The Photography Show London 2025
I was invited by RICOH / PENTAX to lead a PENTAX 17 film photography walk and to give a talk at The Photography and Video Show 2025 in London
In March 2025, The Photography and Video Show took place in London for the first time. The Photography & Video Show is a four-days event where photographers, filmmakers, and content creators can explore new equipment, attend talks, and (most importantly) connect with other like-minded people.
I was approached by RICOH / PENTAX to lead a PENTAX 17 film photography walk and to give a talk at their stand during the show. So let's do a recap!
Film Photography Walk with PENTAX, ILFORD and Analogue Wonderland
In total, three film photography walks were planned during The Photography Show. I had the pleasure of leading the walk on Sunday, while the other two walks on Saturday and Monday were led by Kate Hook and Dan Rubin.
The idea of the photo walk was that every participant could get hands-on experience with the PENTAX 17 and film photography in general. So, before the walk started, each of the ~15 participants got their own PENTAX 17 to try out, as well as a roll of ILFORD XP2. I helped everyone to load their camera and answered questions along the way. I also made sure everyone got a brief understanding of how the PENTAX 17 works, as well as the different modes of it.
The most exciting thing for me was that every skill level was represented in the group. Some of the participants were seasoned film photographers, while others were total beginners. Some of the participants were even trying out film photography for the very first time, which made me super happy! I'm always super excited to share my passion for film photography with others.
After everyone successfully set up their PENTAX 17, we started exploring the area around the ExCeL in London. Throughout the walk, I answered questions about the camera, compositions and photography in general. I made sure everyone had a smooth experience with the camera and the walk. After an hour of exploring, chatting, and taking photos, we headed back inside to the Analogue Wonderland stand. Here everyone could drop off their finished roll, and Analogue Wonderland developed each roll directly at the show to provide the participants with their scans the next day.
I think this concept worked very well! The feedback from the participants as well as from PENTAX, ILFORD and Analogue Wonderland was very positive. Everyone had the chance to get some first-hand experience with the PENTAX 17 and film photography. I enjoyed leading this walk, answering questions and sharing my passion for photography.
My Talk - "Magic of the Mundane - Why I Always Carry a Camera"
After the walk, I grabbed something for lunch, and then it was time for my talk at the RICOH / PENTAX stand at the show. The topic of my talk was "Magic of the Mundane - Why I Always Carry a Camera". The talk was about why I love carrying my Ricoh GR IIIx and my PENTAX 17 basically every day. I explained why it helps me to stay in the creative flow and get a better photographer. The key message which I wanted to get across is that you should carry a camera every day to document your life, stay creative and always be prepared. I also talked about how refreshing and motivating it can be to document the mundane moments and scenes of your daily life.
A Few More Things
Recap Video by Samuel
If you want to watch a recap video about the show, I can recommend you this one by Samuel. I'm a big fan of his videos and work, so it was a pleasure meeting him at the show. He gave plenty of talks throughout the show at the RICOH stand as well.
Meeting Other Photographers
I really loved meeting so many like-minded people at the show! Having a look at all the new gear is nice, but the best thing about those shows is listening to inspirational talks and meeting other people!
THANKS!
I want to end this post with a big thank you to RICOH / PENTAX, ILFORD, Analogue Wonderland, Samuel, Dan and everyone else I've met.
Cheers,
Jan - @jan.onfilm
