In Focus - Peggy Marsh Posted On 23rd September 2025 To Magazine & In Focus

For our 88th In Focus interview we're chatting to Peggy Marsh. A photographer and camera lover, Peggy founded CameraGoCamera back in 2015, initially to keep a track of her own expanding camera collection...

Section 1 - Background

Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you?

This is hard for me as I never think anything I do is good enough. I am in a constant state of self-deprecation and can be overly critical of my images and projects. I chose the image below because of the story behind the image. It was taken on with a Rolleiflex Old Standard, one of my oldest cameras, with Ilford Pan F. It was taken at a beach in Wales during a camping trip. I loved that trip.

Just in case anyone doesn’t know who you are or what you do can you give us the overview?

I write the blog cameragocamera.com, which I started to catalogue the film cameras I had tried. It is a digital diary of my life and film journey. I started it while I lived in Japan as an international school teacher. It was easy to get junk film cameras there, so I bought loads. Some of the cameras I bought really were junk, so I wrote about my attempts to fix them. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn’t, but I enjoyed trying. The first time I got a comment on a post, I was surprised. Why would someone comment on my diary?

How and why did you get started shooting film?

As I said, living in Japan made film cameras easily accessible, but that wasn’t why I started using them again. I say ‘again’, as I am old enough to have used film when I was younger. I started this time for several reasons. Firstly, a friend came to visit and he had a Nikon SLR. I loved the sound it made so bought myself a Fed 2, just to have a film camera too. I loved the results from that camera, they were so different from the digital photos I had taken. At the same time, my mother was in the final stages of her cancer journey, and I was asked to return to the UK. I took the Fed 2 with me and used it like a comfort blanket, taking photos calmed me. I still buy and use film cameras when I need a distraction.

Who has been your biggest photographic inspiration to date?

I read many photographic books, of all genres. If you look at my Instagram feed, you will see I don’t have a style of my own. I flit from one camera to another, one photographer to another. Whatever I read, I am inspired by. I love the classics, though, like Ansel Adams and Josef  Koudelka. I love Koudelka’s panoramic images. Recently, I have been absorbed in Ralph Eugene Meatyard. I want to create some ‘mask’ photos based on his but, I prefer black and white over colour. I like contrast and darkness.

Shot on Mamiya C2 with ILFORD HP5 PLUS film

What is the best piece of photography tip or advice you have ever received?

Well, that has to come from Bob Ross; there are no mistakes, just happy little accidents. Oh, and …take out the batteries!!!!

What film photography related projects are you currently working on (or are in the pipeline)?

I have recently contacted a local donkey sanctuary, Wonkey Donkey, and asked if I could take photos of the donkeys for my blog. I also wanted to make a zine for them, which they could sell in their visitor’s centre to raise funds for their new therapy centre.

Some areas of the stables were dark, combined with the dark coats of the donkeys, I needed a faster film, one that could cope with lots of lighting conditions. The first session was on a bright day, so I chose Ilford XP2 as it has great latitude. I took two Contax SLRs, one with a 50mm lens and another with a 17mm.

For the second session, we were outside on a cloudy day, so I switched to Ilford Delta 400. Of course, I switched cameras too, this time to a Canon A1.

What / where is your next shoot and how do you decide what film / kit you will use?

Later in the year, I am going to have a solo exhibition at Hive Cafe in Blackpool. Hive Arts has a gallery above the cafe. They are great supporters of the photographic community. I have been lucky enough to have been featured in a few exhibitions, including Photo North and Hundred Heroines. I like to complete a new project for each exhibition. It means I have to think of a new idea soon and produce the work. I have some ideas in mind, but I have time to think of an alternative. Once I have that idea, I will choose the camera that will work best, I need the idea first, then I pick the camera to match it.

What are your photographic goals going forward?

I honestly don’t have anything specific. I just want to continue to be happy taking photos, meet like-minded people, and have fun doing it.

Section 2 - Shout outs

We all need a bit of inspiration and love so this is your chance to tell the community about yours – from the film photographers whose work inspires you, the labs you trust with your film, your ‘go to’ film photography stockists, your favourite community darkrooms or just anyone in the community who you feel deserves a special mention.

Give a shout out to your 3 favourite film photographers (not photography hubs) currently active on IG or Twitter and briefly tell us why others should follow them.

• @tonykemplen I love his work, he loves to experiment with colour, format, and design. I used a couple of his ideas in the past.
• @kristian.faulkner A man who not only takes amazing photos, but dresses the part too.
• @death_by_sushi I love his work, it is just my cup of tea, simply stunning

Give a shout out to your favourite photography YouTube channels (apart from the @ilfordphoto one).

I feel a little guilty for choosing three men for my photographers so I am going to make up for that here.

The first is Alys Vintage Camera Alley. As she says herself, her channel is full of film reviews, film developing experiments, and tons of vintage cameras.

I would also like to shout out to Tatiana Hopper. Her videos are thought-provoking and informative. They have introduced me to new photographers and given me a history lesson too.

Give a shout out to your favourite lab service, if you have one.

I develop my own black and white films, but for everything else, I use Photo Hippo. I have used them since my return to the UK. They have always done a great job with my films, so why change? Plus, they are lovely people.

Argus-C3-ilford-Pan-50

Section 3 - Favourite kit

What film cameras do you own and which is your favourite?

On my website, I have a list of my top ten cameras, which changes depending on the cameras I have used recently. Myself and some fellow bloggers wrote about cameras that would have to be prised from our ‘cold, dead hands’. As you can see, I am avoiding this question. I have tried over 400 cameras, maybe 500 by the time you read this. Picking just one is hard. So I will go with a camera I made myself. For the last World Pinhole Day, I made a multiformat pinhole camera. I made it, with my own two hands, and it worked really well. For once, I am going to say, I am proud of something I did. I can buy and replace other cameras, but this one cannot be found anywhere but on my shelf.

Aside from your camera, lenses and film what accessories make it into your camera bag?

I nearly always have a film picker, a roll of black tape, and a Lime 2 light meter. Recently, I have been carrying a portable LED too. You never know when you need that little bit of extra light.

What is the best piece of photography kit you have found or been gifted?

I am lucky to have received a few cameras and accessories from readers of my blog. I have to mention a Konica Reflex with an amazing Hexanon 21mm lens. This is the camera that can switch from full to half-frame mid roll.

As this is an ILFORD interview it would be remiss of us not to ask about your favourite ILFORD products. Tell us you favourite ILFORD film, paper or chems and why?

ILFORD HP5+ is my go-to film. I use that more than any other due to its price and reliability. I also really like SFX as it is close to infrared, if you use a red filter, it gives dramatic skies.

And finally…

Nominate one other person you think should fill in this form and we will reach out to them.

@char.lottefilm

I love her work and proudly own a print.

Canon-SVB-HP5 PLUS