Wet Film & Wild Rides – Chessington with the Mia 6x12

This time Lensless Thrills took me to Chessington World of Adventures, and I brought along the Mia 6x12 pinhole camera loaded with Fomapan 100. Unlike the 6x6 which I normally use, this wider format let me explore new compositions — but it also came with a bit of a challenge: rain.

It was a wet, grey day. Not ideal for theme park visits, but it was quieter than normal which was nice. Pinhole photography works well in the rain, no lens means no water drops on the lens. 

I kept my exposures short and the camera dry as best I could — and still managed to walk away with a few shots I’m happy to share.

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World of Jumanji – Mandrill Mayhem

The first part of the park we explored was World of Jumanji. I only took one photo here that felt worth keeping — a wide shot of Mandrill Mayhem, framed with the circular Jumanji ground sign in the foreground. The graphic shape on the ground paired well with the rollercoaster twisting in the distance — a composition that came together in the moment.

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Croc Drop – First Pass

Next up: Croc Drop — looming in the background, framed with an unexpected detail in the foreground: a wet barrier for  RC truck steering wheels. I rested the camera there for a long, low shot. 

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Watching Vampire (Near The Gruffalo)

While waiting around the Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, I kept seeing Vampire slicing above I stood watching the ride for a while, trying to find a composition that would work with the 6x12 turned vertical. Eventually I settled on a scene where the coaster streaks through a narrow slice of the park — tall, tight, and full of motion.

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Croc Drop – Second Shot

Later in the day we passed back by Croc Drop. The kids joined the queue, which gave me a moment to set up a second shot — again vertical — and timed just as the ride dropped back down into the crocodile’s jaws. With a quick 1-second exposure, I managed to catch a streak of motion as the drop hit. Enough to blur the movement, while still holding the structure sharp.

My favorite photo of the day.

Wrapping Up in the Rain

Despite the weather and the usual juggling act of parenting while photographing, Chessington delivered a different kind of energy. The wide format of the Mia 6x12 gave these scenes a cinematic sweep, while the moody skies and soft light worked surprisingly well with the Fomapan 100 film.

Shooting pinhole in the rain is not for everyone — but there’s something fitting about capturing a theme park on such a grey day. It strips things back, lets the shapes, motion, and atmosphere take over. That’s what I’m chasing with this series: not picture-perfect postcards, but quiet, imperfect moments in wild places.

More to come — more rides, more blur, more lensless adventures.