LomoAmigo Daphne Iking and the LC-A+ Russia Day Edition

A Malaysian television personality, a journalist and a mother. She encounter the Lomographic fun with her Supersampler many years ago; and now continue to explore the wonders of the analogue world with Lomography LC-A+ Russia Day. Still considered a virgin to the Lomography world, but experimenting with its horizons with hubby Azmi.

Name: Daphne Iking
Country: Malaysia
LomoHome: daphneiking
Blog/website: www.daphneiking.com

Please introduce yourself in a few words…
I’m a Journalist, Producer, TV anchor and sometimes actress. I flirt with my turntables, dive occasionally, can strum a song or two on my guitar and enjoy movie marathons. I’m your typical Cancerian and often misconstrued. I’m a mother and a wife – second time around. Literally. For both. =)

Are you a keen lomographer or are you new to this whole thing?
I consider myself a virgin to the lomoverse. I use to own a SuperSampler camera before but stopped playing around with it when someone bought me a swanky digital camera. My interest picked up when a pal of mine was showing off his new accessories for his lomo camera recently. Coincidently, a photojournalist who interviewed me for a local Men’s magazine took a picture of me with her camera using film – something rare for me being so used to doing shoots with digital cameras. I was intrigued in analog photography after she explained her reason for not ‘conforming’ to the wave of digital. I knew then that I had to dive back into Lomography.

What’s the best part of being a Malaysia television personality?
Being able to use my voice as a platform for reformation or to make a small difference in carrying a message across. I’m trying to be more eco-savvy and have always encouraged more tree-planting and being kinder to our planet by doing simple stuff like the 4R’s (Reduce,Recycle, Reuse, Recover). Right now, I am trying to persuade our youths to at least register themselves as voters. It is so important for us citizens to exercise our rights to vote. I am saddened by the couch critics who seem to condemn everything the government/leaders are doing – but are not doing something proactive – even as simple as voting – to make a difference or to make a stand. Check out the undilah PSA video by Pete Teo. The pregnant lady rapping? That would be me.

And the worst?
Your privacy is taken away. And you are subject to uncomfortable judgment and misconstrued if something that you do (or don’t do) doesn’t conform to the perception of the society.

How does it feel like being in love?
It is a wonderful feeling! Most of us (think we) know and understand the meaning of love – and what it entails. From the ‘simplicity’ of being in love with someone or something, to a more complex and complicated feeling of love that is hard to describe when asked why or how. Some people have asked me how does it feel being in love again after a very public divorce. I tell them I never fell out. It just wasn’t the sort of love that could sustain a marriage of our kind – and it was best for both of us (my ex husband and I) to be apart and remain friends. Now that I have remarried and awaiting our new baby, there is a new type of love that has embraced me in an overwhelming feeling of love that is so different but deliciously glorious. I’m blessed.

How does it feel like being a mother?
You will understand unconditional love when you are a mother. In my case, where things deemed complicated, I know that there is no bigger love than one of a parent to her child. Admittedly, it is not a bof roses, but as the saying goes, it’s the love of the purest form that takes the thorns less painful to endure.

Tell us the most heart-warming moments ever happen in your life, so far?
I was going through a very difficult time over the past 3 years. It was worst because my family had to endure the feeling with me by default. Only God knows what we had to face and the truth finally emerged to those who matter. Let’s just say I’m grateful for this experience. I learnt who my truest friends were, and it was a humbling phase knowing who the few were. Despite it all, I trudged through with his blessings and I’m stronger if not wiser after the whole ordeal. Now I’m beginning a new chapter in my life and it’s like a new adventure all over again.

Describe the LC-A+ Russia Day in five words:
An epitome of savvy seduction.

How did you feel when shooting with LC-A+ Russia Day for the first time? Have you encountered anything interesting?
Just like most first dates; there was some awkward moments. We had chemistry – we just had to get to know one another better before things REALLY started getting interesting! I am not a pro photographer, and have always relied on auto settings on my cameras to take pictures and videos. So this was a nice and FUN way of understanding ‘photo terms’ like aperture and exposure on a more..ehem… semi-professional level. =)

Where were your photos taken?
Some were taken in Bangkok and some from my hometown during my last trimester of the pregnancy.

What is the definition of analogue lifestyle to you?
I suppose in my definition and in this day and age, it would mean a life that remains true to the origins; the intrinsic basics. Respecting traditional values and beliefs but being open to new experience, ideas, situations and beliefs.

