Jens Blog

 

Regrettably, we are announcing the closure of Sheffield Photographic Centre, Hickmott Road. It’s been fun over the last 38 years, meeting and helping all of you fantastic people.

We’ve seen and helped many people become professionals in this industry, but now it’s feet up time.

We truly are so grateful for all our customers who have supported us over the years.

Thanks to all the students and younger crowd who’ve nurtured the interest in all things photographic. This has given us a great feeling of love towards all of you. We will miss you!

If you want to keep reading my somewhat random ramblings after the shop is closed, I will be keeping my public Facebook page going, see here. 

After the 31st of March, you can contact me through my Facebook, Instagram, or message me and John on:

sheffphotoctre@gmail.com

 

 

************************************************************************************************

Sunday 30th March 2025

- The shop will be open tomorrow 11am to 4pm, then we will sadly cease trading. 

Tuesday 25th March 2025

- The box of film developments which went on a little holiday for a week have found their way here, finally. All negatives and pictures are booked in now and are ready to collect. Next Monday is our last day of trading, but if you can't get here to collect them in time just contact the shop through Instagram, Facebook messaging, or email, and I can arrange to leave them with a local shop for you:

sheffphotoctre@gmail.com

Wednesday 19th March 2025

- My son has gone on a school trip today, and was told to take a packed lunch with him. Imagine the laughs at lunch time when he unwraps the tinfoil from the large 'cheese stick', only to find a rubber sand-filled bendy poo!!

 

 

Saturday 15th March 2025

- For me, it seems to be a big mistake to cut my hair when sober. Please don't look too closely at my fringe cut today, which I did this morning. Should have done it last night whilst a bit piddly from wine at a neighbours house!

Friday 14th March 2025

- Two weeks left to empty the shop. Everything's reduced in price, up to 60% off, with some stuff going for virtually free!  

Thusrday 13th March 2025

- Just rang Boss John up to ask him something shop-related (on his day off), but he was asleep. Not only did I wake him up, but my mind went blank and I couldn't remember why I was ringing him up! Oh the joys of getting older lol.

Wednesday 12th March 2025

- As we get closer to closng the shop down, we are reducing the price of stock even more. Please come and help empty our shop!

- All the films/negs/prints are back in the shop ready to collect now from the last batch of films we sent off. 

- Cokin 'P' filter holder adapter rings, various sizes, reduced to £7 (were £12)

- 30% off all photo printing papers until we close down.

Saturday 1st March 2025

- We are putting Kodak Gold 200 ISO 36 exposure films back in stock next week (should be here by Wednesday), at £10.99 a roll.

- Closing down offers:

1. Dick Smith large camera shoulder bag

Was £38.99, now £27.99. 

 

3. Troop London blue day back pack

RRP £31.99. Sale price £18.99

4. 50%  off ALL photo frames

5. 30% off all batteries

6. 30% off all memory cards

7. 30 % off accessories

8. 50% off all compact camera bags/pouches

Thursday 27th February 2025

- Sauerkraut again, but mid afternoon consumption (much safer lol)... .

- A Facebook memory came up from 5 years ago which made me laugh: Someone 'trolled' me on our shops' 'Instagram' page, mocking me for having my son in my forties. But I think I got the last laugh:

They removed their post as soon as they saw my reply, but not before I had taken a screen shot of it. Hahahahahahah!

Wednesday 26th February 2025

- I won't be having Sauerkraut for breakfast again. Never again. Never EVER again!!

- Adding stock to our closing down sale. Todays reductions:

- National Geographic FM walkie talkies (pair)

Tuesday 25th February 2025

- Not sure if it was wise to eat half a pot of raw unpasteurised Sauerkraut for breakfast before coming to work, but if it was a bad idea you will find the shop door wide open lol. 

-  Harman EZ reusable camera with one roll HP5 film £52.99

 National Geographic 6X21 binoculars

NOW £17.99 

(Were £24.99)

    

These 6X-magnification children's binoculars make a perfect exploration companion thanks to their sturdy design and handy size.

SPECIFICATION
6x magnification with focus wheel
BK-7 glass, diopter adjustment, field of view: 116 m / 1,000 m
Sturdy body
Handy size
Rubber armor for a safe grip

- SALE - National Geographic Adventure scope

Was £35.99, now £27.99:

The National Geographic Adventure Scope has a 27-inch flexible video camera with LED lights connected to a 2.31" LCD screen that is perfect to look over, under, in and around! Explore places you’ve never seen with this cool new scope! Whether exploring a cave, a birdhouse, a rock pile, over a wall or doing undercover work the Adventure Scope will let you see things you’ve never been able to see!

