My Photographs, Rod Fleming's World, Page 2

14/02/2024

2016-01-04: Arayat National Park, Pampanga

Originally posted 2017-07-22 16:22:39.

A day trip to Arayat in Pampanga with Azumi and Chin. The full story is here.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

14/02/2024

A Christening in the Philippines

Originally posted 2018-01-11 10:10:07.

Christmas 2017, Angeles City, Philippines. My girlfriend Sam and I were invited to a Christening and duly trooped along.

This is a gallery of more pictures from the day.

14/02/2024

Fete de la Revolution in Molinot 2002

Originally posted 2017-09-06 22:54:12.

La Fete de la Revolution, also called Bastille Day, was a major celebration in Molinot, the village where I live in France. Every fourteenth of July, the village attracted visitors form all over the surrounding areas, because of the lavish entertainment. Today, it is but a ghost of its past self, but in the early years of the century it was a huge affair, and the children from the village school all took part and put on a mime show. As always, willing adults were drafted in to help.

In 2002 the theme was The Wild West — with a very French flavour.

In 2002, only twenty years ago now, La Fete de la Revolution was still a huge event in Molinot. Sadly this is no longer the case as the life of the village has collapsed as the French country side empties. We were lucky to see it when we did, and to experience the rural life of the Arriere Cote. It is gone and will never come back.

Our memories, however, are happy and something at least of Molinot and our dream life in France is preserved in these images and my writing. I doubt if I’ll ever see another La Fete de la Revolution there, but the ones I remember were amazing. We saw something really special and if the locals did not quite understand us, they made up for it in kindness and the warmth of their welcome.

You can read about all of this in my hilarious French Onion Soup! series of books. The second, Croutons and Cheese! was launched in September 2017.

Treat yourself to copies, they’re worth it.

14/02/2024

Kirsten at The PlashMill in Scotland

Originally posted 2017-08-18 01:10:52.

I photographed Kirsten as a part of the Gaia series, taken in 2009

The location was The PlashMill, in Friockheim, Scotland, where I then lived. It was August, and quite warm. I ended up standing in the lade — the stream you can see — in order to get better pictures. This seemed to amuse everyone greatly. Kirsten brought a chaperone — something I encourage strongly — who photographed me at work.

If you’re photographing the nude, there are two things you should do. The first is to obtain a signed Model Release form. This is not a legal requirement in the UK but it is in the the US and you will have no end of problems trying to sell work to that territory without one.

The second is the chaperone. You will be working with a young woman who will be in a vulnerable position since, after all, nude photography usually takes place in private. The presence of the chaperone will set the model at ease, especially if she is not a professional model (Kirsten was a student.)

The chaperone performs another, crucial role, however. She protects the photographer against accusation of improper behaviour — accusations which in the current climate could have very serious consequences. Also useful for making cups of tea and photographing the photographer!

These images were made using an MPP MK IV 5×4 technical camera with 150mm Schneider and a Bronica ETRS. Film stock was Ilford and Kodak.

If you enjoy these pictures, please feel free to download them for your personal projects. For Fine Art Print sales and commercial licences, please contact me using the form below

Please consider donating towards the cost of this site.

14/02/2024

Wedding in Molinot July 2016

Originally posted 2017-08-11 21:57:07.

Weddings are a rarity in the village now, but this was nice. It was the last wedding in Molinot we saw here.

14/02/2024

Makati and Greenhills, Manila 2015

rod-fleming-makati-greenhills-manila-2015

Originally posted 2022-08-02 19:58:28.

Makati and Greenhills, Manila 2015. Makati is definitely one of the nicer areas of Manila, and it also happened to be where I had to go to do visa renewals back then. Both Makati and Greenhills are well known for ladyboys after dark, but during the day, not so much. Still a fair smattering of eye candy. Greenhills is basically a posh mall with a plaza and landscaped gardens and is very pleasant.

rod-fleming-makati-greenhills-manila-2025 — Makati Ayala Triangle

13/12/202312/03/2024

Malolos: Street photography and ladyboys

Originally posted 2017-08-10 23:36:59.

On the 25th of February 2017, my then girlfriend Sammi and I went to Malolos, the capital of Bulacan, to see a ladyboy parade; but it never appeared. Ladyboy levels of disorganisation are, of course, legendary, in addition to which, they were probably working on Filipino time, which makes ‘manana’ sound urgent. Still, a couple of nice cold Red Horses and some good pictures.

Continue reading “Malolos: Street photography and ladyboys”

13/12/2023

Early Summer at John Muir Park, Dunbar, 1990

Originally posted 2013-04-22 16:27:29.

Early Summer at John Muir Country Park, Scotland

I began with this picture because it representated a departure for me, and a point when I began a long journey of investigation, which is ongoing. I had become fascinated by the effects of sunlight passing through foliage, and it gave me a completely new direction in terms of landscape photography. Instead of the broad, I began to focus on the intimate, and instead of the general, the particular.

I had walked past this scene many times and was waiting for the foliage to really wake up as it does in early summer, and before it becomes tired-looking. One day I realised that the moment had come and I went back to the car to get my gear. I used an MPP MkVIII folding 5×4 technical camera, which is a very similar beast to the German Linhof Teknica, but made by a company in London. These are really nice machines, and usually pretty cheap to acquire, much less than a Tek, anyway.

05/12/2023

Arbroath January 1972

Originally posted 2016-08-16 17:43:12.

Arbroath January 1972 . I was living in the house at 9 East Grimsby. My Dad had died the previous year and I was still struggling with it. But I had a few things going for me: music, a camera and my books. It wasn’t a lot but it helped.

Russ Black, the art teacher at school encouraged me to use its darkroom. I had lost my own a couple of years before when we moved house. This is one of the earliest rolls I still have from then.

The camera was a Leica Model III fitted with a Ross Xtralux 50mm f2, an excellent lens. I used the name ‘Xtralux’ for a band some years later, in Exeter. Film was Ilford FP3.

Continue reading “Arbroath January 1972”