The most unforgettable, strangest, funniest or worst photographic/Lomographic encounter that you have ever had.
The worst encounter was when I kept getting black pictures on my instant film after changing back from the original Lomo LC-A+ back door to the instant back. And we all know how expensive the film can be. I went online to check what could possibly have gone wrong, and did what was advised, “Perhaps the LC-A+ ran out of batteries?” To which I replaced it with new ones. Still dark images came out. Frustrated, I tweeted about this and I was amazed by the replies that I received from random Lomo strangers who follow me on twitter! To cut the long story short, everyone was giving their two cent worth on the endless possibilities why my baby kept giving me black pictures. In the end, I found out that my film was an expired batch. Changed to a new box, and voila! My Russian lover and I were back in action!

If you could take your camera and a sack of film anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?
Oh this is so difficult! I was just watching a documentary and was telling my husband how I would love to visit all those places to document my journey via microblogging and random shots with my lomo! From the scenic historical and wonders of the world – to some place as random like on top of a volcano in Indonesia to watch how the very much underpaid workers collect sulphur to sell. I’m a journalist at heart and adventurous by nature – so I have always been inspired by events, people and new places. I’m afraid I can’t give you a definite place because my heart explodes with so many different options given the chance to do just that.

If you could photograph anything in the world (person, place, moment, whatever) what would it be?
My late paternal grandfather’s lifestory. I have heard so much about his life from his family and friends but I was unfortunate to not see more of that as I had a spent only a short time with him after coming back from England and soon after, he lost his life to throat cancer. He would be someone I could say who lived an analog lifestyle. I recall the last few months with him around, he asked us what color durians we (my siblings and I) wanted. He said we could choose ANY color. I didn’t believe him. I asked for a pink durian. Kakak asked for red and my brother Boboy asked for blue. The next day, he took 3 durians and painstakingly removed the thorns of the fruit and wrapped each one according to the color of our choice with coloured plastic bags. He kept to his word. Well. Sort of.
I was about 9 when mum left me to cook his porridge for him. I burnt it – but he ate it all up without hesitation and told me that it was the best meal he had! (It was horrible!) He was kind, old-school and traditional in that sense. He believed in thank you notes and signing off with a fountain pen instead of using a computer to convey messages of gratitude.

Tell us something about you’ve been doing lately, like your latest project.
I took sewing classes after Form 5. So recently, I have been busy designing simple nursing wear for myself and altering the clothes I currently own to make it more breastfeeding friendly. I’m also trying to get my act together to get the music studio up. My husband plays the bass for fun and he’s been trying to get me back into music by buying me an Ibanez semi-acoustic guitar so we can ‘jam’ together.

What’s your favorite photo in the collection and why?
This would be my fave cause it was the first shot I took experimenting with the mx and it came out just how I wanted it to be on the first try! This batch of photos was taken a lot with Isobel. I wanted to take more pictures of her and with her (she took some shots but unfortunately, it was all overexposed) because we went through a tough year together. But we are still together, tighter and closer than ever. Sometimes, its scares me that she is so grown up for a 3 year old. As we both prepare for the arrival of the little one, I wanted Isobel to know that my love for her won’t change with the new baby coming.

What’s the best thing you love about Lomography and Lomography LC-A+ Russia Day?
The fact that you can be free to do what you want with it? There is no hard and fast rules of photography with the lomo. As mentioned, I had the Super Sampler lomo previously, so owning the LC-A+ Russia Day was definitely a slight change to the ‘aim and shoot’ action of the Super Sampler. With more buttons to experiment with, and not forgetting accessories you can apply onto it for further crazy experimentation, it is with no wonder that ‘playing’ (my daughter calls my LC-A+ ‘mama’s Toy Camera’) with this Russian seductress is a joy to begin with. It gives us options of various shots, but still allowing freedom to ‘make mistakes’ and giving that mistake the right to be called ‘art’. =) Hope this isn’t too confusing.

What tips can you give future LC-A+ users?
Let your guard down and go crazy with the LC-A+! I read the manual but I didn’t go too detail into what should be what. I made ‘mistakes’ along the way- some being too exposed or dark, but staring into some of the other shots I had taken (not given) brought some nostalgic memories. What I did too was when using the MX (multi exposure), I took one shot, and got someone else to take another shot of the same subject. It’s interesting what visuals come out and to see how they interpret the same subject with a different viewpoint.

The Lomo LC-A+ RL has all the features we know and love, authentic Russian lens, and a back that’s now interchangeable with the Instant Back+. Explore analogue possibilities with the LC-A+ RL!

written by eva_eva on 2011-10-26 #people #lomo-amigo #malaysia #family #love #lc-a #pregnancy #lomoamigo #russia-day #daphne-iking #tv-personality