Off The Rails: LomoAmigo Dimitri Hogan

Dimetri Hogan is a 24 year old creative director and photographer based in New York City. Co-founder of Off The Rails Magazine alongside Matthew Comer, Dimetri Hogan helps to project a new take on youth culture. He recently tested the Lomo'Instant Automat around New York with some of his stunning model friends. Just another day in the life for Hogan! Read on to learn more.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started with photography.

When I was 12 my mother bought me a polaroid camera, that I would use to just take photos on random adventures and of my pet hamster Roger. At the age of 19 I moved from my home town of Alexandria, Virginia to Brooklyn, New York in order to pursue the arts. My partner Matthew Comer played a huge role in my photographic style and is the reason we began Off the Rails Magazine together. I’ve been shooting for about 3 years using a range of different cameras. I don’t really have any equipment preferences, I would shoot on a disposable if that’s all I had access to. I am the International Production Manager of our production company (http://comer.photo) and also the Senior Editor and Co Founder of Off the Rails Magazine. Oh what a hell of a life ; )

How did you like shooting with the Lomo'Instant Automat, and how does it compare with other cameras you've used before?

Shooting with the Lomo'Instant Automat was a great learning experience for me. I am used to taking photos on my digital camera or my iPhone where I can review and take the image over and over if needed. But shooting with an instant camera again made me actually have to think more and Lomography makes it simple for you to control exposure in order to create the best shot possible. After I got that down it was easy like a Sunday morning.

What kind of message do you intend to deliver through your photographs?

The message that I intend to deliver is that you don’t have to submit to the rules of society. You can be sexy, free spirited, and confident in your own skin.

In what ways do you envision Off The Rail Magazine and your photographic style to grow?

I envision Off the Rails developing into something much larger than just a magazine, but a brand. We have already explored the world of fashion apparel and a bit of film production. My photographic style all ties into every step of the growth process and I would like to see it more incorporated into more main stream fashion campaigns as far as the rawness of my style goes.

There are so many stories to be told through the world of youth culture, how has photography helped you tell those stories?

As a child I always had an over active imagination and a sense of adventure. Staying in one place for too long a period of time would literally drive me crazy. So I feel like photography has given me the opportunity to capture youth culture with a nostalgic feel of what had substance to me as a youngster.

With subjects that have went against the "norm" and have decided to break rules, how do you explore that sense of freedom in the subjects you photograph?

I explore the sense of freedom in my subjects by pushing them to the next level. Whether that’s trespassing on a mid town roof top to get the desired shot or taking photographs that someone in their life may not necessarily approve of, it is all still an expression of art and what Off the Rails really is.

What is it like seeing a community grow around Off The Rail Magazine?

Watching Off the Rails develop from the rock star lifestyle of my partner (Matthew Comer) and I into a full on community of other rock stars out there just doing what they want is a powerful feeling. It’s like landing your first ollie!!

Check out Dimetri Hogan's Off The Rails Magazine here or follow him on his Instagram and Twitter.

Preorder a Lomo'Instant Automat of your very own in the Lomography Online Shop

written by Katherine Phipps on 2016-11-05 #gear #culture #news #people #places