A Wet and Misty Thames Walk with a Leica iiig and 50mm Summar

A walk with a Leica iiig from the late 1960s (recently restored by PPP cameras) and Summar lens from the 1930s, at first finishing off a Silvermax roll then Fomapan 100 and RPX 100. In many ways not the typical photographer’s idea of perfect shooting weather, or combination of equipment. Low light but medium speed film – exposures generally f2 and sometimes down to 1/30th of a second even in daylight. Low contrast scenes with a low contrast uncoated slightly hazy lens. But the camera is very compact and light, easy to carry around all day (Barnack’s intention), the lens supposedly soft (is it really?) but has character, but the poor lighting and wet pavements led to some interesting, sometimes challenging, scenes.

I walked from my flat passing by Spitalfields’ market taking a few shots of the old houses and shops on the way, The largest, the Market Coffee House says it has ports, burgundies and more (featured image; Silvermax).

Moving on to St Paul’s crossing through the churchyard, on the way tourists braving the rain were taking routine pictures of the cathedral but looking down presented a more interesting view. The image shows the cathedral reflected in the pavement (inverted view, Fomapan).

A deserted row of benches in the churchyard.

Just outside the cathedral a newly married couple, probably Chinese, were using a side entrance as protection from the rain while their photographs were being taken. No guests – just a photo-shoot, typical of Chinese and Japanese white-wedding-dress style weddings. Mostly about an unusual setting, western wedding clothes, and photo-memories to hide away after the first year of marriage.

I carried on walking down to the Millennium Bridge and then going east along the south side of the river to Tower Bridge. The low tide gave access to the river’s edge and several groups were down there beachcombing and photographing relics. A friend of mine collects discarded oyster shells (once the food of London paupers) and prints images on the insides using liquid emulsion.

Looking back behind the bridge the towers of the City were ghostly in the mist. From the introductory page of London Walking Tours: “The Tower of London has dominated the London skyline and the pages of English history ever since it was constructed by William the Conqueror” – not any more. Now lost below a collection of globally common steel and glass skyscrapers. Leadenhall market too is now literally partially underneath one of the towers.

Continuing east along the Pool of London to Concordia Wharf and some moored vessels I could barely see the Canary Wharf towers. To my right the restored warehouses surrounded a wharf now drained of water at low tide.

Continuing to walk round in the evening the weather remained typical November wet, cold and miserable but the tourist crowds now much less. The buildings and lights presented a very different view, sometimes more positive but sometimes a menacing view.

All films stand developed in Rodinal 100:1 and scanned on an Epson 4990.

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