The first roll I shot this year was exposed during the London New Years Day Parade in Central London. It was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to walk in the parade, rather than documenting from the outskirts, and I used a combination of digital and film because I needed to deliver digital files to the group I was attending with, the representatives from the UK Costa Rican community.
I was taking the morning slow, still tired from being awake for the midnight fireworks, and having only a few hours sleep before an early arrival prior to the parade setting up. I used a 50mm f/2 lens on my Leica M6, and I developed using Rodinal.
Ilford FP4+ is a wonderful emulsion, one I really enjoy at box speed, but with incredible latitude with contrasty, punchy tones at EI800. My roll here was exposed at EI100.
I think my M6 with a 50 is the best all round option for close-to-mid range imagery, flexible enough to take in a wider more establishing scene as well. Due to the low speed of the film and average lighting conditions most of these are wide open at f/2 and at around 1/125ths. The dragged shutter images towards the end were a bit of fun, and overall I’m pleased with the results, although there are only one or two images which really stand out, the rest are fairly middle of the road.
My contact sheet above shows the overview of these images (with notes on the top left in my awful handwriting over the plastic sleeving), and you can follow through the moments I was feeling uncertain of myself in repeating frames, and the big time jumps between some moments where the surroundings change entirely and you can tell that nothing interesting really happened.
The first frame of the roll, made on my way to the parade, of some rubbish on the pavement which looked a bit like a face.
The first image made on arrival at the parade route, donkeys waiting for the procession to begin.
I’ve been working on trying to make more portraits, and managed to make a few I was happy with from this roll.
Another portrait, this time of a Bolivian in a traditional dance mask/headwear.
Marching band members.
Marching band members.
Marching band duo who asked me to snap a photo of them as I passed by.
Marching band scenes.
Marching band rehearsal.
A marching band member carrying two saxophones.
A marching band member carrying two saxophones.
Two band members adjust their gear; I was compromising with the available light, so the aperture was not quite deep enough to have both of them in focus.
A band member taking a break with their instrument.
The donkeys again, this time wearing holly-wreaths. I only noticed after taking this that the number plate of the van read “DoIIkey”.
Portrait of a Sikh who was overseeing some cadets.
More prep just before the starting confetti was fired.
A drummer whose hat chin-strap was secured under his nose.
The Police Officer float arrives on the parade route, having been inflated on a side-street.
The Officer looms over the procession.
One of the cars in the parade.
Cheerleaders with one of the marching bands.
A camera operator near Piccadilly Circus.
Gathered crowds along Pall Mall.
A portrait next to Parliament, at the end of the procession route.
Another portrait at the finishing line of the Parade.
A slow shutter capturing the running marching band who had just finished their performance outside the Downing Street VIP area.
I prefer the prior frame.
Confetti cannon is fired.
A marching band with freshly fired confetti falling around them. I wish there were more floating in the foreground to emphasise the depth of the scene.
At the conclusion of the parade, a figure of Ganesha is loaded onto a van behind some resting performers.
After the parade, one delegate crosses the road to join the rest of her group.
Still life of some of the components of one of the floats.
The warning tape around this broken traffic system sort of looked like a subtle pentagram, which would be useful for a project I am working on.
I took this before remembering another image it would work well alongside, with a matching composition.
I may flip this horizontally so that it matches better with a few other photographs I have of tilted things.
A group of dhol drummers carrying Indian and British flags along with their instruments.
An accidental frame of what I’m pretty sure is Andy‘s jacket. I’m not sure how this happened.
On my way to head home via Victoria.
I liked how the lights stretched from the lighter left hand frame through to the dark right hand side.
Final frame of the roll, a couple across the street sharing an umbrella.
I hope you enjoyed these pictures, and if you did then please consider following me on Instagram, or checking out my personal blog. I have a few publications and prints available, and hope to have some fresh offerings later this year.
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Steve h on The Whole Roll: Ilford FP4+ at the London New Years Day Parade (2024)
Comment posted: 15/03/2024
long time ago. Nice work otherwise.
Comment posted: 15/03/2024
Tony Colclough on The Whole Roll: Ilford FP4+ at the London New Years Day Parade (2024)
Comment posted: 15/03/2024
Could you let us know what developer you use please you have lots of detail throughout highlights and shadows.
Comment posted: 15/03/2024