Ask Your Guru: Fisher-Price Asks Mikahsupageek

We start the month of August with a new feature we have introduced to you a few weeks ago. Our Newcomers and our Gurus, those who we watch out for their fresh and astonishing work, are now in for an exciting collaboration! Come on and Ask Your Guru!

And for our debut, we have gathered the thoughts of Newcomer David Rhys or fisher-price and Lomo Guru Mikah Manansala mikahsupageek. Learn more about these two Lomographers and grab some awesome advice from Mikah as he answers David’s most intriguing Lomography questions!

For starters, let us know more about them!

Mikah has been a member of the Community for what he believes was during “the end of year 2009, when a friend gave me a Diana F+ camera, introducing me to the world of photography and more precisely analogue photography.”

He was then a sound engineer but now works for Kodak Express in Paris, France. “I do pretty much everything that a lab tech is required to do and I’m also a sales employee. I’m a music and photography addict [and have been] diagnosed with FHS (Film Hoarding Syndrome). I’m open to any Lomo meeting, and if you visit Paris, be sure to drop by the lab/store to say hi, preferably send a private message on my LomoHome to let me know you’re coming to visit.”

Coming from the United Kingdom, David has been lurking in the website for years but decided to finally join and upload his photos in the Community after buying a Fisheye One. He also bought an LC-A+ last June which “has rekindled my passion for film.”

About his living and interests, he will soon be starting a job as a civil servant (as employed by the UK government). “Out of the office I enjoy cycling and will be taking my new LC-A+ out with me on the road/dirt track to capture whatever takes my fancy in the near future.”

With his fancy for Lomography, David has prepared 10 questions for our LomoGuru Mikah. Head on and read the exchange of two and grab some knowledge yourself.

David Rhys: What are you favorite shooting locations or subjects?
Mikah Manansala: My favorite shooting locations are wide open spaces such as beaches, mountains, and forests. My favorite subjects are portraits.

DR: What, who or where would you like to shoot that you haven’t yet?
MM:" I’m impatiently waiting to photograph my kids, if and when I ever become a parent. As for a location, I’d love to go to Iceland to shoot some vast open spaces!

DR: Do you ever get the photographic version of writers block? How do you overcome this?
MM: I used to experience this before when I didn’t work as much as I do now. The photographer’s block would express itself mostly by a lack specific ideas and not wanting to shoot randomly for nothing. Usualy to counter this, I’d either end up deciding on shooting a roll with random things (following the rule; Don’t think just shoot), this usually bringing up bit of results to brighten up new ideas. I’d also use a camera I haven’t used for quite some time, sort of rediscovering it. These things would usually help my lack of motivation to shoot.

DR: If you could make an improvement (add a function remove an annoyance) to one of your cameras what would it be?
MM: Hum… I don’t really know. I love my cameras for what they are and bought them cause I found them perfect for my expectations and usage of them. So I wouldn’t really change anything from them.

DR: Please share one trick or lens combination etc. that you believe creates a great photo.
MM: Another tough request… I don’t really know if there is such a thing that could be applied by everyone to render a ‘great’ photo. In my opinion, the greatness of a photo doesn’t really come from a trick or a technical combination. It’s really the message that the photo passes on just by looking at it. And this is something very hard to explain just because, it’s very personal. A person will consider a photo great and another person won’t feel the same thing for the exact same photo, simply because peoples tastes aren’t the same and everyone see things differently.

My notion of greatness in a photo is usually respected when the photo makes you feel something positive … something that can be different from a person to an other. And also a photo where you can slightly understand what went through the mind of the photographer just by looking at it with a quick glimpse.

DR: Have you ever encountered a negative aspect [from] the Lomography Community?
MM: I haven’t really encountered a negative aspect from the Lomo Community. If and when something bothers me, it’s usually ‘cause I’m in a bad mood but that doesn’t happen too often :p Though there is one thing that really gets on my nerves, it’s the continuous spamming from spammers who posts comments on photos. But you can’t consider those as members of the Community. So I guess it’s all good ;)

DR: From which Lomographer do you draw the most inspiration?
MM: I truly admire, I believe this applies also to a lot of other Community members, the work of Satomi who’s been a continuous source of inspiration ever since I joined the Community.

DR: What makes a great Lomographer in your opinion?
MM: A person who loves to shoot, to experience with everything analogue, who shares their experiences, who’s friendly, who isn’t afraid of being honest and accepts criticism while being super active in the Community.

DR: What is your all-time favorite Lomograph and why (can be yours or someone else’s)?
MM: Hum, another very hard request. There are so many great Lomographs all over the Community. But since I have to pick one, I’d say this one from Satomi…

… because I found in her series an idea I had thought of, but she executed her shots brilliantly and I, with out a doubt, couldn’t have done better. Hats off to her!

DR: Do you think digital photography will completely replace film photography eventually?
MM: I believe without doubt that digital will never completely replace analogue, because just like a lot of people in this Community, I’ll do whatever it takes to not let such a thing happen. ANALOGUE NEVER DIES!

From great analogue photography experience and a truly curious Lomographic mind, we say kudos to David and Mikah! Until the next Ask Your Guru! Cheers, everyone!

Are you a curious Newcomer? Or maybe a LomoGuru who would like to share tips and tricks to our noobs? Then this is your time to be featured! Just drop me a line at mayee.gonzales@lomography.com. Catch ya!

written by mayeemayee on 2012-08-01 #lifestyle #interview #community #newcomer #mikahsupageek #q-a #lomoguru #ask-your-guru #fisher-price