Lomography

My first formal photography experience started with my Digital SLR camera, I took photos of anything that suites my taste. My approach was very unorthodox; weird angled shots, flares, blurred & over exposed, shots that will make a purist go berserk.

I’ve been hearing the buzz with “Lomo” and Lomography way back I in college, but didn’t give it a 2nd glance, because it uses “film”. Which for me is somehow a “deal breaker” when it comes to photography. Because back then, I used to say that “film photogs should move on, digital is the new film, digital is photography”. But my search for more artistic form of photography made me more close to Lomography. At that time in 2007, Lomography was being discussed in photography forums, sharing knowledge about films, cameras and on how a digital photo can be edited to get that “Lomo“ look.

To say the least, I edited some of my unusual digital photographs to achieve that over saturated, heavily vignetted lo-fi shots. The output looked great, I got praises from my friends and colleagues for my works, even though I felt that my works are somehow “half baked”.

In December of 2007 I took the plunge. I got myself a Holga 120CFN, a plastic toy camera using medium format film. I got it in Philippine’s photography Mecca, Hidalgo in Quiapo Manila.When I saw the results, I felt the “wow” thing. I never knew that this camera with simple mechanisms could produce such photos. The addiction did not stop there. It was Christmas; I had enough money to feed the craving.

The addiction grew to its pinnacle. With my first paycheck from my new job, I purchased the ultimate lomo camera, the LOMO LC-A It is the camera that started it all, the camera that the 2 Viennese hikers picked up to document their journey.
I took the camera everywhere! I click the shutter while on a tricycle, jeep, restroom, workstation etc.

The LC-A must have changed me. I appreciated Lomographs compared to the usual photos I see. It also made me learn more about photography, proper film usage, exposure settings, aperture and composition.

My lomography experience led me to one of the best experiences in my life, being hired by the Lomography Society International, the company that popularized the Lomographic way of photography, and the company that started it all. I love the job! Its extra income, and it’s the perfect mix of pleasure and work.

At this point in time, I have already sold my digital camera. I think that it deserves a better home. And up to now, I never looked back.

I can say that Lomography is the best thing that happened in my life. It is where I think I’ll always belong, an art on where I found a second family, a job, a different view, and a place where I felt loved. Lomoloved.

What is your Lomo story? Tell us about it with a selection of your best photos!