I pull the freshly developed 35mm Fomapan 200 from the tank and get that sinking feeling… Oh no, I’ve double exposed this roll. DOH! Plonker. All the years of experience with film photography it still happens every now and again.
Don’t get me wrong, I love double exposure photography and actually make it a regular practice in my photography, whether commissioned work or for my own projects. But that’s usually a conscious effort, whether it’s in-camera planned compositions or a more serendipity affair where I’ll photograph one layer then reload and photograph over the top with something else.
I’m usually fairly regimented with my film. Once it’s exposed I fold a crease into the leader so it’s clear it has been used. No idea why this didn’t happen this time, maybe the film photography gods were sending me an important message to not be complacent!
Hey, I even have a sharpie pen in the camera bag and could have marked the canister with the camera I’d used and the location – nope, that would be too obvious and I kid myself that I’ll remember all the detail, but that’s another story about my increasingly forgetful brain!
Anyway, I get to scanning and realise that it’s ok, the two versions weren’t anything particularly important, they were part of my daily walks around town. And surprisingly some of them are actually really pleasing to my eye and create a more interesting and ‘creative’ view point.
Here are my favourites:
The technicals
Film was Fomapan 200 that I bulk rolled into a 36 exposure. I believe the first camera was a Ricoh 500G and the second a Canon TX SLR. Film was home developed using Rodinal 1+50 for 9 mins at 20 degrees C. I then scanned using a Plustek Opticfilm with SilverFast SE Plus and brought into Lightroom. A tiny bit of cropping and exposure adjustment here and there. The hardest part was deciding where to make the cut as the frames didn’t line up, always tricky when you want them to fit nicely in the storage sleeves but want to make the right composition choice.
Embrace the ‘mistakes’
Happy accidents do happen! Most of these pictures on their own would have been a bit boring. I’d have looked briefly and then filed them away. With this set, I actually find myself spending more time with them. My brain goes on a journey, eyes travel around. The more you look the more you see. There are also some interesting juxtapositions – Soho’s Original Adult Store merged with an extremely low Hollow Pond waterway in Leytonstone. A Paddington Bear mural and busy commuters near Waterloo layered on top of ancient Oak trees of Epping Forest. What’s not to enjoy?
Has this happened to you?
What did you do with the results? Did they go straight in the bin, or did you discover some creative masterpieces with extra meaning and celebrated them? I’d love to hear so do feel free to comment below.
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Ben
15 Sep 2026Some of these I don’t think I’d be able to put together if I tried. The ‘no parking’ one might be my favourite
I just saw a youtube video where someone shot a wedding with a random roll of film (after having got all the photos they needed of course!), and it turned out to contain someone else’s photos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twEQjJn7oHw
Paula Smith
15 Sep 2026Hi Ben, Thanks for reading and reaching out. Those photos from Teri’s roll are wild! Brave woman using an expired film of unknown origin – but then if you have all the images captured it’s fun to use something creative or experimental. I often take a Holga 120n with me on weddings/portrait bookings for a fun ‘bonus’. Often they wind up producing my favourite photographs of the session! Lol. (My wedding work is here – http://www.hitchedimaging.co.uk)
Dave in Elland
15 Sep 2026Embrace Mistress Serendipity and you won’t go far wrong IMHO
Dave
Paula Smith
15 Sep 2026True words for sure Dave! Thanks for reading. 🙂