Do not dismantle

June 8, 2017 by Phil Kneen Photography

When I’ve finished using a disposable camera, despite the explicit warning on the outer casing of the flash version of these cameras that doing this can result in serious injury or even death by electrocution, I always force the unit open to get the film canister out. I’m pleased to inform that I’m still alive. I just don’t see the financial sense of sending the entire camera through the post to be developed… nevertheless, when I’m found dead, clutching a […]

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: disposable camera, kodak, kodak disposable

Maximum Exposure

March 18, 2017 by Phil Kneen Photography

A friend of mine bought a new sofa – it looks like leather, it feels like leather, and it even smells like leather – but it’s not. It’s plastic. Internationally-renowned photojournalist, Sebastião Salgado, up until a few years ago, shot all of his work on film; he’d carry two all manual Leica cameras, a couple of lenses and bag full of Kodak black and white film. Whenever he got the chance, the Brazilian would have his film developed and printed. […]

Categories: film photography, Photography, woman • Tags: film camera, film photography, I shoot film, kodak, kodak ultramax, negative, nikon, nikon f100, nikon f4, portrait, VSCO, VSCO FILM

Early finish

March 16, 2017 by Phil Kneen Photography

When it comes to spending twelve hours a day on a scallop dredger, I have two choices – either medicate myself with anti-nausea pills, which cause drowsiness, and spend half the day asleep in a bunk below deck. Or, don’t take the pills and spend most of the day, below deck, in a bunk trying not to vomit. For this, my third trip out on the Sarah Lena, I chose the former; at least that way I can still function […]

Categories: photojournalism • Tags: analogue, fishing boat, isle of man, kodak, nikon f4, scallops, sea

Two and a quarter square.

February 13, 2017 by Phil Kneen Photography

I have to confess; I came close to selling my Hasselblad last week. I got another batch of films back, and there were a lot of disappointingly mediocre shots, in my opinion. But then I looked again – I think to go from years of shooting in the rectangular ratio back to square has confused my compositional mind, and I’m just not used to seeing my images that way. So I’m going to persevere – I’ve set myself a challenge; […]

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: 501cm, film camera, hasselblad, I shoot film, isle of man, kodak, kodak portra 400, negative, personal project, portrait, square

5840 Days

January 2, 2017 by Phil Kneen Photography

I can’t believe our daughter is Sixteen! Jess can now join the armed forces, invest in a cash ISA, move out of the family home (but if under 17, social services may apply for a care order), give consent to medical, dental and surgical treatment, be detained in police custody and get married. Jess, fortunately, has inherited most of her good points off her Mum, Helen, so she’s already pretty well sorted for life, although she did inherit my poor […]

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: 35mm, analogue, film, fuji, fuji instax mini, isle of man, japan, kodak, Olympus mju II, pentax 67, portrait

Disposable Outcome.

October 9, 2016 by Phil Kneen Photography

People’s general perception of disposable cameras tends to be that they produce poor quality, grainy images – so in the digital age, they would appear to be somewhat useless. I disagree. I think the secret to using these throwaway compacts is to shoot either in bright sunlight or use the flash, otherwise, you are going to get poor quality and very grainy images. All the images here are from the same Kodak disposable camera and were shot in relatively bright […]

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: 35mm, analogue, disposable camera, film, grunge, kodak

No, means no.

January 15, 2016 by Phil Kneen Photography

All images made using an Olympus MjuII compact and various film (Kodak Portra, Fuji Superia and Agfa Vista). Developed and scanned at UK FILM LAB 

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: 35mm, calais, film, france, I shoot film, kodak, migrants, Olympus mju II, Portra, the jungle

Hal kuring nempo…

November 19, 2015 by Phil Kneen Photography

A lot of people are surprised to learn that I’m shooting the vast majority of my Calais project using a 20 year-old, second-hand Olympus Mju II 35mm film compact. I’m using a medium format Pentax 67 too, but only really for the more ‘formal’ portraits. Wandering around The Jungle with a brace of professional DSLR’s slung around your neck is not a great idea. For my next visit in a couple of weeks I’ll be taking two Mju II and […]

Categories: Photography, photojournalism • Tags: calais, film, france, I shoot film, kodak, kodak portra 400, Olympus mju II, refugee, the jungle

Only Human

October 31, 2015 by Phil Kneen Photography

Here’s a few portraits I shot while I was last in France and Spain. All made using either an Olympus MjuII 35mm compact or a Fuji GW690III 6x9cm. Film is Kodak Portra 160/400/800. Developed and scanned at UK Film Lab.  This will probably the last post for a while as I’m off to Calais tomorrow to make portraits and document on the various migrant camps in the French coastal town. The last time I was there I had great difficulty […]

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: 35mm, analogue, c41, film, fuji film, fuji GW690III, fuji pro 400H, I shoot film, kodak, Olympus mju II, pentax 67, portrait

The Things I saw #4

October 26, 2015 by Phil Kneen Photography

Since returning home last week, following a string of unfortunate incidents, things have begun to gradually improve… my ex-wife Helen told me they would, twice. My continuing stories about campsites in Spain, and their perpetual residents, has stirred-up quite a bit of interest… I’ve been contacted by a couple of agents who’d like me to go back to Benidorm and extend the story. I must admit that the idea of going back to that area wasn’t something I had planned… […]

Categories: film photography, Photography, photojournalism, travel • Tags: 35mm, Ballachulish bridge, Benidorm, calais, film, film photography, fine art, I shoot film, kinlochleven, kodak, kodak portra 160, kodak portra 400, kodak portra 800, Olympus mju II, olympus mju2, personal project, phil kneen, photojournalism, portrait, scotland, Simon Campbell, spain, tourism