A quiet space for thoughtful photographers who believe images should be felt as much as seen
Personal Introduction:
I’m Ian — a photographer, teacher, and storyteller helping curious souls fall in love with film photography while wandering through France. Since 2019, shared over 300 essays that blend technical guidance with literary reflection, all through the quiet eye of my various cameras, both analogue and digital.
My journey began in the 1980s at Gilling Castle prep school, where Father Gerald first introduced me to black-and-white reportage. That spark led me to my first “proper” camera — a Praktica MTL3 — and eventually to Nantes, France, where I now wander with a Pentax ME Super and a nice cup of tea with a piece of cake.
If you’ve ever felt lost behind the viewfinder — you’re in the right place. Through these pages, we explore more than light. We explore meaning.
Start Here
New to IJM Photography? Begin with these foundational pieces:
Photography 101: Mastering the Fundamentals
Your gentle introduction to seeing beyond the technical — a guide that’s helped 7,000+ photographers find confidence behind the lens
This isn’t just about aperture and shutter speed. It’s about learning to see — to notice the way light clings to wet cobblestones in Nantes, or how a single shaft of afternoon sun can transform an ordinary backyard. Like Gerald Durrell discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary, this guide helps you find your photographic voice, one frame at a time.
My Quiet Influences
The writers and photographers who shaped my eye — from Gerald Durrell to Daidō Moriyama
Every photographer brings more than a camera to the scene. We carry with us the books we read as boys, the writers whose voices etched themselves onto our own, and the quiet ghosts of mentors we never met. This is the company I keep — a blend of literary giants, photographic pioneers, and the persistent act of looking itself.
The Olympus Pen EE.S: A Half-Frame Hero
Why this vintage camera might be perfect for your film journey — with real-world examples from Nantes streets
When most people chase the latest digital tech, I’ve found magic in this humble half-frame camera. It’s not about nostalgia — it’s about constraint breeding creativity. In this honest review, I show you exactly how this mechanical workhorse has reshaped my street photography, with examples from rainy afternoons in Nantes that prove sometimes less is truly more.
Who I am
The Quiet Observer
Every so often, in the middle of writing a paragraph or framing a photograph, I catch a flicker of someone else’s silhouette—not copied, but echoed. These are the influences I never set out to follow but found myself in step with just the same.
My journey began with Father Gerald’s black-and-white reportage at Gilling Castle prep school, continued through orchestral tours across continents, and led me to Nantes, France — where I now wander with a Pentax ME Super and a bookshelf that smells faintly of dust, fixer, and old Pentax manuals.
I write for those who believe photography should be felt as much as seen — for the beginners holding their first film camera, the travelers seeking meaning in foreign streets, and the quiet souls who find poetry in everyday moments. Like Laurie Lee wandering through Gloucestershire, I find beauty in the slow pace of observation.
This isn’t just a blog. It’s a journal of discovery, where gear meets gratitude, technique meets time, and every photo is an invitation to see the world differently. If you’re here for gear tips, travel stories, or thoughtful essays—you’re in the right place.
Latest Stories
- Never Complain, Never Explain
A raw, reflective post on seasonal depression, creative silence, and recovery. The IJM Photography blog explores acute depression, Franco-British identity, and the healing power of film photography. Honest writing about mental health, resilience, and returning to art—one frame, one word at a time—amid winter’s weight and the quiet journey back to self. - Nikon FE Review: Features and User Experience
My Nikon FE—bought from my HR director—has accompanied me from Nantes’ cobbled streets to Lourdes and the Pyrénées mountains. This 1978 aperture-priority SLR rewards deliberate, unhurried photography. With its tactile dials, viewfinder aperture display, and M90 battery-free mode, it’s the perfect companion for film shooters who value feel over function. - 致我在中国的读者们：一封感谢信A Letter of Gratitude to My Readers in China
一颗蜜橘，一杯茉莉茶，一场跨越语言的音乐会——2024年末，中国给了我最温柔的冬日记忆。如今，越来越多来自中国的读者走进我的摄影世界，我想亲口对你们说：谢谢。
Recent thoughts on film, faith, family, and finding the frame
Summer 2025, Part II: Faith, Family, and the Road to Lourdes
How a pilgrimage to France’s holy site reshaped my understanding of light and devotion
This summer’s journey to Lourdes wasn’t just about capturing images — it was about learning to see with different eyes. In this continuation of my summer reflections, I share how walking the same paths as millions before me taught me about patience, light, and the quiet moments that often get overlooked in our rush to capture the “perfect” shot.
The Pentax ME Super: A Classic 35mm SLR
Why this mechanical workhorse remains my go-to for street photography in Nantes
While digital cameras dominate the market, this fully mechanical film camera has become my constant companion. In this honest review, I explore why its simplicity — no batteries required, just aperture, shutter speed, and light — has made it my favorite tool for capturing the soul of Nantes, one frame at a time.
Photography Philosophy: Identity and Self-Expression
How the camera becomes an extension of who we are — and who we hope to be
Photography is more than a technical pursuit. It’s a way of seeing, remembering, and understanding both the world and ourselves. In this philosophical exploration, I consider how our choices behind the lens reflect our inner landscapes — and how the act of photographing shapes not just what we see, but who we become.
What You’ll Find Here
Through the viewfinder, we explore more than light — we explore meaning
Film Photography
Honest reviews and beginner-friendly guides for those discovering the soul of shooting on film
From the Olympus Pen EE.S to the Pentax ME Super, I share practical, real-world insights about film cameras that don’t require a technical manual to operate. My approach isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about understanding why these mechanical tools continue to inspire photographers decades after their creation.
Portraits: People & Places
Where moments become memories — candid photography with emotional depth
This isn’t posed perfection, but the poetry of everyday encounters — the barista in Nantes who knows my order, the elderly couple sharing a bench along the Loire, the children playing in the Place du Bouffay. These images capture not just faces, but the quiet stories that unfold when we take time to look closely.
Portraits of people and places
Travel Chronicles
From Nantes to Lourdes, China to Northumberland — journeys through light and landscape
My travels have taken me from orchestral tours across continents to quiet walks through French villages. In these chronicles, I share not just destinations, but the process of seeing — how light changes with place, how culture shapes perspective, and why sometimes the most meaningful photographs come from the journeys between destinations.
Photography Philosophy
Why we photograph, what we preserve, and what we forget — reflections for the thoughtful shooter
Beyond the technical, photography is a profound expression of the human experience. In this series, I explore questions that matter: What do we choose to preserve? Why do certain images resonate while others fade? How does the act of photographing shape our memory and understanding?
Since 2019
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126,317 views • 308 essays • Read in 50+ countries
Featured Testimonial:
“Finally — someone who talks about photography like it matters. Like it’s connected to life, memory, and meaning. Not just megapixels.”
Travels Through My Lens (Top Commenter)
Personal Closing Note:
Thank you for visiting. If you’re here for gear tips, travel stories, or thoughtful essays—you’re in the right place.
Through the viewfinder, we explore more than light—we explore meaning.
“Sometimes, what shapes you most is the sheer persistence to keep looking — even when the weather’s wrong, the light is flat, or the subject is missing.”
IJM
IJM Photography 