lomo~.
February 16, 2007Lomography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Accidents such as over-saturated colors, lens artifacts, and exposure defects are rehabilitated to produce swirly, abstract effects — a trait emphasized by practitioners. Others use the technique to document everyday life, because the small camera size and ability to shoot in low light encourages candid photography, photo reportage and photo vérité.
Lomography is a commercial trademark of Lomographische AG, Austria for products and services related to photography.The name is licensed from a former state-run optics company LOMO PLC in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The 35 mm LOMO LC-A camera employed an unusual lens which produced large amounts of distortion at the
edges of the image whilst keeping the center sharp, and was 'discovered'/promoted by marketing
students/businessmen from Austria with a viral/tribal marketing strategy heavily based on their internet site. A monopoly agreement was negotiated early on with the optics company. Like all monopoly agreements prices were therefore controlled (and set high). The pricing systems of the Lomo Society generate a lot of contention on the internet. Many newcomers to the field are unaware of other cheaper sources of supply for the products they sell and/or feel a group loyalty to the society for introducing them to lomography. An artificial distinction is also made between 'lomo' cameras (a list of cameras that have at some time been sold by the Lomo Society) and 'non-lomo' cameras. Only photographs taken by 'lomo' cameras are considered truly lomographic. Note this official list is not due to any overall coherent photographic philosophy (after all the 'rules' could be applied to any camera) or attributes that the cameras share in common rather it came about through a market/sales driven philosophy i.e. what cameras were available for the Lomo Society to buy and onsell.
The lens effect (although perhaps not the philosophy) can be partially emulated in photo-editing programs,
such as GIMP or Photoshop. (Though others argue that most of the effect is due to the common use of cross
processed slide film).
Similar to Eastman Kodak's concept of the "Kodak moment," the Lomography motto of "don't think, just shoot"
("don't think, just spend" by the detractors) presumes spontaneity, close-ups and ubiquity, while deemphasizing
formal technique (however to get a good lo-fi 'from the hip shot' actually does takes skill). Typical Lomography cameras are deliberately low-fidelity, or inexpensively constructed (but not inexpensively priced). Some cameras make use of multiple lenses and rainbow-colored flashes, or exhibit extreme optical distortions and even light leaks - compare the popular Chinese-made Holga (~US$80 from the Lomo Society vs ~US$30 on ebay). Principles of Lomography have also been extended to cinema.
Current models marketed by Lomographische AG include Lomo LC-A, Holga, Holga 35mm, Actionsampler, Frogeye, Pop-9, Oktomat, Fisheye, Fisheye2, Colorsplash, Colorsplash Flash, F-stop Bang, SuperSampler, Horizon 202, Seagull TLR and Smena 8M. The company also resells modified Polaroid cameras and Russian deadstock- the sort normally acquired at "quirky, old-school camera shops", as the company's website puts it.
The following are the company's 10 Rules of Lomography:
1.Take your LOMO everywhere you go & whenever you go.
2.Use it anytime — day or night.
3.Lomography is not an interference in your life, but a part of it.
4.Shoot from the hip.
5.Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible.
6.Don't think.
7.Be fast.
8.You don't have to know beforehand what you've captured on film.
9.You don't have to know afterwards, either.
10.Don't worry about the rules.
The company's promotional website for Lomography showcases many high contrast photographs, with unusual saturation and color, that were created using the technique called cross processing in which film intended for developing in slide chemistry (E-6) is processed in photographic negative chemistry (C-41), and vice-versa. This technique can be employed with any film camera and can be mimicked with digital photographs.
gosh~, i've read somewhere about this LOMOgraphy, and i just loved it! some awesome creative technic! i wish i could have one as i dig into www.lomographyasia.com some of the cameras are affordable depends on the model and spec. phew~,i'm still dreaming about getting a dslr, canon eos 400d, now i have a new dream, a lomo's cam. ok, at least i got something to work on while i'm sleeping, but how about blythe miniature?wowowo
