LomoGuru of the Week: lokified

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Lucas is a firm believer of the “Don’t Think, Just Shoot” motto. In fact, he captured what he considers his masterpiece by following his instincts and not thinking hard about getting a perfect shot. Know more about this passionate analogue shooter and LomoGuru of the Week – lokified!

Name: Lucas Brown
LomoHome: lokified
Location: Sydney, Australia
Number of years as a Lomographer: 2 years
Number of years in the Community: 2 years

Tell us something about yourself.

Well, I am a manager in a call center. But, I identify myself as a photographer because that’s how I choose to spend most of my time.

As for my interest outside photography, I would say I am into music, comic books, film, books, cooking, cocktails, and obscure trivia about everything under the sun. I’m part of a podcast called The Culture Squad where we meet and discuss all of the above.

I’ve also begun working with a collective known as the Ludlites, that shoot specifically with plastic cameras such as Holga and Diana.

Tell us something about your LomoHome’s name.

Lokified is my online handle in various sites. Originally, I chose “Loki” for all my online accounts and later as my high school nickname, due to the three issues of Thor that resided in my childhood bedroom. But it seemed like I am naming myself after a Norse deity and others are using the same name too so I changed it to Lokified. I prefer it this way now as it has fewer association with mythology, Kevin Smith films, and The Avengers.

Share with us your most memorable experience in the Lomography Community.

I haven’t met anyone from the Lomography Community, yet. During my early days, the thought of people commenting on my articles and photos made me feel that Lomography is really a place for people who think like I do.

Have you actually met people in the Community that you now consider as close friends?

While I’ve not met anyone from the Lomography Community yet, my tireless campaigning to my friends has caused a few of them to join the Community. theragdoll, noirbettie, and parabolicmuse have all joined because of me talking ceaselessly about the topic.

I also knew bonesai from other online forums. I am proud to do a few film swaps with her.

Do you think you’ll still be taking Lomographs in the next 5 years? Why?

Absolutely! Film excites me in a way that digital cannot. It’s experimental. It’s risky. It’s constantly changing. There’s always another camera, another oddball film, another experimental way of shooting that might lead to incredible results. There’s only one way to find out but to shoot film!

What is your favorite Lomographjy camera and why? Do you have any memorable experiences using this camera?

I started with a Diana Mini. I have a soft spot for my La Sardina. I am constantly astonished by the results from my Horizon Perfekt and Lubitel 166B.

But, this spot goes to my now slightly battered LC-A+ Russian Lens, whose name is (black) Jack, because it is the 21st analogue camera in my collection. This is the camera I experiment with the most. Through the Splitzer attachment, I can get some of the most random and interesting results. Also, despite the no camera rule, I sneaked this camera in my back pocket when I went to see Amanda Palmer during her visit to Sydney.

Please share with us your favorite Lomographic shot and explain why you love that particular image.

This stands out as my favourite Lomograph for a simple reason: I didn’t think hard of what I was going to do when I took this shot. During one of my lunchbreaks, I went to the top of a mall’s parking lot and took this shot with my Sprocket Rocket and a DIY Splitzer cap, expecting nothing.

When I got the photos back, I was dumbstruck. Did I really take this photograph? Did someone mess with it? That’s the power of film!

Please share a Lomograph you wish you had taken and explain why.

Hodachrome continues to inspire me with his relentless experimentation and unrelenting standards. Every time I see his new album, I know it’s going to blow my mind and challenge me to try harder.

I always use this particular shot of his to show people what you can do with analogue photography, without the aid of digital manipulation.

What’s the best Lomographic or photography advice you think you have given?

Once, an artist told me an old joke, which I later found out as a quote from Sam Haskins, about a photographer that went to a socialite party in New York. As he enter the front door, the host said, “I love your pictures – they’re wonderful. You must have a fantastic camera.” The photographer said nothing.

When the dinner was finished, the photographer then said, “That was a wonderful dinner; you must have a terrific stove.”

I used to constantly worry that in order to prove myself as a photography, I needed to take the right courses, have the right equipment, or else I wouldn’t be taken seriously. But, here’s a secret: the picture is what truly matters. It does not matter how you got it as long as it is great!

If there’s one song or movie that best describes your Lomo life, which one is it and why?

For film, I’d say Stranger Than Fiction or The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, as both are about finding the extraordinary in the simplest things.

As for a song, I’d be stumped, and but here’s the latest album that has been thrilling me: Neko Case’s The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight The More I Love You for the same reason.

Is there any advice you can give to new analogue shooters?

Never be intimidated by technology, knowledge, or other people. When you admit that you know nothing, it gives you the ability and freedom to try anything. Some things might turn out wrong, but you can always learn from those mistakes. Find things that interest you and immerse yourself in them. Keep shooting, keep striving.