Insiders' Guide to Copenhagen with Lomography Films

Vesterbro is one of Copenhagen's coolest districts, bustling with cozy cafés, shops, and art galleries. It is also home to Shutterbug Copenhagen — a traditional photographic store and processing lab owned by Niklas Ramon Fürstelin Jørgensen.

The store sells digital cameras and accessories, but their main focus has become analogue photography, so you'll find second hand film cameras, a variety of film and photographic accessories available too. They recently relocated to a larger location just 90 meters from the old one, merging the store with a creative space for customers to hang out and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee. "Our main goal has always been to try to embrace everyone from the professional commercial photographers, to the newbies who are buying their first disposable camera. There is no such thing as stupid questions – and it’s important to make the new generation of analogue photographers feel welcome and not intimidated."

Niklas and his friend, Roberto Bordiga captured some lovely photographs around the neighborhood, using Lomography Potsdam and LomoChrome Metropolis films. In our quick chat, Niklas shares his thoughts on these films and reveals some insider info about Vesterbro!

Hi, Niklas! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m 35 years old – born and raised in Copenhagen – and I have been a photo store owner for the past 15 years. My passion for analogue photography started out 5 or 6 years ago, because I wanted to know what the fuss was all about. I popped some of my Canon lenses on a simple EOS 300 body, and shot a few rolls on a vacation. I was hooked right away and I have been exploring the world of analogue photography ever since. I love trying new cameras, both cheap and expensive, but if I have to choose just one camera it would be the Contax T2. The performance, the design, the materials, the simplicity. It’s just a masterpiece.

You captured the area of Vesterbro on the Lomochrome Metropolis and the Potsdam Kino. Why did you choose those two films for this theme?

They are both great for street photography. I brought the Metropolis on a trip to Tokyo last year, and I was amazed by the grainy moody colors. It really captured the vibes of Tokyo, at the time, and the photos always bring me back. And that’s what it’s all about. The Potsdam, on the other hand, is really old school and it captures the essence of analogue photography. I like the idea of extracting old rolls of cine film and it has a nice well-balanced contrast. My all-time favorite black and white film is an old stock of the “real” AGFA APX 100 I found a couple of years ago, and the Potsdam is the best alternative I have tried so far.

What is your favorite photo of this series, and why?

I asked a friend of mine, Roberto Bordiga, to shoot a roll of Metropolis 120, to mix with my own, and I like his photo below. The colors from the graffiti and the shadows from the canopy create a very interesting dynamic.

What makes the area of Vesterbro so special compared to other places in Copenhagen? What is your favorite place?

Vesterbro is an old working-class neighborhood west of the old medieval city center. It has changed a lot in the past 20 years, and some would probably argue that Vesterbro has lost its unique identity due to urban renewal and high property prices. But the area still has a bit of edge, in my opinion, and it was named one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world by Lonely Planet some years ago, because of the cool independent shops, street markets, restaurants and bars. I like to spend time around the harbor in the summertime. It’s a nice breathing space when it’s warm, and the water is clean, so you can go for a swim, a paddleboard trip or rent a motorized raft and go for a picnic on the water.

Do you have any special insider tips for our community when visiting Copenhagen?

Hmm where to eat? It really depends what you are going for, but two of my favorite take-away places are Gasoline Grill and The American Pie Co. World-famous organic burgers at Gasoline Grill and handmade American style pies at the American Pie Co. Both places have branches centrally located in Vesterbro and they are worth a visit if you are going for lunch or an easy dinner. Be aware that Gasoline Grill is normally open until “sold out”.

Another recommendation could be Le Caprice in Nansensgade. It’s a small French-style restaurant with a cheese souffle to die for. (It’s the signature dish and an absolute must if you are not lactose intolerant) The atmosphere is always unpretentious and it’s located very close to the city center in a cozy little street full of bars and other restaurants.

Otherwise browse through Kødbyen, originally the old meatpacking district of Copenhagen located in the heart of Vesterbro, now a hipster hotspot full of galleries, restaurants, bars and nightlife. It’s always vibrant, especially during the summer, and it’s a favorite among locals as well as tourists.

Thank you, Niklas! Check out Shutterbug Copenhagen through their website or Instagram.

written by shhquiet on 2021-07-24 #copenhagen #vesterbro #shutterbug-copenhagen