Video camera mounted on a 27" flexible coil lets you peer over, under and around obstacles and into small spaces.
Bright LED light helps you explore in low-light or no-light conditions.
2.31" LCD screen is large enough for multiple people to view the action at the same time.

- SALE: National Geographic childrens pirate scope

Was £19.99, now £14.99

Using the Natioal Geographic child's spotting scope, which can be pushed together, will make children feel like real pirates.

 

Suitable for ages 4+ (with appropriate adult supervision).

FEATURES
Retractable spotting scope for kids
Magnification: 8x
Optical system: roof prism
Weighs only about 100 g

20th February 2025

- I've caught my bosses sniffle from him. Grrrrrr.

- Plus my I've had to buy Chloramphenicol antibiotic eye drops from 'Boots' to fight off an eye infection: My sons' dad stupidly squirted me in the eyes with a kids water pistol full of fetid water. I do hope our offspring (also called our 'Genetic Projection Unit' by his dad), doesn't turn out to be as pratty as his dad!!

- Kids National Geographic binoculars.

Were £29.99, now £24.99

Read more here.

 

Thursday 13th February 2025

- My brother just rang me at work to ask if I am free tomorrow night as he is coming up to the area and would like to visit me and share a takeaway together etc.
He was checking because it is Valentines day tomorrow and he wondered if I had a date with anyone planned.
Told him that there is a queue of handsome young men outside the shop begging me for a date tomorrow night, but family comes first eh?
So yes, I am free bruv, lol.

Tuesday 11th February 2025

- I AM BACK! Return of The Jen!  I see that John has 'helpfully' rearranged all my lovely shop displays in the last month. Oh dear, poor me. Poor shop! I have some work to catch up on eek.

-Todays shop temperature is two thermal vests and a wooly jumper and hat.

Saturday 8th February 2025

- Good news - I (Jen) will be returning to work on Tuesday. John is very relieved lol!

Saturday 25th January 2025

- Sorry for the sudden lack of content here, but Jen is off sick and I'm generally not allowed to interfere with her blog, or I get told off. John.

Tuesday 7th January 2025

- Why is it that even at 13 years old, my son still insists on throwing up in the sink, in spite of numerous explanations as to how much easier it is to throw up in the loo, then flush it away. Woken up at 1.30am today to be shown a bathroom sink blocked with half-digested pizza. Performing pepperoni excavations in rubber gloves in the early hours is not my idea of fun. Kids. aaarghhh!!!

Sunday 29th December 2024

Hope y'all having a fabulous holiday break!

Thursday 19th December 2024

Sad news that 'Design Studio' on Ecclesall road is closing after 42 years trading.

Use it, or lose it, folks.

 

Tuesday 17th December 2024

- Reminding people who have brought a film in to us for development over the last few years, to collect them ASAP, as we will be having to dispose of many of them if not collected soon. We have sent emails or rung everyone who has outstanding work to collect.

Thursday 12th December 2024

- Open at 10am today - by accident: Had a 'senior' moment, and somehow ended up here at 10am, not 11am. A classic 'school-girl' error! Guess you could call it karma - punishment for sneaking off home sometimes 10 minutes early when the shops been super-cold or quiet!

- We have a 20% off sale on all digital printing papers in store. Get those Christmas cards printed out! Sizes start at 6" X 4", and go up to A3. See a bit more info here.

Tuesday 10th December 2024

I've had quite a colourful life in the past, but the mind boggles when this 'Facebook Memory' came up from 2009, ooer ?!?

(Remember now that the animals involved were my hamster, Priscilla, and my sons dad LOL).

 

Thursday 5th December 2024

- Latest 'ShrinkGate' report: I've been buying Aldi 'Large' eggs for years, as they have always been reliably large in size. Sad to report that in the last month or so, the eggs in their 'Large' boxes are now mostly medium sized. Aldi - how can you do this to us? I now have to boil them for 3.5 minutes, not four, to get the perfect egg and soldiers breakfast. So - where have the larger eggs gone to? Or are chickens shrinking too, and producing smaller eggs? LOL !

  ..............   ................

 

Wednesday 27th November 2024

- We have a sale on our Street Candy' 400 ISO black and white 35mm film rolls. It is 36 exposures, and is reduced from £12.99 to £9.99. For more details see here.

