Every Summer Film Photography Zine
A selection of 35mm photos and writing from the Isle of Wight.
I never wanted to go to the Isle of Wight.
I didn't have anything against the place per se, but we didn't have the time nor money to do the trip I had planned, so this is where we ended up.
Until I met my wife, the only thing I knew about the place was that it featured in The Beatles' song "When I'm 64".
"Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear."
Surely one rents a cottage on the Isle of Wight, not in? But who am I to give songwriting advice to Sir Paul McCartney.
My wife was desperate to return to the Isle of Wight. Maybe the last ten years living in Australia had made her feel nostalgic for her childhood holidays.
Or maybe she wanted to chase memories of the older sister that she adored, cruelly taken away from this life two years ago.
Whatever the reason, we heard all of the stories.
Bundled into the back of the car with her sisters and a duvet for the overnight trip from the Midlands down to the south coast. Boarding the ferry at sunrise. Staying in a cosy holiday park caravan with the family.
Days spent at the beach, the pool, Blackgang Chine and the model village. Evenings spent singing, dancing and having fun at the holiday park disco.
Every night. Every summer.
In the end, I didn't mind going. Let's face it, it was the Isle of Wight or another week in Wolverhampton. What I found when I got there stunned me.
Narrow country lanes, picture postcard villages, thatched cottages, deserted coastal paths, decrepit seaside piers, ancient castles, Victorian mansions, 1970s chairlifts, steam trains, tacky amusement arcades, beautiful gardens, cream teas: this was the England of yesteryear. I bloody loved it.
Download “Every Summer” zine instantly
The text in this post was the first page of my film photography zine Every Summer. This was my first ever zine and it occupies a special place in my heart.
The zine features over 50 photos taken on a variety of film stocks and compact 35mm film cameras. Each section is introduced by a short narrative introducing different aspects of the Isle of Wight.
You can download a digital version of the zine in PDF format below with any paid Substack subscription. Subscribers also have access to all other zines I’ve uploaded including my latest one “35mm Japan”.