Lomography

Atria007 is a 100% lomographer. We are certain that she keeps a compact camera in her night stand just in case she finds the perfect picture in between dreams. One of her passions is the filmswap, one of the most unpredictable and surprising lomographic games that exist.

Photo by atria007

Hi Mery! You don’t need too much introduction, but there must be something we don’t know about you, tell us a secret that you may have hiding around.
A secret?!?!?! I suppose you mean photographically speaking, hehehe… I don’t think I have one, I’m very clear and natural, I see the world different than other people and I try to portray how I would like everyone to see it. On the personal side… I’ll keep that to myself! Hehehe…

Photo by atria007

How many filmswaps have you done? Are you keeping track or have you lost it?
Well the truth is I don’t keep track, between the ones I do with myself, and the ones I do with other lomographers, I wouldn’t know what to tell you, but just for putting down a number… between what I’ve yet to publish and what I already have…around 55+ or less.

What is the strangest location to which you’ve sent films or from which you’ve received a roll of film?
Hahaha…I think that for the moment Dubai, never in my life did I imagine I would send a package there.

Is there any filmswap that is closer to your heart? Why?
I have a favorite, the one I did with my boyfriend. Truth is I don’t know how I tricked him into doing it, but I was extremely happy with the results, he’s not a person that tends to like these kinds of games. I just have to say he grabbed a film, did the mark, and started shooting. And the best part is that we loved the experience and we’ll surely do it again.

Photos by atria007

Which was the picture that surprised you the most from a shared film when you picked it up from the lab?
The truth is that I have a few. Above all there’s one that really touched me, the one of the cat with the tower; even though it’s a photo I did for myself, I didn’t think it would come out like that…I tried controlling the images and the result was truly fantastic.

Photo by atria007

Another one that turned out how I wanted it to was with sye, we mixed two cameras in which the ISO can’t be set, so the risk of it not coming out was higher than the result, which I was hoping to achieve, so when Sara sent me the result I hallucinated. It’s very rare that we get what we want from a film swap, but in this case it was amazing.

Photo by atria007

And last, I think this is one of my favorites. It was one of my first doubles with myself, and at the same time experimenting a bit and traveling. The result was what I had hoped for, textures and saturated colors…yes, I think it’s my favorite.

Photo by atria007

I also have to say that every time I do doubles with someone, in every film I have a favorite:

Photos by bccbarbosa, weidong, mephisto19, robter, clickiemcpete, riotxriot, beni, escudero, srmarcus, realrampage, isabel_mebarak, sye, mafiosa, gunship, and adi_totp

What do you like most, shooting first, or second?
I rarely shoot just one film. Normally it’s one me, and another from the other person, but if I must choose: first!

Do you have a theme fetish that you tend to sneak in to most of the swaps?
Of course! My dear light towers and my shadow. Though lately I have a new fetish, my friend Mr. Rabbit.

Photos by atria007

Your star camera for swaps is…

The LC-A,

Photos by atria007

though I like mixing cameras a lot.

Photos by atria007

And the film you like to share the most is…
I have a few, but I think the one that gives the best results is the Elitechome.

Photos by atria007

How do you find your swap buddies? Are they all from the online Lomographic Society?
At first I had to propose it, and now it’s really more because of friendship. I tend to choose the people though sometimes it gets proposed to me. Most of them are from the community, outside of it, from my surroundings, I don’t have anyone close who likes analog, so what can we do…

Any advice for those who have never done a filmswap and upon reading this might jump at the adventure?
The first thing, pick the camera wisely, second, pick a theme, third, make the mark so it all falls in place, and finally, don’t get upset if it doesn’t turn out the way you’d hoped.

A question we always ask ourselves… How many rolls of filmswaps do you have waiting?
Oh boy! I have to laugh… around 22, and as I always say, add and carry on!

Photo by atria007

We’re certain that upon reading this interview you’ll be wanting to do some filmswaps eh?, well here is a quick guide for doing doubles, triples, or filmswaps written by the same atria007, read it and you’re guaranteed success in this marvelous, unpredictable, and surprising very analog and lomographic game.

Ah! One last question for atria007, do you have a camera on your nightstand?
On my nightstand? As of right now, none. I’m in the middle of moving and I’m not spending money on nightstands yet! Hahaha…But I always carry in my pocket an LC-A.

Photo by atria007