Proof Sheet - London
The Proof Sheet Challenge
Proof sheets are fun. They let you look at the entire roll of film the photographer shot and get a sense of what was important to their eye on that particular moment in time.
Film photographers have to edit in their head before they shoot a photo. Unlike digital cameras that have virtually unlimited photos, each frame on a roll of film costs you money.
With each edition of Under Exposed, I will bring out one roll of film and show you what I think are the best 12 frames from that roll.
In this edition we visit a cold October night in London, England in 2006. One of my best friends was traveling with me to Scotland for a wedding and we happened upon some great spots for an impromptu photo shoot. After all, few cities are as photogenic as London.
London, England - 2006
Ilford Delta 3200, shot in October 2006, processed in ID-11
Frame 2
Can you see the ghost in the upper right corner? While I cannot explain this smudge on the film - which does not appear in any of my other frames on this roll, I kind of like the idea that I captured something paranormal. Who knows? Maybe Jack the Ripper’s ghost?
Frame 3
A precursor to some of the erotic work that I would do in 2009-2011, I saw these mannequins in a store window just days before Halloween and couldn't resist.
Frame 4
OK… I posed this. Still, I love this shot.
Frame 6
There were two images of this street, one with and one without the cyclist in the bottom right of the frame. I liked this one better as it helped give the photo a dynamic feel the other one lacked.
Frame 12
This was incredibly hard to photograph. I don’t carry a tripod and I had to brace myself and shoot this at 1/30th of a second. That’s why many of the faces are out of focus. The coffee shop decal on the window was also out of focus because I was too close to it and trying to capture the interior. Nevertheless, being out of focus sometimes works and helps create the right mood.
Frame 13
Another very low light condition that required that I find something to brace the camera with to stabilize it in order to capture this image. The fluidity of the water is captured here in a smooth fashion due to the slow shutter speed.
Frame 15
The magnificent Hilton Trafalgar Hotel with its dramatic lighting. I waited to capture this image with one of London’s iconic red double-decker buses in the bottom right.
Frame 16
I try not to shoot like a tourist. Rules are meant to be broken however.
Frame 20
One of the most beautiful sights in London, if you ask me, is right here. The famous London Eye reflecting in the River Thames is a moment I will never forget.
Frame 22
The River Thames at night is just stunning to photograph. I used the railing of a bridge to stabilize the camera to take this shot.
Frame 28
Using the London Eye and Big Ben in the background, I captured my friend using the lamps along the waterfront and those of the London Eye itself to illuminate his face.
Frame 32
“STOP!” I shouted to my friend from a distance. The light on the Golden Jubilee Bridge was incredible. I used the light reflecting off of the pavement and told my friend to lean forward so that the light would capture his face and it produced this amazing effect. Of the 6 shots that used to finished the roll, this is my favorite one.