When I bought my Agfa Clack some years ago, it came with its manual. Tucked inside was this slide. The film edge is marked RVP, which is code for Fujifilm Velvia, that super-saturated ISO 50 transparency film.
I doubt that my Clack’s original owner made this image with the Clack. This image has an odd 11×7 aspect ratio, where the Clack makes 9×6 images. Also, this image is sharp all the way out to the corners, and is well exposed. The Clack performs far better than a box camera with a meniscus lens ought to, but it doesn’t perform this well.
I scanned it to see how well my Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II scanner handles Velvia. The answer: really well. I did a couple quick tweaks in Photoshop to bring the scan’s colors and exposure into line with what I see on the slide itself, and I applied some sharpening.
I have no idea where this scene is. The house looks European to me, though. The van at bottom left looks like something built in the last 30 years or so. I can’t make out all the words on that van, but they look like they might be in German.
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The scene looks very European to me too. What a fun mystery!
Maybe some reader will recognize the place and tell us where it is!
That would be amazing. You will have to let us know if that happens.
It’s the Bourtange fortress in Groningen, the Netherlands. Google it.
So it is! How did you solve the mystery?
The very next commenter nailed it.
Love it!
I vote for Holland. Water, bridges, dykes. Of course half the country looks like this scene so it would be pretty hard to place.
Actually Jim, it looks like the Bourtange fortress museum in Groningen in the Netherlands.
Check it out.
Holy cow, that’s absolutely what it is. You are amazing.
I’m there for you buddy. Good luck out there today.
That’s exactly what I was going to point out: It’s Bourtange.
Being from The Netherlands, however, I have a different view than DougD: it’s very recognizable, because it is one of the few places that was built like this and still exists.
Outstanding! It’s confirmed then. I looked the place up on Google — it’s quite something!
Well, yes and no: the fortifications, canals and most buildings were razed in the early 20th century and restored in the second half. Very interesting story though: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bourtange
Fascinating – thank you for the link!
Yes, it is. I visited once, it was like going back in time. The cars of the inhabitants seemed totally out of place. Very much worth a visit.
I looked it up to see if I was close to it at all when I visited Germany many years ago. I spent a lot of time in Krefeld, which is near the border with the Netherlands, near Venlo. Not so much – about 2.5 hours north. But it would be something to visit if I ever go back.
Sounds like a plan 👍🏼
I’ve used Velvia a lot, that’s certainly Velvet Media!
Every single roll of the stuff I’ve shot is one someone gave me! My favorite slide film was the old E100G. But Velvia certainly has its charms.