A Brighton Elopement in the Lanes on 35mm and digital

Wedding film photography, Thrive Brighton, and choosing the right mentor

This shoot session took place during Thrive Brighton, a two-day wedding photography conference ran by Photography Farm. On the second day, attendees could head out with one of the speakers and spend time seeing how they work in real time.

I was si excited to go out with Tracy Jade. I have follwed her work for a number of years and her ethos sits very close to my own. Observational. Documentary. Unscripted. No directing, no nudging people into something more typical or convenient. Just paying attention to who they are. Tracy’s work is observational, with a background in journalism, her approach is about witnessing people as they are, without influence. That alone made her session one I didn’t want to miss.

Shooting 35mm wedding photography on a Yashica J2

Tracy predominantly shoots film, so I took this as an opportunity to bring along my Yashica J2 and shoot a roll of 35mm film. I loaded it with Fuji 400, which has become a firm favourite of mine over the past year. I love shooting film 35mm and medium format and I find it forces intention. There are only so many frames on a roll, and that limitation changes how I shoot. Every photograph has to count, at least in my mind (which is probably why it takes me so long to finish a roll).

Towards the end of the shoot, I could hear that my camera wasn’t happy. The film had jammed, and I assumed the last half of the roll was lost. A few weeks later, I took it to my local lab, Lensfayre, and by pure luck everything had worked. All the shots came through, including a couple of unexpected double exposures. Those imperfections are part of the appeal to analog photography. The unpredictability, the colour, the slower rhythm. It suits the way I like to photograph.

A Brighton elopement walk through The Lanes

We spent the session wandering through The Lanes; tiny little narrow, cobbled streets filled with independent shops, cafes, and cool textured walls that catch the light beautifully. The couple were relaxed, spontaneous, and completely at ease with each other. They aren’t models so nothing felt forced. They chatted, drifted in and out of shops, laughed quietly, and moved through the streets. This is where documentary wedding photography really comes into its own. Brighton lends itself to movement and discovery, which made it the perfect setting for this kind of shoot and perfect for testing the waters with wedding film photography.

Plant shops, coffee stops, and giving space

One of my favourite moments was stopping at Hugo and Green, a plant shop tucked into The Lanes. The bride loved plants, so we followed that instinct. I’m not going to lie, I was thrilled to go into this shop the tropical plant displays were beautiful, if I wasn’t catching 2 or 3 trains home I would of got myself a new plant.

From there, we wandered into 17GRAMS Brighton for a hot drink. The couple sat together, warming up, talking quietly. No one needed to be directed where to stand or what to do. We gave them space, I shot a few frames from outside and a couple from the doorway, the results are photos they are a reflection of who they are together. Afterwards, we walked down Meeting House Lane as the light caught the textured walls. We made a few photographs there before heading back. This was some of the nicest light we had all session, it streamed through the lane and caught the veil. What I enjoyed most was simply watching them walk side by side through the streets. Unaware of how it looked. Just being.

Why observational photography matters to me

One of the main things we discussed with Tracy was about the couple and they way she doesnt direct or pose people, even when things feel awkward. Instead of stepping in to fix it, she waits. She lets the discomfort pass and allows couples to settle back into themselves. “You can get this from anybody, you just have to give them space. You wont get this exactly but you will get them and who they are, if you’re not pushing for something specific”. Watching that process unfold in real time was reassuring. There is so much pressure in wedding photography to constantly produce something with a certain look, to fill every second with direction. But some of the most honest moments happen when you give space and let people exist together.

THRIVE IS SUCH AN INSPIRING SPACE – HUGE THANKS TO LISA, THE SPEAKERS AND THE AMAZING TEAM AT PHOTOGRAPHY FARM!

Mixing digital and film photography for weddings

The images from this shoot are a mix of 35mm film and digital. I enjoy working with both and don’t see them as opposing tools. Film slows me down. Digital gives flexibility. Together, they let me respond to moments as they happen.
I haven’t yet taken the Yashica J2 or my Hasselblad to a wedding, but it’s something I’m increasingly considering. Wedding film photography offers a different way of seeing, and I think it works with my documentary approach in a way that feels natural.