(Plus we can develop it for you too)

- Gin is known as 'Mothers Ruin', but I have good news for all mums today! A few nights ago, whilst watching: "I'm A Celebrity.." on TV, I poured a few more gins than usual. This resulted in stumbling upstairs at 11pm, looking in the mirror, and deciding my last hair cut was a bit 'safe' and boring. So I got my hairdressing scissors out, and feathered in the layers that I felt it was missing. Then went to bed. Waking up the next day, it came back to me what I had done the night before. Panicking, I ran to the bathroom to look in dread in the mirror. And liked what I saw! Obviously a missed career opportunity for me! Long live gin...not the mum ruiner after-all.

Thursday 21st November 2024

My 13 year old son realy annoyed me last night by ripping the blankets off me as I was having a pre "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Outta Here" nap. He then put all the lights on and clattered about, and the nap opportunity was ruined. So at 6am this morning, I went up to the little s..ts bedroom, put all the lights on, opened the window wide open (it was -2 degrees outside), ripped the duvet off him, and shouted: "Wakey wakey egg and bakey!". He was very sheepish when he appeared at 7.45am, looking bleary. Think I will get a good nap tonight lol...

Wednesday 20th November 2024

- Poured myself a glass of grapefruit juice when I got to work, only to realise too late that I forgot to wash my cup from yesterday, when I had made a cup-a-soup in it. Anyone for salty grapefruit juice? It's quite unusual!

- 'Jens Random Window Displays' presents: Polaroid bag for sale, with matching Highland Cow. Cow courtesy of 'Ora' gift shop on Hickmott road.

Bag £21.99. Cow £18.99.

Wednesday 13th November 2024

- Had a 'Wim Hof' experience opening the shop today: was gasping with cold for the first 30 minutes until the heater started working.

- Sent the boss a prank text, thanking him for giving me a day off today. No reply. He has become immune to my wind-ups. Boohoo!

Thursday 7th November 2024

- Tried not to laugh today when a customer enquired about the Polaroid instant cameras for sale: "To take naughty pictures" with. I love my job!

- Am I imagining it, or are Pot Noodle pots getting taller yet the contents inside seem to be shrinking?

Thursday 31st October 2024

It's like a ghost town around Sharrowvale this Halloween morning; eerily quiet except for the odd comment by passers--by about next doors evil cat looking for its next victim to scratch.

So please pop in to your favourite haunt today and make my day!

Wednesday 9th October 2024

We do reprints and enlargemnets off your images - off digital files, film negatives, and slide film. Sizes from 6" X 4" up to A2. Choice of glossy or matte finishes.

Photo courtesy of Bear Dog (Mr BD).

Thursday 3rd October 2024

Tuesday 1st October 2024

Nearly swam to work today after the last few days of non-stop rain.

Wednesday 25th September 2024

I love Wednesdays: It's when my friend Karen (who owns 'Butterfly' lingerie shop on Hickmott road), buys me a take-out coffee for giving her lifts home after work. Yay!

Tuesday 17th September 2024

A while ago, I gave a roll of Kodak Portra 800 ISO film to James L, one of my film users. To see the results of his film, see his page here.

Thursday 12th September 2024

We now have Harman Phoenix 120mm colour film in stock, at £11.60 a roll.

Tuesday 10th September 2024

A Facebook memory popped up today, referring to the shops' olden-days website page building 'skills'.....

Saturday 31st August 2024

Had a nice chat with mi pooch, Beardog, via 'Whatsapp' today, whilst at work!

Another shot of my double chin.. or is it a triple chin nowadays?

Wednesday 28th August 2024

A Facebook' Memory' came up in my feed today from 7 years ago today. I won a raffle at an event in Endcliffe Park. So excited, I was waiting to hear the announcement that I had won a crate of wine, or an I-pad or something fab. But what I actually won was 'Winston The Bear'. What a bum prize! My son was ecstatic with Winston of course. Fortunatey I persuaded my son to take Winston to daddies house a few years later for a visit, then banned it from returning lol.

Tuesday 21st August 2024

Theres a new black and white film in stock - Kentmere Pan 400 ISO 36 exposures, at £7.99 a roll. For more info, see the tech. specs here.

Tuesday 6th August 2024

- I've been told that the cost of our E6/slide film developing service is significantly cheaper than other local places. For example, if you have your own scanner, and only want the film developed, it's only £9.99. For other slide film services and scanning/printing etc info, see this page.

- Time for a Facebook 'Memory' that popped up in todays 'Feed'. 

