The Full Entry
One Man, A Scanner, One Shoebox Of Negatives
Published Friday, January 13th, 2006 by Karl Bedingfield
Santa was kind enough to bring me a shiny new negative scanner this Xmas, so I have been delving into my battered old shoebox full of negatives that have sat at the top of the wardrobe for the last few years. Although I have lost many actual photographs over the years I always made a point of storing the negatives but was always too tight to get reprints. Over Xmas I began the task of turning my negatives into digital prints – Most of my photographs date from 1979-1992.
It is interesting to see my photographic metamorphosis from ‘kid with a 110 instamatic camera’ to having aspirations of being the next ‘David Bailey’. The biggest kick is rediscovering photos I took in the 80s; especially photos of my ‘Mod Revival’ years (1979-1984) and of friends enjoying the many Xmas parties we attended at the Ely Rugby Club & Ely Community College.
Quality of negatives ranges from pretty poor (that would be the 110 camera) to good. So take a look at my Flickr photo gallery and take a trip with me down memory lane.
Its an end of an era for me really as I do not see me ever using film again now we are in the digital age.
In the right sidebar of this site you can see thumbnails of my latest uploads along with selected photosets. As well as old photographs you will also see a good selection of recent images such as those of the Ely Folk Weekend.
You can visit my Flickr Gallery here
Drop a comment if you feel inclined, it would be nice to get a little feedback on ‘my life in pictures’.
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At 11:37 pm on January 18th, 2006, Martin wrote:
Oh yes, more mod photos please!
At 6:37 am on January 19th, 2006, Karl Bedingfield wrote:
Not many more to go now!
It consumed my life for most of the early 80s, that included starting a fanzine with Chris Hunt, ‘Shadows and Reflections’ and having a song named after me at the end of my ‘Mod’ presidency – ‘Karl’s New Haircut’ (a reference to a haircut I had that told everyone I was no longer a ‘Mod’) by The Moment. Good times!
At 12:33 pm on January 19th, 2006, Martin wrote:
I was a punk rocker in the early 80s, though had plenty of Mod pals. ‘Time For Action’ and ‘Maybe Tommorow’ still sound terrific, especially when played REALLY loud.
At 4:46 pm on January 19th, 2006, Karl Bedingfield wrote:
‘Time for Action’ along with ‘My World’ still mean a lot to me. It’s funny how bands we used to idolise and write about, like Secret Affair (Ian Page, Dave Cairns) are now personal friends of Chris’s.
I lasted 3 issues of ‘Shadows & Reflections’ as I didn’t really commit enough time and effort to the project. Chris made the fanzine one of the top ‘modzines’ in the country and early editions are actually quite collectable now.
At 6:49 am on February 11th, 2006, Dave Cairns wrote:
Karl,
Just stumbled across this page……
Can’t believe the photo of Chris Hunt, got anymore of him?
Appreciate the comments on Secret Affair.
Dave
At 7:08 am on February 11th, 2006, Karl Bedingfield wrote:
Dave, Oh yeah
Go here to my Flickr gallery for ‘Ely Mods’. One of my all time favourite photos from that time is this one of Chris.
I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
At 10:49 am on March 19th, 2006, Peter (Syd) Driver wrote:
Karl,
Thanks for posting the great photos. As a non-mod and part of the somewhat less successful hippie/prog revival of the Blue Cerebrum, it was a great trip down memory-lane to remember how good you skinny young things all looked in your parkas back then!!!
Regards
Pete (f.k.a. Syd)
At 11:18 am on March 19th, 2006, Karl Bedingfield wrote:
Hey Syd, great to hear from you, I hope you and Liz are well.
Ah Blue Cerebrum, I remember them from my brief stay at Ely Sixth Form.
If you ever feel like writing a feature about Blue Cerebrum let me know as I occasionally do a ‘forgotten bands’ feature.
At 5:45 pm on March 19th, 2006, Peter (Syd) Driver wrote:
Well, yeah Karl. Some bands are probably best forgotten! One claim to fame would be that Blue Cerebrum (well me and Mick) were the first band interviewed by Chris Hunt as a precursor to his fanzine career. I might have to dig out some old pics…
Pete
At 6:42 pm on March 19th, 2006, Karl Bedingfield wrote:
Yup, I was interviewed (very tounge-in-cheek) in that addition of ‘IT’ magazine.
I may well have a word with Chris and see if he minds me reproducing it, if you have any scans of yourselves that would be most welcome.
The interview can be viewed here.
At 1:25 pm on January 6th, 2007, Emeline wrote:
Hi Karl,
Very impressed by the quality of the pictures !
May I ask which scanner you use to scan your 110 negatives? Is it a negative scanner with film-holder or a flatbed? What make/model?
Many thanks !
At 7:34 pm on January 7th, 2007, Karl Bedingfield wrote:
Emeline, Glad you liked the photograph!
What make/model?
It’s an Epson scanner.
The film holder doesn’t really hold the 110 negatives so it was a little trial and error was in need. Anyhow I was happy with the results.
At 6:27 am on March 27th, 2007, Chris Evans wrote:
I was a mod from 83 to 93, the supposed 2nd revival time. Nice to see old mod stuff not just scooter boys, keep up the mod work; any thought on the natural enemies for us at the time, not bikers but skinheads and scooter boys and football casuals (modernists?) we had it rough in Cardiff!!
At 2:39 pm on October 19th, 2007, Alan Youngman wrote:
Being the younger brother and cousin to some of the ‘Mods’ featured in your pages i’d just like to say that it brings back good memories. I was wondering whether anyone had any pictures from the Rugby/Football Club Disco’s and The Ely College’s infamous fancy dress christmas disco’s circa late 1980′s early 1990′s that may have shown me and some of ‘the lads’ i.e Andy Whytock, Iain Vigar, Andy Bland, Richard Yardy, Alan Angier etc as it would be good to take a stroll down memory lane. Keep up the good work. Alan Youngman
At 8:02 pm on October 19th, 2007, Karl Bedingfield wrote:
We do have some pictures from said discos but they are from my era (early to mid 80s). You can view them here.
At 9:12 pm on February 5th, 2008, Adam wrote:
Hi Karl
Long time no see, hope you are well, excellent website, some of the articles and photos brought back some great memories of the 80′s. I will have to see if I can dig out any old photos, if I find any I’ll send them across
Look after yourself
Cheers