Established Tradition
A few weeks ago I went to London for a photowalk. I have an established tradition for photowalks in London. I pick a camera I regret taking once I’m there, and I wear the wrong shoes. This one was organised by @londoncameraproject, @beerandcamerasuk and co-sponsored by @lomographyuk, and @thephotographersgallery.
Weapons of choice
In the past I’ve taken my Hasselblad, my big fuji rangefinder, my Leica, and my Canon F1; (the F1 proved the more successful). This time I took the Canon EOS 1, and my MJU II, and I opted for new hiking boots.
For one of my first London photowalks I wore biker boots because I thought they were cool. They crippled me. On another I clocked up 15000 steps in flip-flops. I discovered a hole in my hiking boots about a week before I travelled, announcing itself as I walked across a swampy field. I bought new boots the day before the trip and kept my fingers crossed.
The Walk
We met at the the Photographer’s Gallery, and I was early which gave me the chance to drool over the books in the bookshop in the basement. (I ended up falling in love with Raul Canibano’s work which was on display in the print sales section of the gallery).
Having accrued a massive crowd of photographers, we set out up the street towards the Snappy Snaps on Wardour Street for a tour of their photolab.
It is usually at this point in a photowalk that I remember that photowalks are usually a pretty bad setting for taking photographs. They’re great for catching up and having some unapologetically geeky time with likeminded people, but the photographs, at least in my case, tend to be a bit crap.
Whether it’s the trooping enmasse, the pressure of time, the bimbling in and out of each other’s photographs, or the feeling that you’re all hunting the same subjects, I’m not sure. I always end up taking photographs of people on the photowalk, which is fine, but doesn’t produce the kind of photographs that I’m hoping for.
After a pub and a mooch into Soho followed by some lunch we headed to Piccadilly Circus, arriving at about the same time as the Extinction Rebellion March. Then we were off into Chinatown and off towards our final destination, another pub.
The weather was dreary and the light was flat, but the people were fun and the cider was crisp. After a long day I slept on the train, glad that I’d made the effort, that I’d gone, and that I’d bought new boots.
I do love photowalks, and I’m getting better at them. I enjoyed both cameras although the MJU beat the EOS 1 for keepers. It was great to catch up with some old friends, to make some new ones and I did take some pictures I like.
I returned home with a jones for a pinhole camera, a few fully exposed rolls, and 6 frames on rolls in each of the cameras.
I was so excited to see the results that I considered just rewinding them, in the end a few trips to the park and some pumpkin picking knocked off the balance of the film.
Appraisal
I’m seriously considering making a major change to my photography load out, one that will involve significant upheaval and expenditure.
As a result each of my cameras is going through an appraisal process. I have more than I can realistically use regularly, and having firmly established myself as ‘not a collector’ it feels like time to to have clearout.
The only problem is that every time I re-engage with a camera I’m reminded why I bought it in the first place. The Olympus MJU is a perfect example. I was all set to get shot of it and reinvest the value and it ended up securing its place in my collection.
If you’re looking for a photowalk, and I heartily recommend them all reservations aside, check out www.photowalk.me for a list of upcoming walks you can jump on to. You can also set up your own and invite others to join you. You can follow @photowalkme and the man behind it (@westen30) too if you like.
All credit to Robert, the man behind @londoncameraproject for the organisation of the walk, and to the sponsors for supporting it.
A few more pictures below:(All images shot on Kodak Portra 400, with either the Olympus MJU II or the Canon EOS 1 with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2)
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