Jonathan Hillhouse

I photographed my first wedding late last year. I shot entirely on 35mm and medium format film cameras, in both colour and monochrome. I specialise in candid shots, a street mentality of being among the action and yet discreet at the same time.

Shooting in film adds another dimension to wedding photography. The beautiful natural colours really catch your eye and look spectacular on print. The exquisite grain of high-speed black and white films adds a timeless quality to the shots, reminiscent of the reportage photography of yesteryear.

My photographs begin as the bride and her daughters prepare for the big day. Then on to the church for the wedding ceremony. Finally, all back to the house for drinks and a sing-song!

Here are some of my favourites from the day…

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Rediscovering the Wirral..

Getting used to large format photography, the Speed Graphic/Aero Ektar combo is a real winner!

Mum and Dad..

Unearthed some old negatives that I never got round to scanning, K-chan on a beach in Yakushima, Efke’s lovely IR820 infrared film..

Ojiisan during a summer festival, Maenohama beach prior to the solar eclipse..

I am shooting a wedding on Boxing Day, entirely on film using 35mm and medium format cameras – photos coming soon!

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K-chan with our friend’s baby, Kai. Weekend before I left Japan..

K-chan visits me in England – yatta!

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A prologue to a new chapter in my life, the return to England. It has been two months since I arrived back home after five years on the island of Tanegashima and surprisingly, the transition back into English culture has been relatively smooth. There are times of course, that I wish I was back in Japan but they are becoming less frequent as I re-discover the country I once knew.

I began looking at things in a new light. Carpets and wallpaper seemed alien to me after living in an apartment where tatami and fusuma were the norm. Chopsticks and soya sauce have been replaced with cutlery and HP sauce.  Rubbish bins with their wonderful green lining are a novelty – everyone seemed to take their litter home with them in Japan.

As I begin my new life back in England, I also begin a new phase in my photography – large format! Unlike my use of 35mm and medium formats, shooting with an old view camera is a slow and meditative process and one that I have fallen in love with.   The below photographs were taken with a Graflex Speed Graphic and an old WWII lens that was originally designed to take aerial shots of enemy targets!

A new environment for sure, but my passion for film photography hasn’t wavered and expect lots of new work here on my photoblog.  I am keen to exhibit my work and meet fellow photographers both on the Wirral and in Liverpool. If you are reading this and would like to meet up for a cuppa and some photos, please get in touch!

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Well my negative scanner finally arrived so here are my final shots taken in Tanegashima.. I’ll be back some day!

I am now back in England and am available for commission. Also, prints of my work are available to buy. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you like what you see.

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Some recent shots as well as a couple of old ones that I never got around to scanning..

I sent my scanner and developing reels home today, no new photos for a month or so!  (>_<)

Dreamscapes..

BBQ!

My last visit to Yakushima *sob*

Fishing for shrimp

School..

Total eclipse of the sun : July 22nd – visible from the southern islands of Japan. More info here

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Now that I have just over a month left in Japan, I am visiting Minamitane’s elementary schools at very opportunity. The energy of the students is infectious and we always have a great time in the English lessons and during lunch break. Aw, I sure am going to miss those little guys! *sob*

Some colour infrared shots that I took earlier this year in Tokyo and Yakushima. Shot on Kodak Aerochrome with a Norita 66 and an orange filter.

Many thanks to Dean for supplying the wonderful Aerochrome EIR film. I love the surreal colours you can get when you shoot through orange and yellow filters. Developing however, is ridiculously expensive and so I’ll be sticking to black and white infrared for the time being!

More infrared shots