Behind The Film - Lindsey Campbell Posted On 6th February 2024 To Magazine & Behind the Film

Meet Lindsey Campbell, the SHE manager at HARMAN Technology and our 17th featured guest in the 'Behind The Film' interview series.

WHO ARE YOU? WHAT’S YOUR JOB TITLE HARMAN TECHNOLOGY AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED HERE?

I’m Lindsey – the SHE (Safety, Health and Environment) Manager. I came to HARMAN in 2020, just before the pandemic hit, so have been here for four years.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR DAY TO DAY ROLE.

It’s something of a cliché, but every day really is different. There are day-to-day challenges – problems and hazards arising that need to be sorted out, input into projects, and our long-term safety planning and strategies. All departments get support and input from the SHE Team - from engineers replacing equipment to our R&D department working on new formulations. There is, of course, lots of going on to ensure our production areas and staff stay safe. Everyone at HARMAN takes safety and the environment seriously, so my team gets to be involved in every aspect of the business and its activities.

SHARE A FAVOURITE PHOTO THAT YOU SHOT ON ILFORD / KENTMERE FILM AND TELL US WHY IT’S YOUR FAVOURITE.

Ricoh KR10- ILFORD HP5+ - Utah beach

I saw this striking memorial on one of the “Normandy landing” beaches. I wanted to capture these tired, frightened young men, running into battle. But the picture has an accidental halo of light, so they look like they’re running from the dark past into modern day, peace-time Europe. I couldn’t have planned it, but love the emotion it evokes.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS SHOT FILM, OR DID YOU GET INFECTED WITH THE BUG WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING HERE?

In the past, I’ve seen film as a standard analytical “tool” rather than an artistic outlet. During my degree and PhD in chemistry I used film to record X-ray diffraction patterns in crystallography, and examine micro-structures with Scanning Electron Microscopes. These techniques are now computer-supported, but back in my day images were captured on ILFORD FP4+ 120 film I’d then have to process and print in the lab dark room, before I could analyse and calculate the outcomes.

When I came to HARMAN the film club encouraged me to join them. I’m in the very early stage of “learning” to photograph with film, but everyone is so helpful and supportive, so even when my shots are disappointing, I can learn from them and move forward.

Ricoh KR10 - ILFORD HP5+ St-Marys church

WHAT SUBJECTS DO YOU LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH AND HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE?

I enjoy art journaling, and my photographs are also quite journalistic. My Dad used a camera to record events and outings when I was a child, and I enjoy taking shots “in the moment” that capture the essence of a situation – often I’ll grab a snapshot of my kids just being themselves. It’s not very artistic, but evokes memories and emotions when I review them.

Ricoh KR10- ILFORD HP5+ Coronation street party

WHAT MISTAKES HAVE YOU MADE SHOOTING FILM THAT YOU ARE NOT TOO EMBARRASSED TO SHARE?

I’ve made plenty of mistakes on my steep learning curve, but I learn a lot from them. I often make the mistake of thinking only of the “thing” I am capturing, without considering the lighting or background, so I often get halos and bright spots, which I can sometimes embrace as a “happy accident”.

Most frustrating is my frequent failure to properly wind a new film in the camera, so it pops out and I take a load of “shots” onto nothing, winding on thin air. I like to think these “lost” photos would have been my best – but at least I’m still getting practise at focussing and framing.

Kentmere EZ35

HOW MANY DIFFERENT FILM STOCKS HAVE YOU SHOT?

I like the reliability of Kentmere 400 – it performs well despite my lack of technical skill.  ILFORD HP5+ produces great images even for a beginner, and I’ve just branched out to ILFORD XP2 Super. With advice from film club members, I’m attempting to “push” to compensate for the dark winter days. I’ve also had a go with colour film, using HARMAN Phoenix.

EZ35 Kentmere

DO YOU DEVELOP YOURSELF OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE STAFF DISCOUNT AT HARMANLAB?

I’ve not yet had the opportunity to develop my own (although during my chemistry days I did), but the Harmanlab team do a brilliant job, so I take advantage of their services.

HAVE YOU EVER PRINTED YOUR NEGATIVES IN THE DARKROOM?

I haven’t yet but it is something I’d love to do.

Ricoh KR10- HP5 - Utah beach

WHAT FILM CAMERA(S) DO YOU OWN AND WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

I have the HARMAN EZ35 which is a great little “point and click” – I keep it in the car so it’s there for the unplanned opportunities. My “learning” camera is a Ricoh KR10. I love it for its flexibility – but also the simplicity of an auto- mode and the sneaky little meter in the viewfinder to help me!

WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE FILM IN OUR RANGE?

At the moment, Kentmere is the winner. It’s really good value for a learner who doesn’t yet get many great shots, and it’s dependable and versatile – it doesn’t need me to do anything special, and even if the conditions aren’t great, it delivers a decent image with a lovely grain.

EZ35 Kentmere - Le Fenouiller

© Lindsey Campbell