Learning from my mistakes

With film in your camera, and the deliberate, methodical slowing down it forces you into as you really think about the picture you're taking, you're confronted with the prospect that this is your one chance at this shot. The subject, the light, the perspective, the moment will be different even just a few seconds later. Just like in life - this present is only the present once; then that moment is gone forever.

I was confronted with this reality most starkly after taking some pictures whilst in Manchester for a conference related to my day job.

Actually, my first mistake happened before I even reached Manchester. Look closely at the images I've included and you'll notice some ghosting and reflections in the top right third of the pictures. This is because I ignored all the advice and allowed my film camera to be taken through the x-ray machines at airport security on a flight I'd taken a few days earlier. Film enthusiasts warn about the damage that airport scanners can do to camera film - the ionizing radiation affects the silver halides - but I assumed this was just an exaggeration. It appears I was wrong and they were right!

To be fair, the damage may have been more pronounced because the film in question was some long-expired Fujifilm Superia. I found several rolls of it with my old camera equipment so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm told that sometimes you can get beautiful artifacts and coloring from using old, expired film. The results I've posted here suggest there may be some truth in that.

But my second mistake was even more devastating

I love Manchester. It has a really interesting and appealing vibe about it. There's a trendy and contemporary feel to it, but without any of the aloofness and pretension you find in London. This trendiness sits comfortably alongside some real earthiness and, yes - in certain parts, genuine social challenges. And this juxtaposition can be felt just as keenly in its architecture - the strikingly new and contemporary, alongside the old industrial architecture - some of it gentrified, some of it derelict. It's a great city to walk around with a camera - you're never too far from photos that speak to these juxtapositions - a derelict warehouse next to a converted mill with trendy flats, a shiny new glass and steel monolith overshadowing an industrial canal.

I was busy walking around the city center on a gorgeous, warm sunny evening, happily snapping away. It seemed like every turn of a street corner presented a new photographic opportunity. I was lost in the moment, enjoying how the city seemed to come alive in the beautiful evening light. The photo count on my old Pentax KM - a vintage camera that I've only recently bought - was creeping upwards. Before I knew it I'd reached 36 on the counter but for some reason I could still take pictures.

And that's when I realised - with a sense of dread - that I hadn't loaded the film properly into the camera. Those precious moments, where the city's streetscapes had sparkled in the beautiful evening light, were lost forever as I realised that none of the pictures I'd taken over the past few hours were actually exposed onto the film. You can imagine my despair and frustration. The sunlight was already fading and I was traveling home the next day. The moment was gone.

Chinatown vibes

The few images I actually have from my Manchester trip are all from Chinatown. This is the second largest Chinatown in the UK after the one in London. It has its origins in the early 20th century, emerging from waves of Chinese immigration to the city. The community really began to flourish after World War II, particularly from the 1950s onwards, when many Chinese immigrants arrived from Hong Kong seeking better economic opportunities. The area began taking on a distinct cultural identity in the 1960s.

The first photo is of a mural in the square by the ornate archway that marks the entrance to Chinatown. I love how the old, expired film gives a slightly faded and muted sense of color to the picture.

The second picture is of another mural - an eye, lit by the evening sun, juxtaposed against the background of the square.

The last few images are of the streetscapes. Nothing too striking about these photos, except I really like how the old, expired film has given these pictures a faded, vintage feel.

They're not the greatest shots and lack a definitive subject to draw you in. But despite their technical flaws, they capture something of that warm evening in Manchester's Chinatown. The expired Fuji, even with its ghosting, gave these streets a nostalgic quality that somehow feels right.

Alas, there were so many more images I thought I'd taken but it was not to be. I'll just have to go back up to Manchester at some point. I'll also definitely persist with using up the old film rolls I have - I just need to remember to load the film properly and not take it through airport scanners!

Those of you who've read my posts will notice these shots are in colour, not my usual black and white. I'm still experimenting - there's an elegant simplicity to monochrome, but I'm also drawn to the vintage warmth that certain colour films provide. So watch this space!

Thanks for reading and don't be shy about sharing or re-stacking if you think others might enjoy my posts (or enjoy a laugh at my amateur film mistakes!).