Posted in photoholic
Me with Archie's vintage Olympus OM-1Lately I've been smitten by lomography. Some photographers, loyal to traditional filmography wouldn't consider lomography as an art because it is after all a technique which comes about from old film cameras of poor quality and intentional use of incorrect processing chemicals to distort the colours of images. You would have noticed the pictures I posted recently are of a certain strange hue. I've been tweaking them with Picnik. I do wish I have the means and skills to develop the pictures but since I don't - heck! - I'm resorting to software instead.
Honestly, I'm pro both sides of the fence. I appreciate manual SLRs and the art of film techniques. I'm also glad that digital camera has the ability to preview pictures on-the-spot (I haven't met anyone who doesn't like this treat). But lomography is pure fun. Its cameras would allow me to practise its mantra 'Don't think. Just shoot' and produce casual snapshots which could be sometimes blurry, distorted quirky images. The surprise element as one waits for the development of films can be quite exciting. Techniques that require years of studying can now be condensed into just one Lomo camera. In a nutshell, you can take arty-farty pictures without tweaking it with software or processing techniques. It's like cheating! Oh, no wonder some photo-enthusiasts deem lomo as crap. =P
I am quite obsessed with a certain lomo camera - the Diana F+. A classic in the 60s, Diana F+ is unique for its dreamy, radiant pictures. It was a hit back then and still has a cult following. So much so now it has been re-created with same looks and quality but modified to allow for capabilities. Perhaps because of its plastic shell (I'm serious!), lomo cameras are dubbed as 'toy cameras' and they are generally inexpensive.
However it's not completely idiot-proof. A lomo cam still works similarly to a manual SLR. Aperture, exposure, shutter speed... all these are adjustable on a lomo cam. What buffers me most is the film format. After reading materials online, I still cannot get what the ___ difference between a 35mm and 120 film format. So much to learn!I'm getting carried away. There are a thousand and one things which pique my interest. I need extra time. And $$$$!!!
Comments (0)
Post a Comment