As a London photographer, I spend most of my time shooting commercially — lifestyle photography for brands, hotel interiors, product campaigns. The work is rewarding, but there’s something about loading a single roll of film into a medium format camera and heading out with no brief, no shot list, and no client that brings me back to the reason I picked up a camera in the first place.

Woman looking out toward Tower Bridge from the south bank promenade — Fujifilm GA645S on Kodak Ektar 100

The 645 format gives you fifteen exposures per roll of 120 film. It’s the sweet spot I keep coming back to. Fifteen frames is the perfect amount to really tell a story — enough that you can follow your impulse to shoot what’s inspiring you in that moment, but few enough that you have to be mindful with every click. You’re never rushing through a roll, and you’re never paralysed by scarcity. It sits right in the middle, and it forces you into a rhythm that feels natural — considered, but not overthought.

Tower Bridge with street workers on the south bank boardwalk — early morning medium format street photography Runner and bystander on the south bank with Tower Bridge behind — Ektar 100 film photography London

A Winter Morning at Tower Bridge

I headed down to London Bridge on a cold January morning with no particular plan beyond walking the south bank and seeing what the light gave me. The winter sun was low and warm, cutting through the haze and casting long shadows across the boardwalk. Tower Bridge looked spectacular — that combination of Victorian stone and low golden light that you only really get in the colder months. The kind of street photography conditions that make London feel cinematic.

Woman in a red coat walking past Tower Bridge — candid street photography on medium format film by David McConaghy
Tower Bridge ironwork framing the City of London skyline with a red bus — Fujifilm GA645S Ektar 100

What I love about this kind of personal work is how it feeds directly into my commercial photography. When I’m shooting lifestyle photography for a brand, the instinct for timing, for spotting a moment, for reading the light — that all comes from hours spent doing exactly this. Walking, watching, waiting. There’s no substitute for time behind the camera, and film forces you to be present in a way that digital doesn’t always demand.

City of London skyline from the south bank with ornate lamp post — medium format film photography
Two figures on the south bank with the City of London skyline and Thames — lifestyle street photography London Silhouette walking toward Tower Bridge at sunrise — Kodak Ektar 100 on Fujifilm GA645S

The Fujifilm GA645S

I get asked about this camera a lot, and I know plenty of photographers search for reviews of the GA645S before buying one. This isn’t a review, but I will say this: it’s a really fun camera to shoot with. Genuinely simple to use — it’s essentially a point-and-shoot in a medium format body. The autofocus is accurate, the built-in light meter is reliable in the viewfinder, and it’s fairly durable in my experience. I’ve taken it travelling, slung it over my shoulder on countless London walks, and it’s never let me down. If you’re looking for an entry point into medium format film or just want something that delivers beautiful 645 negatives without the weight and complexity of an SLR system, the GA645S is hard to beat.

Man descending stairs under Tower Bridge arch — Kodak Ektar 100 with film border visible Two men walking down steps under Tower Bridge — medium format street photography London
Tower Bridge close-up from the riverside in warm golden light — Fujifilm GA645S

Paired with Kodak Ektar 100, the results are exactly what I was after — rich colour, fine grain, and that unmistakable medium format depth that you just can’t replicate on 35mm. Ektar loves golden hour and it handles skin tones beautifully, which makes it a natural choice for street photography where people are part of the frame. The combination of this film stock and the GA645S’s sharp 60mm lens produces negatives that scan beautifully with minimal fuss.

Tower Bridge from the riverside with Thames speedboat — film photography London Thames river steps partially submerged at high tide — atmospheric London film photography
Wide view of Tower Bridge with City Hall and Thames boat — Kodak Ektar 100 medium format

Fifteen frames, one walk, one roll. That’s the whole story. No outtakes, no selects — just the complete roll as it came back from the lab. There’s something honest about showing every frame. It’s a reminder that photography doesn’t always need to be polished or curated. Sometimes the best work comes from simply showing up with a camera and letting the city do the rest.

Shot on Fujifilm GA645S — Kodak Ektar 100 — One Roll, 15 Frames