Embracing a Slower Pace with Film Photography
The Kennet and Avon Canal stretch between Aldermaston Wharf and Thatcham is one of those rare places where time slows. With my Bronica ETRSi, loaded with Ilford HP5+ medium format film, I set out to capture the atmosphere on medium format—a format that brings out every texture, shade, and contrast with remarkable depth.
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While still in the late autumn season, there was a subtle change in the air: the days are shorter, and a chill is creeping into the landscape. Despite the last hints of autumn, the look and feel of Ilford HP5+ medium format film brought a distinctly wintry quality to the images. It’s a mood that adds a touch of stillness, as if these scenes have already begun to settle into winter’s quiet.
The Towpath’s Character: A Meeting of Nature and History
Small Details with Stories to Tell
The route between Aldermaston and Thatcham is filled with history, evident in small but significant details: a weathered barge moored at the water’s edge, a bench worn by years of quiet reflection, and arched bridges that cross the canal at regular intervals. Each element has its own story, softened but not erased by time. Capturing this scene in medium format preserves these textures with subtle precision, lending each photograph a sense of intimacy.
Ilford HP5+ Medium Format: A Perfect Match for a Late Autumn Scene
The choice of Ilford HP5+ film proved to be an inspired one for this time of year. Known for its rich grayscale and dynamic contrast, HP5+ has a unique way of emphasising the season’s tones—casting a wintry feel over the soft autumnal landscape. It seems to amplify the stillness of the canal, where the last colours of autumn fade into muted greys and soft whites.
The film’s natural grain and high contrast accentuate the season’s shadowed corners and low, chilly light. HP5+ brings out the subtle, smoky grey of distant clouds and deep, earthy tones of the canal banks, creating images that feel both timeless and immediate. While digital might produce sharper contrasts, there’s something about the softer, grainy quality of Ilford HP5+ medium format that feels like a nod to winter’s arrival, even as autumn lingers.
The Bronica ETRSi: A Slower, Deliberate Process
A Camera That Demands Patience
Using the Bronica ETRSi transformed each frame into a moment of meditation. With only 14 exposures per roll, each shot became a deliberate decision. The weight of the Bronica and its manual focus encourages a slower, more tactile engagement with the scene—one that feels perfectly aligned with the landscape itself.
I found myself drawn not only to the wide, open views but also to smaller details: the ripples along the canal’s edge, the textured bark of a fallen tree, and the quiet movement of a boat gliding silently through the water. These textures, brought out so richly by medium format film, feel even more poignant in the subtle, wintry tones of HP5+.
Capturing the Intimacy of the Towpath
Walking the towpath, I noticed the shared rhythm among those passing by—walkers, cyclists, boaters—each moving with the canal’s natural flow, respectful of its pace. There’s a familiarity in these quiet interactions, an unspoken understanding of the canal’s slower, reflective quality. It’s an experience that invites you to pause and linger, just as the Bronica itself encourages a deliberate approach to each shot.
The film captures this atmosphere with a sense of timelessness. Each frame taken with the Bronica feels like a keepsake, a memento of the canal’s gentle pace and the season’s transition. The slightly muted greys and deep shadows of HP5+ create a visual quietness that matches the experience of walking the towpath itself, as though the photos are already settling into winter’s stillness.
Reflecting on the Day’s Walk: A Journey Captured on Film
Creating a Connection to the Landscape Through Medium Format
Looking back on that roll of HP5+, it’s clear that these images hold more than just scenes from a walk. They capture the mood of the season’s shift—a landscape preparing for winter, where the last remnants of autumn light fade softly into shadow. The grainy, textured quality of the film reflects the stillness and quiet of late autumn, a sense of settling down into winter’s slower pace.
When I revisit these photos, I’ll be reminded of the soft greys in the sky, the deep shadows under the trees, and the feel of the path beneath my feet. They’ll carry the memory of the canal itself—its stillness, its quiet persistence through the seasons, and the gentle, almost solemn beauty that emerges for anyone willing to slow down and truly see.
If you enjoyed these tranquil canal scenes, you might appreciate more of my photography in Towpath Reflections: Positive Affirmations and Photographs from Aldermaston Wharf. This book features over 50 images from my walks along the Kennet and Avon Canal, blending peaceful photography with uplifting affirmations. It’s available now on Amazon for a journey of both visual and emotional reflection. Check it out here.
