Lomography

Let’s pack our bags and go to Istanbul, Turkey to meet our fellow Lomography addict, coffee-loving tree branch snapper!

Hello Nural, can you tell something about yourself?

Well, I’m Nural, a Lomographer from Istanbul, Turkey. My Lomo journey began a few years ago and now I’m totally addicted, as it always happens for me. My other addictions include Coffee – lots and lots of coffee!! , Scrapbooking, headphones & my iPod, and traveling! My ultimate goal in life is to own a Lomo Store someday (preferable within the next 5 years) and then life is gonna be swell.

There’s always an interesting story to every Lomographer – what would be your Lomo story?

You can actually read the long version here

But basically my story began about 4 years ago when I saw the Supersampler and the Pop 9 in a department store. They looked like they’d be so much fun to shoot with but they were all so expensive that I ended up buying the Frogeye on that date. Last year, out of the blue, Lomo got back into my mind and I tracked down the Lomo Store on my vacation to Barcelona to buy a few more cameras this time, and thus began the addiction :)

What is the reason behind your Lomo name?

Actually, my first Lomo Home was Littleducklin19. But I kinda outgrew that after I graduated (not remembering the password also helped) so I’m using my first name to make life easier…

Why analog? Why not digital?

In high school, before all the digital stuff began, I had darkroom classes and since then I always wanted my own darkroom to work with analogue photos. It just felt magical to see the photo appear out of the blank page in front of me… After I got my Lubitel, I did built a darkroom at home but the basement freaks me out so I don’t get to use it that often :(

I actually do own a few digitals as well but I like the “not-knowing” that analogue brings! I don’t want to seeing the photo right away on the screen, or enhancing it on the computee. I like the randomness that Lomo brought into my life.

Can you tell about your best Lomo shot. What, where, and why this photo?

Might not be my best, but my favorite Lomo Shot is the one I shot in Bursa, Turkey with my Lubitel. It was a double exposure of a tree on home made redscale film. I just love branch photos!!!

If you were a Lomo camera, what would you be and why?

Diana Mini, preferably an Orange one!!! It’s light, it’s small, and it’s fun!

What is your Lomo style?

Wow, this is a tough one! I sort of live by the rule: “Don’t think, just shoot” so I just click the shutter as much as I can.

The Lomography staff is reading this interview right now, and I’m sure they’ll be very interested in your suggestions – what else do you want to see in the “revamped” Lomography website? Your own lomowall in your lomohome, perhaps? Monthly free piggies? Anything! Remember… they are reading this right now.

Ah, free piggies is a must!! LOL! I wasn’t really familiar with the old site, but I have to say that the Lomography staff is really doing a great job, adding new functions! However, some new functions in the magazine entry section would be just great! I’d love to have some way of knowing if my magazine entries are received, being processed, when will they be published, etc. I’m just an impatient person, and the waiting and not knowing makes me insane!

There’s a Lomo Legend that a forgotten Lomo Genie Bottle is lying around the world somewhere out there. If you find this, you only get to choose three Lomo wishes – a Lomo camera that you currently do not own, any film of your choice, and your dream location. What camera? What film? And where in the world would you spend these Lomo wishes?

3 wishes, nice – Horizon Perfect, Fuji Sensia, Rio de Janeiro.

Hold on, there’s a fourth wish – who among our fellow Lomographers would you like to collaborate with for this “wish project”, and why?

Mephisto19, I think… I first saw his stuff in the Lubitel book and I love hiw work.

Just for kicks – - Does your Mom know that you like smelling films and that you’re into Lomography?

LOL, oh yeah! When I got married and moved out, I took all the cameras at home with me. So she was like “you bought even another camera!! How many do you own? And bring back my old camera!!!”

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Any parting words for our fellow colleagues?

Last but not least, I just love being a part of this wonderful, creative, big family!! I still have a thousand things to learn about Lomo and Analogue and all that, but I know that as soon as I ask, someone will be happy to help and I feel like I know everyone in person and that feeling of belonging is just amazing!

If anyone wants to get in touch with me, or coming to Istanbul by any chance, just drop me a line at my lomohome