Crowds and children bathing in the pool at the foot of the graffitied quarry face, Jardin Extraordinaire Nantes

Jardin Extraordinaire: This Time I Actually Looked at the Map

I headed back out with the Canon AE1 Program to capture more of the Voyage à Nantes, this time at the Jardin Extraordinaire—a hidden garden carved into an abandoned quarry. With the car at 48°C, it was sweltering, but the wandering through Chantenay and an unplanned brewery visit made the day worth every frame.

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Théo Mercier's Fossil Opera — sand ammonites and half-buried cars before the Opéra Graslin colonnade, Nantes

Voyage à Nantes: Following the Green Line

It was 46°C in the car when I set off and 40°C by the time I reached Place Graslin, which is not the weather for walking a city. But Le Voyage à Nantes paints a green line through the streets and I wanted to follow it, at least as far as I could manage without melting. The AE1, a roll of HP5+ rated at 100, and whatever the evening put in front of me.

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Twin towers of Basilique Saint-Donatien lit deep red against black night sky above Nantes street, Fujifilm X100F 23mm

Saints, Shadows and Brass: An Evening at the Festival Saint Donatien

A Friday in May, a Facebook message from an old friend, and a brass quintet about to perform at the Festival Saint Donatien in the Basilique Saint-Donatien, Nantes. I took the Fujifilm X100F, arrived early to hunt for light in the old stone streets around the basilica, and ended up inside one of the most atmospheric concerts I have attended in years.

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Black and white film photograph of crowds on the quarry rock pool at the Jardin Extraordinaire, Nantes, on a sunny April afternoon.

On Est Bien Là: Back at the Jardin Extraordinaire

A warm Sunday in April, a Canon EOS 500, and a roll of AGFA APX 100 at Nantes’ Jardin Extraordinaire. Film photography, slow days, and why it’s nice to be out in it.

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Black and white photograph of a Nantes café window with the handwritten French phrase "On ne peut pas acheter le bonheur mais on peut acheter du bon vin" — you can't buy happiness but you can buy good wine.

YOU CAN’T BUY HAPPINESS, BUT…

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy good wine.” A philosophical photo essay exploring what Nantes, France teaches us about the good life—beauty as democracy, the right to solitude, and pleasure as infrastructure. Discover how black and white street photography reveals the architecture of everyday happiness in one of Europe’s most livable cities.

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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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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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Opening of the Film Archives – Canon AE1 Street Photography in Nantes

Join me on a street photography journey through Nantes with the Canon AE1, capturing raw, candid moments. The article also reflects on choosing the right camera for an upcoming China tour, balancing film versus digital for unforgettable images.

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The Opening of the Film Archives – Chaussée des Moines, Autumn 2016

Explore the Chaussée des Moines through the lens of the Canon AE-1 on a golden autumn day. Discover the tranquil beauty of the Sèvre Nantaise river, the interplay of light and shadow, and the charm of film photography. This reflective piece blends nostalgia, technique, and storytelling for photography enthusiasts.

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