Documenting

Day 22: My most recent roll of film

Sometimes, when I receive the downloadable files after getting my film developed, I’m disappointed with how little photographs were taken with artistic intention. I am quite an impatient photographer, especially when I’m shooting on a roll of 36 exposures. The first 15 or so are usually taken with a specific idea or project in mind. The middle 10 tend to opportunistic shots I’ve taken on the odd occasion I take out my camera, which I usually have no recollection of taking, and the final 10 or 11 photographs are all taken just to finish the roll, because I want to see the earlier photographs I took with intention.

By the start of this month, I was itching to see the photographs I’ve been taking since late July. I only shot three full rolls of a film in 2025, way fewer than in 2024. One was an experimentation with black and white film, the next was a documentation of early summer and the final - which I received today - was a complete mishmash of images, many of which were off centre, blurry and completely random. So I decided to contextualise them.

I started out by documenting Sipe, a graffiti writer who I met in Stockwell last October. This was the initial purpose for my final roll. It was really fun to shoot him at Leake Street Arches and meet other writers in Southbank. I felt like a human being.

I also documented Mary and Nuno as they transitioned from one chapter to the next: moving our of their flat of five years to a place closer to me. Even I felt attached to their old place. It has held me through some tough times. It’s nice to treat your friends to the gift of their own past. And they are so photogenic.

I took some nice photographs of Anaïs and Robyn’s annual firework party, too. I have no recollection of taking these.

I also like to capture moments that would otherwise be quite forgettable but extremely human. Like when I walked in on Matt, my most health-conscious friend, after he’d just polished off his entire advent calendar three weeks early. Or when Sip brought everything but the bud. Not unlike him.

I barely took any landscape photographs in the last six months. I think there are three on this roll. This photograph, from the balcony of Mary’s old place, is my favourite. It’s such a beautiful building.

Finally I have some shots from a recent HVYWGHT night at Village Underground. Village Underground has been one of my most frequented venues this year, even though I think it is completely unfit for raving. The strict security, the lack of seating, the toilet attendants, the world’s worst smoking area. Anyway, this night was undeniably sick.