Lomography or lomo effect

[BBW]

Lately, I've noticed these words bandied about in a few photography sites, including Brian's Lightzone Clinic and wanted to learn more about what it means. I googled it and found http://www.lomophoto.com/. This kind of reminds me of the old Diana camera style of image... Am I right? I find the "!0 Rules of Lomography" to be somewhat encouraging.

The following are the company's 10 Rules of Lomography:

Take your LOMO everywhere you go.
Use it anytime - day or night.
Lomography is not an interference in your life, but a part of it.
Shoot from the hip.
Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible.
Don't think.
Be fast.
You don't have to know beforehand what you've captured on film.
You don't have to know afterwards, either.
Don't worry about the rules.

So am I correct that these are very basic little cameras, or were and now have evolved - and that people who don't have them are trying to emulate them via art filters (the pin hole) and/or post processing techniques?

 

[kai.e.g.]

It's only a quirk of fate that delivered us the word "Lomography" - it could just as well have been "Dianagphy" or "Clackography", had a group of like-minded photographers chosen to base their cult of personality around the Diana or the Agfa Clack instead. In fact - and its still a mystery why this did not stick - we already had a bit of a cult going with the Minox 35; after all, Andy Warhol used one (though these are not medium format cameras).

In any case, I guess the name of the game is Medium Format for good resolution, but really, really simple optics for vignetting + edge blur. Then there's the added random factor of a camera body that leaks light (electrician's tape covering over the worst of these), uneven shutter action and unreliable film advance (resulting in partial double exposures from time to time)... all combining to make for some pretty zany photography. While art filters approach the "LOMO Look", I don't think any one filter alone can achieve the whole look.

 

[f6cvalkyrie]

So am I correct that these are very basic little cameras, or were and now have evolved - and that people who don't have them are trying to emulate them via art filters (the pin hole) and/or post processing techniques?

I think you are correct !
Some time ago, I bought a set of "TASTES" for Silkypix (tastes are kind of presets for RAW conversion) and the set also contained a LOMO taste.

I did not use it yet, but I think it might go together well with vintage lenses and lenses with swirly bokeh.

C U
Rafael

 

[Vidar]

In any case, I guess the name of the game is Medium Format for good resolution, but really, really simple optics for vignetting + edge blur. Then there's the added random factor of a camera body that leaks light (electrician's tape covering over the worst of these), uneven shutter action and unreliable film advance (resulting in partial double exposures from time to time)... all combining to make for some pretty zany photography. While art filters approach the "LOMO Look", I don't think any one filter alone can achieve the whole look.

I think what you are describing here is the Holga (or the Diana, both uses 120 film). The Lomo LCA is a nice little camera, with glass lens and no light leaks. But heavy vignetting. And it uses 35mm film. The Lomo LCA started the Lomography movement after some Austrians discovered this Soviet camera while travelling. I love my Lomo LCA. Had it since 1999. Now several other cameras counts as "Lomo", for example the Holga, the Diana and many plastic "toy cameras".

Even "serious" pro-photographers sometimes use the Holga. I reccomend you to buy one, costs around 20$ on ebay, and is great fun.

I am not interested in the "lomo effect" via photoshop etc., but nothing wrong with that.

 

[kai.e.g.]

Yes, actually - you're right: I was thinking of the Holga in my description!

I don't own either (Holga or Lomo), though I do have a Zorki & a FED. I once considered a camera made by the LOMO factory - it's not what most people think of when they're talking about LOMO; this was the so-called "Leningrad", a leica screw mount camera which featured a clock-wind automatic film advance mechanism. In the end, I figured I already had enough Soviet cameras

 

[BBW]

All very interesting. I loved my plastic Diana, though I'm afraid it's long gone or hidden deep within a box somewhere. So when I read "lomo effects", are Rafael and I correct then it refers to the outcome that is emulating these simpler optics with vignetting, etc.?

As for the Lomo cameras are they all film?

 

[hohoho]

The Lomo LCA started the Lomography movement after some Austrians discovered this Soviet camera while travelling.

