On Any Sunday

July 18, 2018 by Phil Kneen Photography

Open-water swimmers are a difficult lot to photograph, they don’t hang around; clad in anything from a pair of Speedo’s and a latex cap, right through to full neoprene wetsuits, sea swimmers are in the water and gone. I have attempted to swim alongside these athletes but swimming on my side whilst operating a camera, even wearing large fins, isn’t easy… and I’m not an athlete. I’m going to persevere though because I really like the images I’m getting. I […]

Categories: Photography, photojournalism • Tags: isle of man, nikonos, Nikonos III, Nikonos V, open water, sea swimming

Positive Buoyancy

June 30, 2018 by Phil Kneen Photography

My recent exploration into underwater photography has rekindled a passion and interest in the medium that has been somewhat lacking over the past few months; thrown me out of the rut and into the sea. There’s a system, a ritual, almost, that goes with the process – methodically checking the cameras before entering the water, knowing that you only have 36 goes at getting it right before you need to get out, rinsing the cameras in fresh water… even the […]

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: 35mm, analog, analogue, isle of man, kodak, Nikonos III, nikons V, sea swimming

The Curve

June 3, 2018 by Phil Kneen Photography

Just when I thought I’d learned all I needed to know about the technical side of photography, along comes my desire to shoot underwater. The mechanics of photography, above water, despite how complicated it may look, is actually very simple. Essentially, to get the ‘correct’ image, you have about eight aperture sizes and twelve(ish) shutter speeds – all you need to do is combine one of each to get the right amount of light onto your film, you point your […]

Categories: film photography, Photography, woman • Tags: Fuji Venus 800, nikonos, Nikonos III

Calypso

June 1, 2018 by Phil Kneen Photography

All images here were made using Nikonos III camera underwater camera and 35mm lens. Filmstock is Ilford HP5 400, pushed to 800, for black and white and Fuji Venus 800 (Superia 800) for colour.

Categories: film photography, model, woman • Tags: canon sureshot A1, Ilford HP5, Nikonos III, nude, underwater

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”

May 16, 2018 by Phil Kneen Photography

Shooting with the Nikonos III underwater camera has been a harsh lesson in disappointment; it’s difficult to use, considering it’s such a simple camera. There appears to be a lot of physics involved in underwater photography? Or is there? Perhaps I’m just making excuses for the high rate of unusable images I’ve ended up with since becoming obsessed with this forty-five-year-old water-tight temptress. Well exposed images, I don’t generally have an issue with – what’s giving me cause for concern […]

Categories: film photography, Photography • Tags: Nikonos III, underwater

Nikonos III test roll

March 22, 2018 by Phil Kneen Photography

As far as cameras go, the Nikonos III underwater setup is pretty much as basic and elementary as it gets – five shutter speeds (1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500 and B) on the body – apart from the winding mechanism, there are no more moving parts. Depending on which of the six lenses you choose, seven apertures are available (on the 35mm l use – f2.5, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22). There’s nothing automatic on this camera, not exposure […]

Categories: film photography, Photography, photojournalism • Tags: film camera, film photography, I shoot film, isle of man, kodak, negative, Nikonos III, personal project, portrait, scallops, ultramax 400, underwater

Wet Work

February 26, 2018 by Phil Kneen Photography

After all my research into seasickness, the almost endless conflicting advice and remedies, I’ve finally cracked it. Ginger tablets, wristbands, stare at the horizon, don’t look at the horizon, cheese and onion crisps, run on the spot, lie down, stand up, earplugs, pour urine over yourself (that one might have been for box jellyfish stings, actually) … I should have just listened to what almost every seasoned fisherman has been advising me for the last few months – “You just […]

Categories: Photography, photojournalism • Tags: fishing boat, isle of man, nikonos, Nikonos III, scallops