So we have another recipe test! Spoiler alert: There's another monochrome one after this, replacing my long-used Mono Koda & MGA J-Street duo.
The reason for the change was because they were both great for walkabouts (foreshadowing!) but there were moments where they weren't working for me during concerts.
And that is where FujiXWeekly's "Ilford HP5 Plus" recipe comes in! The nearly 150 year old company is one of the go-to spots for Black & White film and I wanted something that works for outside whilst the other one will work for concerts.
Now, did I realise that I was using the wrong one until typing this? Yes… But I guess they're good for both!
Where The White Boys Going?
The quirk about the other recipe is that it's supposed to be locked at 3200 ISO, hence why I wanted it for concerts. But I instead locked this one at 3200 so that is the lay of the land. Not that it matters for you, the reader.
So this set comes on the same day as my Tank and The Bangas post, (Spin Here) overall a very eventful day as you will see now.
We begin in Dalston for a day party that was hosted by a familiar face if you're a regular visitor: The good people at The Silhouettes Project!
I was only there for just over an hour but it was a good event right in the heart of Dalston. I feel obliged to say the event was in solidarity with the people of Palestine & D.R. Congo in case you were wondering what the flags were.
Extra points if you knew what they were, even in monochrome.
I really love catching moments like these. It’s so easy to capture as a photographer and pays off every time…
So I did it again!
Considering that I wasn’t there for long, I was surprised how easy it was to get good shots.
But then again I was using my zoom lens so I could get more trigger happy than I am with my 35mm.
Anyways. Let’s finish this up…
We have a show to get to.
Something about me (if it wasn’t obvious) is that I enjoy walking. Especially in places I’m not familiar with. Don’t get me wrong, I can get from spot to spot in London but I don’t know London in the way I’d like.
So with an hour or so to kill, currently in Dalston and my show in Camden, you know what had to be done…
Let me take you on a stroll through North London.
So we start in Dalston, a place that I have a soft spot for. My grandmother, aunt & cousin used to live round the corner from where I was on the day.
Whilst the photos above show a Dalston I love aesthetically, I didn’t show the entirety of it. If I turned left instead of right, you would see a very gentrified area.
But that’s for another day. Like I said, I turned right and caught a couple of dirty mirror self-portraits!
And after that, I kept walking and eventually got to the borough of Islington.
And then I make it to Camden via King’s Cross.
I didn't take many photos once I got to King's X because I didn't want to dawdle. Shout out to friend of the journey Shari who I bumped into on the way! She just came out of a vinyl cop including James Brown and Isaac Hayes' "Walk On By" which is one of my favourites of all time.
But alas, didn't get a picture because I honestly forgot to ask and I had food on my mind.
And the rest of the night you can find on the previous post! This really was one of those days where things could've gone wrong but nothing did and I'm extremely grateful for that.
The other monochrome recipe coming up next…
Charlie Taylor
chillicharlie.taylor@gmail.com
Born in Camden, North London.
Bred in Leigh-On-Sea, Essex.
Screenwriter/Podcaster/Photographer/
Hip-Hop Student.