Please note that no vicars were harmed during this illness. Lol.

Wednesday 17th July 2024

A 'Bridgerton Special' today:  Dearest Gentle Reader - have uploaded another page to my study of Sheffield film camera users. You can see Teigans page here. Hope you enjoy it! Thinking of branding myself as the 'Lady Whistledown' of the local film camera world lol!

Tuesday 16th July 2024

Feeling flat after Englands defeat on Sunday in the finals. Open as normal today, but with sad staff.

Saturday 13th July 2024

Found an audacious spider sat on the rim of my washing-up bowl, preventing me from washing up. So decided to set the Dalek onto it!

Tuesday 9th July 2023

We have a new local photographer who has shared his images and thoughts with us. See his images and read about James here. They are awesome. The images I mean. Although he might be too!

Wednesday 3rd July 2024

That moment when you agitate your protein shake drink at work but forget to close the drinking mouthpiece first..

Tuesday 2nd July 2024

One of our film users, Joseph, has been using a Rollie Infared film in his camera. After developing it himself, he has sent some images to me which you can see here.

Saturday 29th June 2024

Regretting buying a cocoa butter skin cream - came to work after slathering myself with this moisturising cream in the gym, and now smell like a box of chocolates. Which is making me feel hungry!

Friday 28th June 2024

That heart wrenching feeling when you decide to fiddle around in your shops website 'Admin' settings to see what happens when you untick a box.. how much damage can one missed tick cause? Answer - a lot -  eek! Fortunatly I had written down what I had been doing lol...and the blog goes on phew. 

Saturday 15th June 2024

Feeling a bit paranoid: as I left for work this morning, my son said to me : "Mum, why are you going to the shop in your pyjamas?". I think it's because I'm wearing pink...

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

I've updated my webpage of local film user Will S-W, now he has shot the roll of 35mm 'Wolfen Orwo' film I gave him recentley. You can see his resulting images here. Film available from us at £14.99 a roll of 36 pictures.

Wednesday 15th May 2024

Have updated my study of local bird watchers, starting with Martin Hodgson of the Sheffield Bird Study Group. See here.

Saturday 11th May 2024

- Want to see a few images from the new Harman 'Phoenix' 35mm film? Our film user, Joseph W, has sent me a few images which he took on his Nikon F90X. You can see them here.

The film can be bought from us at £12.99 for 36 pictures.

- Been to the gym before coming here. So hungry! Dilemma - protein shake, or cheese twists? Well, cheese is full of protein.. so I guess both then lol!

Saturday 4th May 2024

- One of our film users, Josh, has had a roll of Lomochrome 'Redscale' film processed by us. Interested to see what results he got? See it on his page. Like to try a roll? It's £12.99 a roll, for 36 pictures.

 

- Someone in the womens changing rooms at my gym is possibly in for a shock today; Last time I went there a few days ago, I showered,  took the wet towel home to dry outside on the washing line, then bundled it into my gym bag ready for today. Today, after my workout, I  grabbed the towel to take to the showers, but noticed a big snail attached to it -  obviously it had climbed onto it whilst out drying. I hurriedly threw the snail in the changing room bin, which is a bag open at the top, and then had an uncomfortable shower experience, wondering if I was drying myself with snail goo. At some point today it will problably crawl out to escape the deodrant fumes, and to search for something to eat. Ha! lol.

Tuesday 23rd April 2024

It's not every day that you open the shop, and before you've even had some sips of life-giving coffee to prepare you for the day ahead,  a man walks in and says: "I've come for the box of peanuts". "Peanuts? Whaaaat?" "Yeah, everyone knows you are giving away a big box of peanuts". "Have you got the right shop?" "You are the photo shop aren't you??". "Errr.. yeees?" .. By now I'm wondering what parallel universe I had inadvertently entered. Until I worked out that on Saturday I had offered a free box of polystyrene packing chips in the local shops' Whatsapp' group, after we had a big binocular delivery the day before. He was well embarrased when he realised what he had said, but I won't reveal the 'nutty' local shop owner on Sharrowvale road. Unless he pays protection money lol.

Saturday 20th April 2024

Had to laugh this morning when the usual peacefull chilled environment of Hickmott road was broken by the shriek of a woman trying to pet Poppy, next doors shop cat. That cat is old, cantankerous and viscious at times - even I've been attacked, scratched, mauled, aggressed, hissed and spat at - and it knows me!  #ShopLife   :)

Saturday 13th April 2024

I've written up an article about my latest film camera user,