This series features photos showing the unique and often mesmerising beauty of light leaks and double exposures from various film rolls. Taken on classic 35mm film with both point-and-shoot and SLR cameras, the pictures have dreamlike qualities that draw you into this alternative, surreal reality where maybe everything we know and love is being consumed by fire. All are born from me not quite knowing how to successfully reload my cameras properly after reloading the film, or not paying attention to shooting the last exposure on a roll of film.
This photo highlights a calm and serene Caribbean volcano, with contrasting light leaks.
Location: St. Kitts & Nevis
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
I was frustrated when I first got it back from development, but after looking at it for a while, I started to like it. While the world is “burning” due to the light leaks, this pup just wants to nap in the Florentine sun.
Location: Florence, Italy
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
A Renaissance painting from the Uffizi Gallery, enhanced by a warmth that I genuinely still can’t really explain? The colours create a dreamlike quality though. Classical techniques meet spontaneous imperfections.
Location: Florence, Italy
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
I think this is from a church. I cant quite remember where this was taken, but I know I experimented with film in low light environments, and tried setting up my camera to capture this close up of the art on the walls. The light continues to leak from not successfully reloading the film and making sure the camera was properly sealed.
Location: Unknown
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
One of the picturesque side streets leading up to Al Duomo. And we all would have enjoyed that view if I had been paying attention to this frame being the end of the roll of film.
Location: Florence, Italy
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
I’m trying to figure out how to focus on the 2 cameras on a point and shoot. And as you can see I just couldn’t.
Location: Virgin Islands
Camera: Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 115 (35mm Film)
Family were on a cruise of the Caribbean and somehow missed getting back on the damn ship (because Mrs Fatuga & Tani wanted souvenirs), which started a stressful 24hrs to try and catch the ship at the next port otherwise we would have to fly home. In not paying attention to how many shots I have left, I ended up taking this shot with the last exposure.
I find how the photo just stops abruptly quite cool somehow. Im sure there was more to the photo when I took it, but with it cut off it gives rise to a sole subject and that’s where my attention now goes. Somehow it’s cool to me that we now will never be able to see what else was there, but what we can see is somehow enough, creating such an iconic “main character” moment for this guy.
Location: Antigua
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
I have absolutely no idea how this happened, its as if I have not fully wound my Canon AE-1 properly, so this shot is straddling 2 exposures.
Location: Unknown (The Caribbean)
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
With this one I unfortunately will never know what I was trying to capture with the camera. Undoubtedly, the fact that its completely blurry is probably down to this being one of the first few rolls of film I ever shot on me Canon AE-1. However, now we are left with this orange blur, and after staring at it for a while, it has grown on me.
Location: Unknown
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
I have absolutely no idea how this happened, its as if I have not fully wound my Canon AE-1 properly (AGAIN), so this shot is straddling 2 exposures.
Location: Unknown (The Caribbean)
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
Sitting in a car travelling through Antigua, and I saw this tractor and I thought it looked cool so I shot it. I have no clue where the window comes from, I must have messed up and accidentally created a double exposure. I wish I knew how to do one of these on purpose.
Location: Antigua
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
A viewpoint from the Caribbean tinged with subtle light leaks.
Location: Unknown (The Caribbean)
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
The end of a roll of film meets a sculpture from the V&A in London. Its like we are seeing history and art erased with the way the singes of the end of the roll are creeping up on the historical piece.
Location: London, UK
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
The view from a beautiful balcony in Antigua when Family got stuck there because we missed the cruise ship. Not paying attention to my last exposure, and we don’t actually get to see the balcony. I guess we do get to see the view though.
Location: Antigua
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)
Location: Unknown
Camera: Canon AE- 1 (35mm Film)