Film Log: Roll 005 | Benjamin Franklin Bridge & Society Hill

Roll 005 was shot in late August and early September 2025 with a Nikon FG on Kodak Gold 200. This roll was developed and scanned by PhotoLounge, my exclusive photo lab and film processing sponsor. <3

In another effort to connect with my younger self, the one who started Philly Immersion in her college bedroom and stayed up late writing blog posts about her most recent coffee shop visit, I went back to where it all began: the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

Facing Camden, New Jersey and Rutgers University

It's not often that I live somewhere I can physically return to old memories. These locations, cities and street corners, can hold so much nostalgia and an unfortunate result of moving all the time (and across the world) makes a lot of those memories inaccessible. It's a big reason I got into photography in the first place—this desperate desire to document the world and people around me, knowing it could look entirely different in a few short years.

In Philadelphia, I am able to access younger versions of myself and I see it as a gift. As I walked the bridge this Sunday afternoon with my film camera, I recalled the runs, overexerting myself in college, the fear of graduating and not knowing what I wanted to do, falling in love for the first time, and more. I walked all the way into Camden, strolling my alma mater as the sun was setting, the bright slants of sunlight cutting through the campus quad and between the dorm buildings I once resided in.

I was hoping for a colorful sunset, like the one I caught on a run in 2018, and while it wasn't colorful, it still had its own character. I wasn't sure how the photos would turn out with the sun blinding through the clouds but it created a gorgeous, stark silhouette. I love the trail of light on the handrails of the bridge, leading me into the sunset, leading me back home.

The second section of this roll was taken on a photo walk with PhotoLounge. It was a humid day, the sky covered in a white sheet of clouds. We met in Old City, by my favorite café, FRIEDA for generations, and we ventured throughout Society Hill until making it to the 20/20 Photo Festival at Cherry Street Pier.

It was so fun meeting other photographers and seeing what caught other people's eye. It opened my world to see Philadelphia through the lenses of those that joined and I found myself increasingly inspired to find non-traditional frames. I played around with the leaves and trees at Independence Hall and with the outdoor cat we found. I was so worried the cat wouldn't be in focus. The shot ended up being a little busy, but I love the way the cat looks back at the camera, shy in his shady spot.

The rest of the roll was taken at home. I continue to be inspired by my apartment and the way the light comes in as we head into autumn which created some really fun photos of my cats. I also took a picture of my current desk set-up. It's a haven for me and my inner child—a place to play, send postcards and write letters, experiment with watercolor and acrylic, and now it's the control center for my small business (which is so surreal).

My desk and vision board with my own photographs and artwork :)

Finally, the last photo on the roll, my big red chair. This was my first "big" purchase in early 2024 when I allowed myself to buy something that would be a hassle to move with. Until recently, I've lived light in anticipation of the next move but I'm finally setting roots and sometimes that looks like a full bookshelf and a nice reading chair.

My big red chair :)