Black and white film photograph of a person lying on a granite ledge at the water's edge in the Jardin Extraordinaire Nantes, trees and an urban building in the distance, shot on Ilford Pan 100 with a Nikon FE

Birdsong in Black & White: A Morning at the Jardin Extraordinaire

First visit to Nantes’ Jardin Extraordinaire meets first roll of Ilford Pan 100. Shot on a Nikon FE, developed at home in Ifosol 3, scanned on Opticfilm 8100. A slower pace, a Panama hat, and the Grue Titan in the distance. Why analogue photography still matters in 2026, and how film helps me be more authentic.

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French horn section detail at SBL rehearsal, Nikon FE with Ilford HP5 Plus pushed to 3200, March 2026

Part 3: The Grind — General Rehearsal on HP5+ 3200

The grind continues. General orchestra rehearsal without soloists, shot on Nikon FE with HP5+ pushed to 3200. Heavy grain, raw aesthetic, iterative work. Part 3 of a trilogy documenting the Symphonique des bords de Loire through lunch, concerto rehearsal, and general rehearsal.

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Landscape format orchestra rehearsal, Symphonique des bords de Loire, Canon AE-1 Program with Ilford HP5 Plus pushed to 1600, black and white 35mm film, March 2026

Part 2: The Work — Rehearsing a Double Violin Concerto on HP5+ 1600

After lunch, the work begins. Documenting rehearsal of a double violin concerto with two Chinese guest soloists. Shot on Canon AE-1 Program with HP5+ pushed to 1600, these grainy black and white images capture collaboration between soloists and the Symphonique des bords de Loire. Part 2 of 3.

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Symphonique des bords de Loire orchestra musician photographed on a Pentax ME Super with Fomapan 100, black and white film, March 2026

The Break: An Orchestra at Lunch on Fomapan 100

An orchestra at lunch: documenting the Symphonique des bords de Loire’s communal meal before rehearsal. Shot on Pentax ME Super with Fomapan 100, these fine-grain black and white images capture community, food, and the calm before the musical work begins. Part 1 of 3.

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Landscape format black and white photograph on a Nikon FE with Ilford HP5 Plus at 100 ASA, pull processed, scanned on an Opticfilm 8100

The HP5 Plus 100 ASA Experiment: A Happy Accident?

“Accidentally shot HP5 Plus 400 at ISO 100? Discover how this film photography mistake became a happy accident. Learn pull processing techniques, shadow detail retention, and highlight control using Ilfosil 3. See stunning black and white results from a Nikon FE. Your guide to film latitude and overexposure experiments.

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Black and white film photograph of the Maine valley from the Le Porte-Vue belvedere, the river and weir winding through the wooded gorge, Château-Thébaud.

Making the Ordinary Less Ordinary: Rollei RPX 400 at Pont Caffino

After 40 years behind the lens, still learning. Explore Rollei RPX 400 shot handheld in flat light at Pont Caffino, France. A honest look at dodging, burning, and making ordinary prints less ordinary in Lightroom.

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The high altar of the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Nantes, photographed on a Nikon FE with Ilford HP5 Plus 400, black and white 35mm film

Waiting for the Light: Reclaiming the Cathedral with Ilford HP5+

Ian’s contemplative journey through Nantes’ Saint-Pierre Cathedral, captured on Ilford HP5 Plus film with a Nikon FE. This black and white photography essay explores reclaiming sacred space from municipal spectacle, celebrating grain, silence, and winter light. A meditation on film photography as spiritual practice and architectural reverence in France’s historic cathedrals.

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Black and white film photograph of children walking to the Grotto in Lourdes, Pentax ME Super with Kentmere 100, July 2025

Summer 2025 Part IV.  What I Gave Them at the Grotto.

A father reflects on one final family trip to Lourdes in What I Gave Them at the Grotto, a heartfelt essay about faith, fatherhood, and the quiet moments that shape a child’s soul. As his children grow older, he grapples with what it means to pass on belief—not through preaching, but through presence. Set against the sacred landscape of southern France, this personal narrative weaves Mass, memory, and a grainy film photograph into a meditation on legacy, letting go, and the imperfect love that lasts a lifetime.

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