Shooting the Apocalyptic Harman Red

Harman Red is one of those film stocks that immediately catches the eye. Its surreal palette, shifting reds, and harsh tonal contrasts invite you to see the world, not as it is but as something slightly different, a reality warped into something unfamiliar. For my first roll, I decided to take it to Camden in London, a place where the mix of urban grit, street culture, and looming architecture felt like the perfect stage for something dystopian.

First Impressions

Shooting Harman Red was an odd experience. This is a very niche film and using it to document my life and travels, as I do with most other stocks, did not feel like the right thing to do. With this stock bathing the world in crimsons and heavy shadows, I wanted to lean into that effect and create photographs that felt apocalyptic, so I decided to shoot the majority of the roll in Camden,

Exposure Challenges

Looking back at the roll, one thing I noticed is that a lot of my shots came out underexposed. I am not sure whether that was down to me misjudging the light, the way the stock handles exposure, or perhaps something in development. It could well be a combination of all three. Harman Red seems less forgiving than other films I have shot; if you miss exposure even slightly, the shadows swallow detail quickly.

At times this has actually added to the mood, with the darker tones heightening the sense of unease, especially when paired with the surreal reds. I would be keen to go back and shoot this stock slightly overexposed to see what results I might get.

What I Took Away

Despite the challenges, I really enjoyed the process of working with this film. Shooting Harman Red forced me to think differently about light and subject matter. It is not a stock I would use for everyday shooting as it feels too strange, but for projects where you want to explore mood, distortion, or atmosphere, it has something unique to offer. It could even be interesting to shoot alongside a more conventional stock to create diptychs, almost like the upside down in Stranger Things.

Camden was a good place to visit on a whim for this roll, but if I shoot this stock again I think I would lean even further into the apocalyptic feel and maybe explore abandoned buildings.

Final Thoughts

Harman Red will not be for everyone. It is experimental, tricky to expose, and unpredictable. But that is also what makes it exciting. If you are looking to create work that pushes away from the everyday and into something more surreal or unsettling, it is worth a roll or two. Just be prepared to embrace the imperfections, as they might end up giving you exactly the atmosphere you are looking for.