Lomographer @hobbylinse and his Goldendoodle Dogs on 35 mm, 120, and 110 film

As the old adage goes, “Dogs are a (hu)man’s best friend.”

Aged, tried, tested, and proven to ring true throughout history, the bond shared between humans and dogs is extremely unique. They have the capacity to be one’s partner in life, considered to be a deeply beloved family member. If time is kind, they can also be one’s companion through the various stages of life: milestones, triumphs, and losses included.

Manfred (@hobbylinse), a Lomographer based in Passau, Germany, where he lives with his wife and goldendoodle — who are mostly at the center of his film photographs — shares his library of film photographs that touch on what it looks and feels like to be in a household bursting with love, loyalty, comfort, exploration, and care.

“Our dogs are with us nearly always and everywhere. That's why it was natural to photograph them. It is very interesting to observe how dogs communicate with each other and with us humans. When you watch the dogs, the photo opportunities almost appear automatically. Our first dog came to us in 1996. That's when I started taking dog photos.”

Rotating among his wide collection of Lomography film cameras such as the classic Lomo LC-A+, Diana Mini & Flash Half-frame & Square Camera, Diana F+, and Lubitel 166+ paired with the Lomography line of film stocks, Manfred captures an array of expressive silhouettes and doe-eyed images which reflect the endearing connection he and his wife have to their goldendoodle dog. Images that make precious moments all the more special and those to be remembered with fine grain.

Analogue Discovery

Manfred’s curiosity for film photography began in his teen years, diving into all aspects of the analogue medium and exploring the different film formats. He found himself excited to save up for the film cameras he was interested in learning more about, and in time, building a trusty collection of his own. It was through this process that he gained some clarity on the specific characteristics he wants in a camera, all weighing on the simple notion that it has to feel good. “Beautiful photos can only be achieved if there is a pleasant feeling associated with it” he shares.

Continuously looking to expand his film camera collection, Manfred eventually stumbled upon the Lomo LC-A+ back in 2017. Discovering the classic camera led him to delve deeper into the camera unit’s history along with the different lines of Lomography cameras. This served as a gateway for him to learn about Lomography’s online photo community, where he got to see a wide range of film photographs tagged under the specific cameras he owned and later on registered and created his own LomoHome.

“I enjoy looking at photos from all parts of the world. I also like to experiment from time to time with expired films, cross processing and films that reproduce distorted colors. In this context, it is interesting to see how the other Lomographers do it.”

The action of purposefully taking a step back from the usual routine and choosing to slow down is inherent in every analogue practice. In terms of film, this is something Manfred beams about. It’s one of the things that makes film photography both alluring and appealing. The idea of working with a limited number of frames has the potential to push you creatively whilst showcasing what is valuable and meaningful to a person.

Manfred alludes the longer waiting period in this practice to be similar to the act of opening a present. Film photography has the capacity to bring that kind of spark back into one’s life.

A familial scene

Manfred’s film photography routine is an amalgamation of photo walks made around the block, past varying bodies of water, and scenes from home alongside his wife and doodle dogs. His photographs represent special moments from those strolls.

On his favorite places to stroll by:

“Along the Inn River you can quickly reach Austria, which directly borders my hometown. With a drive of not much more than 30 or 60 minutes from Passau towards the border to the also neighboring Czech Republic, you can reach really beautiful places in the Bavarian Forest, where there is also a national park. I really enjoy being there too.”

The love Manfred and his wife have for their pets is immeasurable. The 35 mm, 120, and 110 format film photographs Manfred has taken of his family harbor a uniqueness that easily leaves one in awe. It’s through his photographs that we are introduced to his brood: Labradoodle “Gustl” and Goldendoodle “Kurti.” However, due to old age and the eventual sicknesses that come with it, Gustl passed away last June 2022 at the age of 11, leaving Kurti, now age 5, to be the sole dog in the household.

“In the photos, Gustl and Kurti look very similar. But Kurti is a bit smaller and has a curly tail. They also had different personalities. Gustl always radiated calm. Kurti, on the other hand, is sometimes a bit nervous and anxious. My wife and Gustl visited old people in a retirement home once a week. Unfortunately, this was no longer possible when the pandemic lockdowns began.”

Pets on Film

A good number of the film photographs have Gustl’s imprint ( or paw prints!) all over them. Reflecting on the experiences behind each of these film photos puts Manfred in a sentimental mood. Recalling his earlier years with Gustl and even the time prior to them becoming paw parents, what started it all was back when he and his wife were looking for a suitable dog to train to be therapy dog. It was from there that they became aware of the nature of poodles, stating how they’re one of the dog breeds that cannot only carry out orders but can also think independently. On top of that, them being friendly, intelligent, and affectionate.

Imagining what it would be like if it was possible to see people, animals, objects, and natural elements in an extremely vibrant chromatic way, Manfred opts to rotate among his wide array of film cameras and colorful film stocks. By favoring the LomoChrome stock line with the Purple and Turquoise, as well as the fiery Redscale, Manfred visually gives even more character to his already expressive pet doodles.

“Analogue photos undoubtedly have more charm than digital ones. When photographed with LomoChrome Turquoise, for example, the dogs sometimes appear almost three-dimensional. That or the grain of black and white film now encourages me to prefer photographing the dogs in analogue format. I also keep coming back to Lomochrome Purple. The colors of this film create beautiful moods.”

With lots of experience working with color-shifting films and stocks past their expiry dates, Manfred offers some sound advice for those who are also curious to try photographing with these more playful rolls:

“Expired films in particular need enough light. It's the same with Redscale film. I expose Redscale even longer than suggested – approximately ISO 50 or lower. This gives you the beautiful redscale effect and more details can be seen in the photos.”

For this last half of the year, Manfred mentions that he’s looking forward to opening up his film storage cabinet, moving the rolls around, and exploring the unlimited possibilities with the film stocks just “waiting to be exposed.”

What are your best memories with your pets? Do you have a favorite film photograph of them?

Thank you to @hobbylinse for speaking to us on his film photography journey and experiences. View more of his analogue photographs over at his LomoHome.

written by macasaett on 2024-08-10 #people #120 #family #dogs #110 #35-mm #goldendoodle Share Article