Shooting Harman Red 125 in 120: A Fiery First Roll in London
Testing Harman’s Redscale film in medium format for Analogue Wonderland
A New Format, A Familiar Fire
Harman Red 125 isn’t new — it’s been around in 35mm for a while — but this was my first time shooting the new 120 version, and I was testing it out for Analogue Wonderland.
The look is exactly what you’d expect if you’ve shot it before: molten reds, shadowy blacks, and yellow skies that feel like you’ve stepped onto a hotter, more cinematic version of Earth. But medium format brings something different. Bigger negatives, more detail — and a kind of elegance that balances out the wildness of the colour.
This roll was part of an ongoing personal project I’m calling London on Fire. And on a literal heatwave day in the capital, it couldn’t have been a better match.
What Harman Red 125 Looks Like in 120
I shot the film at box speed (ISO 125), in harsh afternoon sun. I didn’t overthink it — I just shot what I saw, trusting the contrast, heat and shape to do the talking.
The colour palette is intense: oranges, reds and yellows dominate, but without the muddiness you sometimes get with redscale. There’s something a bit cleaner about this film — the colours are loud, yes, but not messy. Shadows are deep. Highlights bloom. Midtones? Sometimes they vanish entirely, and that’s part of the charm.
One of my favourite things is how much this film makes you compose with contrast in mind. Like black and white, but on steroids. You’re looking for shapes, direction, light fall-off — and then the colours just explode over the top.
ANALOGUE WOnDERLAND
Analogue Wonderland are a UK-based lab that offer a wide variety of films including Hanalogital Opal. They sell out fast though, so it’s worth signing up to be notified when it comes back in stock.
They also offer developing for film souped films, you’ll need to select this as an additional extra when you select your developing options.
What Worked Best
City scenes with layers, light, and people. Street corners, market stalls, silhouettes. A burrito stand glowing with fairy lights. Reflections in glass. The flare from the Underground sign at golden hour.
It handles chaos beautifully. You don’t need perfect exposure or perfect focus. In fact, the less clinical it is, the better it looks.
What Didn’t Quite Click
I threw in a wide skyline shot as a contrast — and honestly, it fell a bit flat. The colours were there, but the frame just didn’t sing. That’s probably more about me than the film — I don’t shoot sweeping views. I shoot the bits people walk past.
That said, it was useful. Redscale doesn’t always reward distance or haze. This film wants shape, contrast and punch. And when you give it that, it gives back tenfold.
Why I’m Coming Back for More
I’ve already bought a second roll. The plan is to keep building this London on Fire series — testing it out on different areas of London and buildings and people. I want to see what it does in the shade, or through glass, or when the light’s softer and the heat’s still lingering.
This film suits the mood of the city right now. London’s overheated. Tense. Strange. But still beautiful, in a way that doesn’t always make sense. Harman Red 125 gets that — and pushes it to the surface.
Final thoughts on Harman Red 125
Shooting Harman Red 125 in 120 feels like seeing the city through new eyes — red-tinted, heat-soaked eyes. It’s not for subtle scenes or soft pastels. But if you want drama, contrast, and a palette that won’t sit quietly in the background, this might be your new summer favourite.
Would I Use This Film Again?
I wasn’t expecting to want to shoot this film again, but it left me intrigued to see how other subjects would ‘translate’ using this film, so I’ve ordered another roll almost immediately to shoot on my Fuji GW690iii 6×9 medium format camera.
What 3 Words for this film?
- Fiery: Not just warm — scorched. This film doesn’t hint at heat, it erupts with it. Skies burn. Pavement glows. Shadows feel sunbaked.
- Graphic: Lines, shapes, silhouettes — everything becomes more design than detail. Like a comic book printed on sun-bleached newsprint. It demands bold compositions.
- Unreal: There’s a dreamy, uncanny quality to it. Not vintage, not modern — just somewhere else entirely. Like a version of your city that’s slightly tilted, overheated, and surreal.
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