Index of Pictures

  Alhambra, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Ilford XP2. I obtained this roll of XP2 as a freebie at Iford's Photokina booth. This is a chromogenic b&w film which processes as colour negative (C-41). I was impressed with its ability to accomodate contrast; none of the prints required anything softer than the #3 filter. On the downside, chromogenic films are (allegedly) not as sharp as true b&w films. I eventually lugged myself and my two Rolleis up that tower... Alhambra, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Ilford XP2. Looking back from the tower. The previous shot was taken from the platform jutting out behind the tower in the extreme left. Alhambra, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Ilford XP2. This cropped panorama was taken from an adjacent hill. Pre-dinner version. Alhambra, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Ilford XP2. Taken from same location as previously. Post-dinner version. Those aren't stars in the sky, by the way. It's dust on the negative! Try as you might, it's simply unavoidable.  

   

  Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Ilford XP2. I spotted these two Miss Universe candidates while relaxing in a plaza after spending the entire day wandering about the Alhambra. They popped up in my TLR's viewfinder as I was scanning my surroundings just for fun. Something caught their attention, they looked up, and I snapped. They didn't have clue, simply because I didn't have to raise the camera to my eyes, but rather casually operated it in my lap. This a good example of the merits of a waistlevel finder. Though the camera itself is conspicuous and bulky, it's actual *operation* isn't -- the quiet leaf shutter helps too. Looking at the photograph now, maybe I *should* have taken a closer look before snapping... Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Ilford XP2. Taken from the Alhambra.  

  Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Ilford XP2. Taken from the Alhambra. Slight underexposure here; note the clogged shadows in the trees. Cologne cathedral at night, december 2000(?). Rolleiflex 2.8 C, Ilford Delta 100. Taken from the rooftop car park of Kaufhof department store. The view alone is worth the parking fee. :^) Muscat, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Muscat, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Muscat, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100.  

  Muscat, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Muscat, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Muscat, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Al Bustan, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Muscat, Oman, october 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100.  

  Al Boom, Kuwait, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Mohammedi II sits at the Kuwait SAS hotel and contains the Al Boom restaurant. Despite its size, it's rather cramped inside. The traditional arab dhow (or boom, as it's known in Kuwait) is still common in this part of the world. They're still being built today, and the design hasn't changed significantly over centuries. Neither have the building materials: teak and iron nails, handcrafted of course. Mohammedi II has now been supplemented by an enormous sister ship, Al Hashemi II, officially the world's largest dhow, which contains conference and banquet facilities (the latter typically taking on epic proportions as is the custom in the gulf). Both vessels sit on land and never actually sailed! Scat trivia: those two tubs dangling from either side of the stern were the ship's crapper! Al Boom, Kuwait, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. On the deck of Mohammedi II. Al Hashemi now towers over the bow of Mohammedi II from the vantage point in this photograph. The container just visible on the right probably indicates that preparations for its construction were already under way back in '95. Kuwait Towers, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Kuwait Towers, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Kuwait, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100.  

  Kuwait, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Kuwait Towers, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, AGFA APX 100. Kuwait Towers, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, AGFA APX 100. Kuwait Towers, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, AGFA APX 100. Nizwa Fort, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100.  

  Kuwait, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Kuwait, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Traces of the 1st gulf war can still be found outside Kuwait City, such as this gutted mansion in Ahmadi belonging to the Crown Prince, I believe. This was shot through a tall fence surrounding the compound. Grand Mosque, Kuwait, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, AGFA Optima 200 Kuwait Marriott, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, AGFA Optima 200 Kuwait Towers, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, AGFA Optima 200  

  Kuwait Towers, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, AGFA Optima 200. Cochem, april 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX. Cochem, april 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX. Cochem, april 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX. Cochem, april 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX.  

  Cochem, april 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX. Deutsches Eck, april 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX. Moseltal, april 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX. Kuwait, january 1997. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX. Kuwait, january 1997. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak GPX.  

  Nizwa, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Nizwa Fort, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Nizwa Fort, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Nizwa Fort, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Nizwa Fort, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100.  

  Nizwa, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Nizwa, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Nizwa Fort, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Middle of nowhere, Oman, september 1995. Rolleiflex 3.5 B, Kodak Gold 100. Oman was of vital strategic importance to the spice trade, and many forts still dot the landscape to this day. This one was snapped en route to Nizwa. Schauinsland, black forest, december 1999. Rolleiflex 2.8 C, AGFA APX 100.  

  Schauinsland, black forest, december 1999. Rolleiflex 2.8 C, AGFA APX 100. Black forest, 2000. Rolleiflex 2.8 C, Ilford SFX. Deutsche Welle building & Post Tower at night, Bonn, august 2003. Rolleiflex 2.8 C, Ilford HP5. Obviously the German postal sevice is swimming in it if they can afford to indulge in megalomaniac architecture such as this. Having said that, it's an impressive sight, particularly at night with the changing display of coloured lights! I waited for a full moon and a clear night to get this shot, and it took me a while to set it up so the moon sat between the two columns (phallic symbols?) in the foreground. Looking at it now, I must admit the image is somewhat ill-composed; with the paved area at the base of the columns missing, they somehow appear to float in space. Then again, it was night *and* the Rolleiflex doesn't have the brightest ground glass, so I have an excuse. I sort of angled up to make sure I got the top of those columns (which I could barely see on the dim screen), and neglected the stuff on the bottom. Oh well. Unfortunately, my scanner doesn't resolve the columns too well either, as it tends to muddy shadow detail in glossy prints. Sorry for the lousy scan, one of these days I'll get a decent slide scanner...  

  Deutsche Welle building & Post Tower at night, Bonn, august 2003. Rolleiflex 2.8 C, Ilford HP5. Seen from the side entrance of the DW complex. Post Tower at night, Bonn, july 2004. Rolleiflex 2.8 C, Ilford HP5. I chose an 8 sec exposure to emphasise the headlight trails from the passing cars. Amusingly, this was one of those rare situations in which I would've appreciated dense traffic simply for sheer spectacle, but considering it was 1:00 AM and the fact that Bonn is just a glorified cowtown with no appreciable nightlife, it was sparse at best. Oh well. The Rheinaue recreational park borders to the right, certainly not a place to wander around in at the time this pic was taken...  

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