Nov 16, 2018
project filmswap #1
by matt
As an Instagram user it’s customary to comment on and ‘like’ photos that other users post – only if you like them of course :-) I’m not a massive user of Instagram – I really only use it as a social media line into the film photography community, some of whom post and discuss things on there. A couple of months ago, one of the people who I follow, who’s photos I enjoy (and vice-versa) and who is also an avid film photography enthusiast, asked me if I wanted to do a Film Swap. Being a little taken aback at first, I thought about it and decided to give it ago. For those not in the know, a film swap is when two (or more, I suppose) people each obtain a roll of camera film, shoot it at twice box speed, rewind the film leaving a little of the leader out, then send the film to the other(s) and they then shoot more photos over the top of the previously exposed roll. The result of this is basically a set of ‘double exposures’ on a single roll of film. The Instagram user who I have now referred to as my ‘Instagram buddy’ – Jos Lutz – has his feed available here so please check out some of his shots. So after I agreed to give this total stranger on the Internet my home address, we started exchanging plans for the film swap over email. We agreed to shoot a black and white roll and a colour roll, both rated at 200 ASA speed, at ASA 400 on our Nikon FM2n cameras only using our 50mm lens. Jos had the b&w white first (Fomopan 200). I had the colour first (Kodak Colorplus 200). We agreed to first shoot backgrounds, silhouettes and compositions which would serve as a ‘frame’ for the second round in which we would concentrate on objects and portraits. It sounded like a good plan. It sounded pretty cool. It sounded fun. It was. So here is a gallery of my favourites from our double exposure roll of black and white Fomopan 200. A pre-Brexit cross-channel film photography collaboration between Yorkshire, UK and Purmerend, Netherlands. Two guys. Two Nikon FM2s. One lovely result… Enjoy