Aoife Mannix, Riga. 

Long time, no photo-post. Life gets in the way sometimes. But I’ve added a new camera to my arsenal: I’m now shooting with a Bronica ETRSI. It’s a different experience from shooting with the Yashica 124G I shot with for most of last year, and the format for prints comes out as a rectangular 6x4.5 (as opposed to the Yashica’s square 6x6). The Bronica is heavier, more of a conventional single lens form factor complete with loud mirror drop action and demands a bit more dexterity to operate; the Yashica seems designed for ease of operation, where settings and focus can be adjusted without any significant shift of grip. 

That said, I’m already falling in love with the Bronica. It arrived just before a trip to Latvia, and I was cautious with it, not knowing how it would handle. Having seen the first couple of rolls, I’m wishing I’d shot more. 

Outside Aubin & Wills, Shoreditch. 

Guilty admission: I haven’t shot anything for ages. Itching for some dedicated time to wander with camera in hand… 

Walk this way? 

I promised no more carnival photos - I’m sneaking this one in under the radar. I was opposite Ladbroke Grove when this guy came up to me, a little merry. Friendly guy, all handshakes and smiles, putting his hand on my head (that’s a whole other issue, but other than that, he was cool). Then he saw the Yashica and started fawning over it in slightly broken European English. Vintage camera, yeah? It’s really old, yeah? Take my picture, yeah? I pressed the button a couple of times, he called his girlfriend over, she grudgingly obliged, I had to change the roll, shot a couple more, and that was that. This one looks a bit moody…

I’ve been forbidden from posting any more Carnival photos - saving the rest for a future exhibition. So back to Brick Lane for a bit…