Lost in Oxford: A Day of Bikes, Beer & Pinhole Cameras

The alarm went off at 5:30 a.m, and before I knew it I was on the road to Oxford. The plan? Meet up with Andy from Irresponsible Pictures for a full day of photography, exploring, and (as it turned out) a few unexpected adventures.

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First Stop: The Church

 

St Marys captured with The Mania 4x5 - Fomapana 400

Our first destination was a beautiful local church. We pulled out our cameras and got shooting. Andy handed me his Diana Instax pinhole camera to try, and it was brilliant fun. 

Diana Instax pinhole

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Into Oxford

From there, we headed further into Oxford, taking in the city as we rode.

RealitySoSubtle 6x6f - Kodak Gold 200

We eventually arrived at the iconic Radcliffe Camera, one of Oxford’s most photographed landmarks. Naturally, we stopped for a few frames.

Radcliffe Camera - RealitySoSubtle 6x6f - Kodak Gold 200

University Church of St Mary the Virgin (opposite Radcliffe)

The Mania 4x5 - Fomapan 400

Next up was the Divinity School at the University of Oxford. one of the filming location for Harry Potter. Was very dark for a Pinhole photography there but I did manage one frame I think around a two minute exposure.

RealitySoSubtle 6x6f - Kodak Gold 200

Exploring some locations around this area.

Bridge of Sighs - The Mania 4x5 - Fomapan 400

The Mania 4x5 - Fomapan 400

Meeting Andrea

This was a highlight for me — finally meeting Andrea from Mia Pinhole Cameras. We’ve been chatting online for years, so it was brilliant to meet him in person, talk cameras, and put a real face to the name.

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Andy’s Adventure (a.k.a. Getting Lost)

And then… Andy decided to take us on an adventure. Like the beginning of a storybook: “And so Andy led them on a journey…”

Thankfully, the first stop was The Trout Inn, where we enjoyed lunch and a pint by the river. Perfect.

View from the pub - RealitySoSubtle 6x6f - Kodak Gold 200

Some abandoned building - RealitySoSubtle 6x6f - Kodak Gold 200

Rope swings - RealitySoSubtle 6x6f - Kodak Gold 200

Under the bridge - The Mania 4x5 - Fomapan 400

From there, things got more… interesting. Following Andy’s directions turned into a long walk — some might say in the wrong direction. Missed turns, endless stretches along the canal, and the growing realisation we were quickly running out of time.

It turned into less of a photo walk and more of an endurance challenge. But despite the time pressure, spirits stayed high and there were plenty of laughs along the way.

Somehow, we made it back to the train station, Andrea caught his train, we said our goodbyes, and then Andy and I faced the final leg: a wet cycle back to his place in the pouring rain. A very British ending to the day.

Reflections

We began the day with big ambitions: shoot loads of film, try out all the cameras, and maybe even capture enough for a fantastic video. In the end? We barely managed a roll of film each.

But that’s the thing — days like this aren’t really about how many frames you shoot. They’re about the conversations, the laughs, the adventures (and misadventures), and the shared love of photography.

Sometimes the best memories aren’t captured on film. They’re lived, retold, and laughed about later — usually with Andy getting the blame for getting us lost.