Film Photography at the Hampstead Pergola

I visited the Pergola in Hampstead Heath during the hot summer of 2022, when airports had to keep an eye out for melted tarmac as temperatures reached 39 degrees. Still, even amid all of that draught, the Pergola remained a hidden green gem.

I was curious to find out how such a marvellous big structure was brought to life. The story goes, as it always does, with some extra cash in the bank.

The history of the Pergola

At the beginning of the 20th century, William Lever (aka Lord Leverhulme) made his fortune with a soap businesses. He bought a few houses and thought of having a nice place for his exuberant garden parties which is why he employed the landscape architect Thomas Mawson.

The interesting thing is that the material to build the terraced gardens was used from the construction of the extension of the Northern Line. This made it much cheaper, as the materials didn’t need to get transported from afar.

After Lord Leverhulme’s death, the Pergola fell into a state of decline. However, it got restored in the 60s and subsequently in the 80s and it is still free to visit.

Nowadays, there is a nostalgic sense of grandeur, but all of the plants adorning the Pergola make it feel almost mystic. 

Going back to film photography

I haven’t shot on film for years. It’s been so long that I wasn’t even sure my old analogue camera still worked. My friend Thanh, however, shoots solely on film, and for this shoot he used a roll of expired Portra.

Film got much more expensive (and difficult to find!) over the past couple of years as the cost of materials rose, covid disrupted shipping and the cost of living crisis hit.

I still had an old roll of Kodak Gold in the cupboard and really wanted to take my old Praktica out of the dust to see if it still worked.

I think that over time I got bored with digital photography. There’s something fun about not knowing how exactly a photo will turn out and to rely on unpredictability which is why I was pleasantly surprised to see the results.