photography by francesca mary jane

francesca mary jane received her first camera 6 years ago (at age 14).  she is fairly new to film photography, having only really put the digital camera down to snap some disposables at summer festivals in the past,  but recently, francesca inherited her dad's old film camera, fell in love with it, then found a vintage Olympus OM10 SLR to add to her collection.  she started using expired rolls for practice, intending to use in-date film later on, but she never made the switch.  it's hard not to grow fond of the intensified colour and grain of old film (also, the price).  here's a look at francesca's first year in manchester and some insight into her life and work:

"My photographs are of my day-to-day surroundings and the people I spend time with. Some of my favourite photos feature the friends I’ve made since moving to Manchester. Moving away from home is a pretty scary experience and the process of making new friends can be difficult but I’ve been lucky enough to meet some amazing people (some of whom I've even traveled abroad and to different cities across the UK with). I’ve tried to capture us exploring and just the general experiences we've shared, both inside and outside of Manchester."

"When I go out, I usually try to take my camera. The content and location of my photographs are rarely planned. My first year halls are very central, so I’m within walking distance of some great places in Manchester. My favourite place is, without a doubt, a random car park I came across one day. I always manage to take some breathtaking photographs from the top floor - particularly of sunsets. There’s something about a city skyline that can make a simple sunset photograph so much more interesting."

"It’s hard to get away from the fact that my photographs have a common theme of urban lifestyle.  Whether I’m at university or at home, I’m always in a big city. I think it's an advantage, as I love the things you can capture and experience in this environment. Art, music, different cultures - I’m always inspired, no matter what city I’m in. So, with summer starting and another two years of University ahead, I’m excited for the new experiences I'll have, the new people I'll meet and capturing these progressions in my photography."

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Francesca Mary Jane is 20 and from Birmingham, England. She’s currently living in Manchester, studying Fine Art and Art History at the Manchester School of Art and just completed her first year of her degree. A lot of her work this year has been focused on photography and collages.
 
Photography Instagram: fmjphoto
Personal Instagram: francesca_mj