Andrew Wilkinson

BIKES. PHONES. GHOSTS.

I never went out of my way to experiment with double exposures – until now. It happened by mistake a time or two when I would shoot 2-1/4 square film with my Holga, but when the film jammed unbeknownst to me and I saw the results – I was disappointed by this rather unhappy accident.

As my romance continues with my mirrorless Fuji, I take it everywhere. When I traveled to the UK, I went with the intent to create a series of double exposures. The camera allows you to see and then set the first image and then see the second overlaid before committing. Both images are fused in-camera, they are not separated – so, there’s no undo. Or even the idea to compose images later on in Photoshop – who has the time? I don’t know that I would.

I set up rules for myself with this project since it was my first go at a street photography mash up. The rules were to include, people and bicycles, or a bicycle at least. Secondary rules would be people and phones (on the phone, or taking a picture with a phone). Backgrounds had to be interesting – preferably an arch, doorway or something spectacular architecturally. As I was creating these double exposures, it was so exciting for me. The first time I was really enjoying street photography. And as the set was coming together I was thinking about Ghosts vs. Tourists as a title. Just a few shots in one fairly busy place reveals the most amazing passage of time.

The next set I tried, I remained in one place and carried two of the rules: people and bicycles – the background of the boardwalk and ocean was interesting enough for me.

All the people in the images I don’t know and very likely will never meet. I don’t feel it’s a violation of privacy with this intent and I don’t see people as strangers in these images – just ghosts passing through. Perhaps these ghosts see me as the stranger.