The Austrians were canny businessmen, adding a whopping margin to the price of Lomo cameras that they sold and trying hard to stop any Russians having the effrontery to sell Lomo cameras with less of a markup.

If you want to do what they call "Lomography", you don't need one of their products to do it. If you have one of their products, you don't have to limit it to "Lomography".

Alfred Klomp said it best.

 

[Vidar]

The Austrians were canny businessmen, adding a whopping margin to the price of Lomo cameras that they sold and trying hard to stop any Russians having the effrontery to sell Lomo cameras with less of a markup.

If you want to do what they call "Lomography", you don't need one of their products to do it. If you have one of their products, you don't have to limit it to "Lomography".

Alfred Klomp said it best.

Yeah they are businessmen, but nobody forces people to buy from them. Just shop on ebay if you like, lots of russians selling at a good price there.

But a fact is that the Lomographic Society in many ways are helping in saving continued film production, especially medium format film. And they make many young people wanna try out shooting film, many then wants to try out more "serious" film cameras later. But many film snobs (don´t mean you hoho!) don´t like this.

For me the important thing about photo is having fun, Lomo certainly can be fun.

 

[BBW]

Vidar, so then they are all film cameras.

You're right no one forces anyone to buy anything and I agree that film production is important. Look what happened to Polaroid! Our daughter recently became interested in "old fashioned" 35mm photography after studying about light in her physics classes...so she's got my OM-1 down at her college. So there's a good example for you of exactly what you've talked about Vidar. And yes, photography should be fun!

 

[silverbullet]

BB,

may I help you and your daughter? ....and others?...

Here you'll find something Mr. Land didn't expect........


http://www.poladroid.net/

 

[BBW]

Very nice, thank you! I'll definitely tell my daughter because she was going to spend her hard earned $$ to buy some polaroid film she'd found - this would be quite a bit cheaper.

 

[silverbullet]

You're welcome, Madam....

A friend gave me two Polaroid SX 70 cameras as a gift. One with the insects eye, the sonic AF with the golden dot and a crème white with manual focus.

It works with the film pack and I like it.

I remember the seventies in St. Tropez where trendy people had such a cam in front of the boutique "Mic-Mac" from Brigitte Bardot aka BB...
Shooting each other was hip as the iphone from Apple is today....

Here the link:

http://www.the-impossible-project.com/

another nice to read homepage with very interesting (analogue) items and informations is here:

http://www.frugalphotographer.com/index.htm

 

[BBW]

The Impossible Project looks very interesting and promising! I checked out their "old site" and will look forward to their new one. The Frugal Photographer is also good to know about. Many thanks, Bernd!

 

[Streetshooter]

BB,
Lomo Schlomo....
You got enuff to do with the chiarascuro stuff.
Last I heard it was good with mayo, tomatoe in RYE.

I have a few Diana's and Holgas if ya want them...
This reminds me of guitarist.
Many years ago engineers went crazy to eliminate hum and noise from amps.
Now, guitarist spend money to put those sounds back in the chain.
It's funny to me but then I share a little joke with the world.

 

[BBW]

I hear you, I hear you...as I go off to find some shadows and light which will act together to create a three dimensional modeling...

 

[pointoneeight]

I got my girlfriend one of the new Diana's for Christmas and stocking full of lenses and other goodies, including an instant back. Was great fun using it, check out http://www.lomography.com - they are going into marketing overload trying to get people hooked on the lomo look. They got me, but then again I'm a sucker for it

 

[ahuyevshi]

I still shoot film... Have a lubitel 166B that I have taken about a dozen rolls with already but haven't had a chance to process. Here are some taken with my LC-A+RL

http://www.flickr.com/photos/secgeek/sets/72157622533191174/

 

[BBW]

Thanks to you both! Now I can put off my chiaroscuro hunt a bit longer.

Seriously, though I do appreciate both the website and seeing those flickr shots, too!

 

[Streetshooter]

Naughty naughty BB,
ohhhhh I'm tellin'

 

[hohoho]

Yes, we are indeed all free to celebrate the vibrant, happy world of Lomography, or not.

Meanwhile, here is fun with real Polaroid Land cameras. (Caution: Running costs may be high.)