10 Signs You're a Lomographer

10

Do onlookers gander at the camera looped around your neck? Does your photographer-friend-with-the-high-end-specs think your photographs are "weird" and your lifestyle to be "confusing"? Do you confuse a lot of people -- in general? And when you try to explain your analogue grind to them, do they often react, "what the hell?"

Congratulations, buddy, there's a high chance you're a Lomographer, and these are the signs and symptoms of being photography's weird wonderchild:

1. You've dipped your toes in cross-processing

Oh boy, oh boy. Being a Lomographer means you've actually tried to use different chemical processes (especially the ones unintended for your film stock) to get these ultra-contrast results. The what-you-see-is-what-you-get photographers are shaking their heads, the Lomo gods tell you that you've done well as a Lomo-being.

Credits: gnarlyleech, panelomo, bravebird & adzfar

2. Intentionally 'destroying' films

You probably realized by now that being a Lomographer is to annoy the system. And you've probably peed, dipped a film in the polluted river, microwaved, cooked, steamed, made soups out of your films as part of your experimental process (just look at all that weird details!). Sometimes you can't help but think you should have taken up chemistry.

3. Hoarding the LomoChrome Purple

Lomographers love weird things. One of the things a Lomographer loved is the Aerochrome, a film intended for military surveillance. Loved it with all the heart, and when Kodak discontinued it, it was as if the end of the surreal world. Fare thee well, pink and purple wonderland. But when the LomoChrome Purple came along, you made sure you wouldn't leave that pink and purple dimension again.

Credits: emerymott & siri11

4. Collecting Soviet and novelty cameras

Another sign to distinguish a normal photographer from a Lomographer is his gear. Usually, photographers go for the bang-of-the-buck, or the best-in-the-market. No dilly-dallying. The Lomographer likes to keep his options open, as his experimental lifestyle dictates. Part of the checklist is the obscure Soviet-made cameras and novelty cameras.

Credits: fram, superlighter, liquidpapercut & deprofundis

5. Knowing how to 'EBS"

You're a Lomographer if you've actually tried EBS or exposing-both-sides. The technique is one of the Lomographic Movement's specialties. Know how to EBS? Check. EBS photos as good as EBS master @hodachrome? Yeah, we'll get there, buddy!

Credits: hodachrome & bloomchen

6. Blurry shots and light leaks are favorites

Ho ho ho, you know one's a Lomographer if they have tons of intentionally flawed photographs. Imperfection is a beauty standard here! It's an acquired taste.

Credits: elvismartinezsmith, reneg88, gendis & honeygrahams224

7. Excessive multiple-exposure shots

The more the merrier at that. Man Ray and the surrealist photographers salute you for your peculiar endeavors.

Credits: rancliffhasenza, atria007 & hodachrome

8. Going redscale

One day, two friends -- one is a photographer, the other a Lomographer -- went to a film lab to develop their rolls. After an hour or two, they exchanged envelopes and showed each other their results. The photographer scrunched his brows as he saw the bleeding red on his Lomographer friend's photos, eyes burning in passionate scrutiny. "What the hell?!" he exclaims. The Lomographer chuckles and replies, "What? I wear rose-colored glasses."

Credits: hodachrome, grad, earlybird & adamscott

9. When you recognize these photos:

Enough said.

10. Not caring what anyone thinks

You may be all or some of those qualities listed above, but in essence, a Lomographer is an anarchist of photography. He rattles the system, challenges standards of art, and embraces his individuality. Wait -- what? The 10 Golden Rules of Lomography ?! Pfft, forget the rules.

Credits: shanti_rita, satomi, adi_totp & myloveletter

Hey, there! What are your tell-tale signs of one being a Lomographer?

2017-12-10 #culture #lomographer #lomography #10-signs-you-re-a-lomographer

10 Comments

  1. sirio174
    sirio174 ·

    11. Love the greatest lomographer ever: William Eggleston

  2. hervinsyah
    hervinsyah ·

    very important thing to know especially if you're still process your "destroying film" at photo lab. Once upon a time in 2009 I "destroy" mine with vinnegar and the lab don't want to process it. Quite lucky because I use cheap (at that time =p) expired kodak gold film. Couple years ago the same young analogue photographer look like "destroy" his film and the lab don't want to accept his film but he insist it with typically unpolite nowaday Indonesian hipster teenager manner T_T the main point I want to say : don't be self centered prick and egoist. The lab photo machine is very expensive than your so so very typicall so called "destroy" film!!!

  3. sirio174
    sirio174 ·

    Another "early lomographer" was Saul Leiter; its "early colors" photos were in part made using expired films! www.lensculture.com/articles/saul-leiter-saul-leiter-1950-6…

  4. polaroidlove
    polaroidlove ·

    I love number 4, and I've had a few people give me weird 'what is that' looks.

  5. sseolrang
    sseolrang ·

    love no 7 and 8 <3

  6. srcardoso
    srcardoso ·

    2 of 10... well, no worry, be happy :-)

  7. fragakis_p
    fragakis_p ·

    I love no.1, 3, 4, 6, 8 signs, but I am fond of sign no. 7...

  8. kishi_64
    kishi_64 ·

    People are often curious of the vintage (sometimes antique) cameras I carry out in the field!

  9. w-david
    w-david ·

    I fit 4,6,9,+10 if people don't look at my images and shake their heads I haven't done my job.

  10. teeh
    teeh ·

    #9 - enough said

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