Discovering The World of Lomography with @kaowayhow
2 10 Share TweetIf you look at the range of products that Lomography has to offer you can easily be overwhelmed by all the choices. From color film that can transform your world, to cameras and lenses that keep your creative juices flowing, there’s always something that can meet your needs.
@kaowayhow is a Lomographer based in Taiwan whose use of the Horizon Perfekt and various Lomography films caught our eye. A fan of black and white film, including the unique low ISO Babylon Kino, he talked to us about his love of Lomography and how he’s developing his skills as a street photographer.
Hi, can you introduce yourself to the Lomography community and tell us how you started your journey with film photography?
Hello to friends who love Lomography and analogue photography! I come from Taiwan. My English is not good so I don’t have an English name, but you can call me Kao. I became a fan of film photography in 2020 when I used to take pictures of my ex-girlfriend using black and white film. I became deeply fascinated by the texture of the film. In Chinese history, there is something called Chinese Calligraphy where we use a brush and black ink to draw on white paper creating unique patterns. I think black and white film and Chinese Calligraphy are the same, and I like how we use black and white film to make creations! This made me want to keep on using and trying black and white film.
Can you tell us about the gear you use to shoot film?
I have a lot of film cameras but Leica is one of my favorites. The brand has a rich history and the quality is solid and has a sturdy camera body. The Leica is so good that if the picture is not good, it must be you who has a problem. With Leica, I have an M2 where I use the Lomo LC-A minitar-1 2.8/32. Besides Leica, I really admire Lomography, especially as we live in such a digital and face paced age. Lomography still promotes film photography and continues to produce new products and boundaries. I mostly use the Lomo LC-A + and the Lomo LC-Wide when it comes to Lomography cameras. Beyond these two brands, I also use a Nikon F with a Lomogon 2.5/32 art lens.
How would you describe your style of photography?
When I was a child, I took pictures of my friends and family members and my favorite photos were the ones where they were the most natural. I'm not really a fan of photography where people need to pose and be "perfect". I gravitated towards street photography because the subjects are more interesting and people are more pure and uniquely themselves, and also with me being a fan of Vivian Maier's work. I know that I'm currently on my journey of trying to be the best street photographer I can be.
I saw you used the Babylon Kino B&W 35 mm ISO 13 film in one of your albums. What was it like shooting with such a low ISO film? Can you tell us about your experience using it?
I am currently working part-time at the Lomography Embassy Store in Taipei. I use Babylon Kino B&W 35 mm ISO 13 film to shoot because I want to challenge myself and understand more about Lomography's products. Before I shot Babylon Kino, I checked a lot of information and photos taken by photographers. I was looking forward to high-contrast images brought by low ISO without losing details, but as I used large-aperture lenses, most of the photos were well-lit.
I prefer photos that show a moving flow. For example, in the album lomo babylon 13, in this photo (below left) the characters seem like shaking slightly, and the train seems like moving. In another photo (below right) I adjusted the shutter to 30 seconds to "record" the image (something similar to a pinhole). I think it is fascinating, and you can try to use a small aperture, slow down the shutter, and use a tripod to shoot a picture.
You've also used the Horizon Perfekt. Can you tell us about your experience using it and any tips you want to share when using this camera?
Working at the Lomography Embassy Store in Taipei, I often played with Horizon Perfekt and imagined how I would shoot if I owned it. Unfortunately, this camera has been discontinued but I found one on a second-hand trading website. This is a dream come true! I took it to a seaside city called Keelung on the north coast of Taiwan to shoot coastal scenery. I used high ISO film.
And you have also used LomoChrome Turquoise and LomoChrome Metropolis. Is there anything that draws you to using LomoChrome films? And what are your thoughts on the results from these special film stocks?
I must honestly say that the tin cans in the Analogue Trio Mixed Film Pack 35 mm attracted me. Despite working at the Lomography Embassy Store and wanting to know about the product, I did not have many expectations of LomoChrome Turquoise, as people do not like to be shot as if they were James Cameron's Avatar. Surprisingly, in my album "LomoChrome Turquoise" especially in these two photos (below) my mind changed as I saw how the film could be used. Both these photos evoked feelings as if I was in another world.
Besides Turquoise, I used the LomoChrome Metropolis which is a cool-toned negative. Personally, I prefer warm tones, but this film gives people a cloudy and cold feeling. I really like the feeling of the third photo in the album "LomoChrome Metropolis". Maybe I have to think carefully about what subject I want to use this color to shoot. Lomography has been developing special films and cameras, which is a blessing for film lovers. There are more shooting possibilities. Every shot is an adventure. I look forward to trying various new products from Lomography.
Any goals you want to achieve this year in terms of photography?
I think being featured by Lomography this year was a goal that I can cross off my list. I still have many goals on my list! I still want to keep on doing the same style of photography but hopefully, improve on what I already know. Next, I will learn to use flash and double exposures to be more creative with my work. I also will try to use more Lomography products (such as the Fantôme Kino B&W 35 mm ISO 8 ). I hope that I can continue to practice more shooting skills and be able to bring what I picture in my mind into reality. I would like to thank Lomography again for its efforts in the film photography community!
We thank Kao for sharing his experiences with Lomography products and his wonderful photos. Be sure to visit him at our Taipei Embassy Store and to keep up with him on his Instagram and LomoHome. Do you have any stories about using our products or any tips you want to share? Comment down below!
written by rocket_fries0036 on 2023-05-14 #gear #people #places #taiwan #street-photography #horizon-perfekt #lomo-lc-wide #lomochrome-turquoise #lomochrome-metropolis #taipei-embassy-store #lomokino-babylon #analogue-trio-mixed-film-pack-35-mm
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