image: Cthutlu flies through time and space by Brittonie Fletcher.

Dalkeith – Meet John Beaver

Photographer, inventor, and artist – John Beaver is currently teaching at Dalkeith Palace as part of the “Wisconsin in Scotland” initiative of the University of Wisconsin.

John Beaver and his work by B.Fletcher
John Beaver showing his work, by B.Fletcher

… sort-of inventions of what I call cyanonegative photography and ephemeral-process photography

John is the author of The Physics and Art of Photography – a three volume set of books detailing his photographic findings.

We have the opportunity to go out to Dalkeith to visit John on Monday the 22nd of July. The grounds of Dalkeith Palace are the perfect spot for a photowalk and picnic. Please email info@edinburghlofi.com to register interest. We will meet at 11am at Dalkeith Palace.

The LRT No.3 bus opporates on a roughly half hour schedule.