Creating magic & poetry – the world through plastic cameras, experiments & mistakes

Creating magic & poetry – the world through plastic cameras, experiments & mistakes

Creating magic & poetry – the world through plastic cameras, experiments & mistakes
December 16, 2025 7:30 pm
Alec Pain
Alec Pain (aka Alastair Place) is a UK-based experimental film photographer and regular contributor to Shoot It With Film. Working mainly with analogue film cameras, Alec explores the beauty of imperfection, the unpredictable nature of film and his everyday surroundings to transform small-town streets and subtle textures into poetic visual stories.

In this engaging and reflective presentation, Alec invites you into his world of creative risk-taking with film. Through a mix of images, anecdotes, and hard-earned lessons, he’ll show how light leaks, composition quirks, and camera “flaws” can unlock new ways of seeing. Whether you’re a seasoned analog shooter or digital devotee curious about alternative approaches, this talk will inspire you to slow down, embrace accidents and find magic where you least expect it.

Perfect for the curious, the experimental or for simply seeing the world a li ttle differently.  Alec will talk us through his adventures in film photography, be that with a plastic toy camera such as the Holga; shooting pinhole, 35mm or 120 film cameras.