Justino Blake’s Views From Lombok With Lomography Redscale Film

Justino Blake’s film photography never fails to fill us with a sense of awe and wanderlust. His latest series of photos from Lombok, Indonesia, taken with Lomography Redscale XR 35 mm film are no different. Speaking with us after his trip, he had mixed feelings from his time in Lombok, lamenting the ways in which a growing tourism industry is affecting the island, and also lamenting his photos – “It was my first time shooting this film and quite a few came out underexposed.” However, he concedes, “there are a few spectacular shots.” We couldn’t agree more. Check out his wonderful photos below!

Hi Justino! We last spoke way back in 2019. How have things been going since then? What have you been up to in the last few years?

Wow, it’s been awhile. Well, I mentioned in our last interview that I was working my way toward Tasmania, a goal which finally came to fruition after a number of unexpected yet worthwhile detours. I spent my time in Tassie trekking in the Western Arthurs, a remote mountain range of jagged quartzite which juts alarmingly out of the endless knee-deep muck of the waterlogged sedge-land, and surfing in the cold water off the southern coast, where the next landmass to the south is Antarctica, and come nightfall the eyes of silent marsupials like incandescent marbles rolled from the darkness to gleam at the fringe of our firelight. Far too much has happened since then to recount here, of course, but in a few words, I worked a bit, traveled a bit, worked a bit, traveled a bit, and I met many kind people along the way.

You tested out our Redscale film a few months ago. What did you think of the film and your results with it?

I wasn’t much of a fan at first, frankly. I’d seen a few photos from other film photographers, and the warm colors seemed to me to be too extreme. But I must admit that it grew on me. I especially like the slightly underexposed frames— the distinct grain and the subtle tints of cyan and green are great. I had another camera loaded with regular color negative film that I shot simultaneously, so I was able to compare the two films side by side, and it’s remarkable what a different atmosphere this Redscale film creates, rendering familiar landscapes in a beautifully alien way. I’d definitely recommend people give it a try.

Can you tell us more about this set of photos?

I shot these photographs on Lombok, an island in Indonesia. I’m sure many reading this will have heard of it. Although Lombok is rapidly changing, following in the footsteps of its neighbor, Bali, on the inevitable path to luxury resorts, fine restaurants, hordes of influencers, and a gradual erosion of authenticity, for the more adventurous traveler Lombok nonetheless remains an enticing destination, albeit for only a short time longer, perhaps, what with its volcanoes, waterfalls, fun surf, great diving, tropical temps, friendly locals, and endless fields of green tobacco which flicker and roll out to a warm turquoise sea. “Lombok surga,” I found myself explaining often to curious locals. “Saya suka disini,” which translates to, “Lombok is paradise. I like it here.”

Do you have a favorite photo among these?

The shots from our trek to the summit of Rinjani are certainly the most likely to catch one’s eye. But everyone and their mother has been up there! I’m sure the internet already has more than enough photos of that spectacular view. I’m more interested in the photos that are unique to my personal experience and thus present the viewer with something novel, like this photo of my buddy Sutra.

There’s a headland on the southern coast that’s nice at sunset, just some big ol’ cliffs that stretch out to sea like the folded paws of a magnificent Labrador, and I was fond of going there most evenings when I was in the area. On this particular evening, Sutra and I cruised out there on a single scooter to watch the sun set over the glittering bay. As he smoked nearly the entire pack of clove cigarettes I had bought him earlier he told me of his girlfriend, who was studying at a university far away. He missed her, he explained sadly. I asked to take his portrait, and I feel that I managed to capture his courage, kindness, and honesty in a compelling way.

Which camera did you use to take these shots?

I shot these photographs with a Canon EF, a favorite of mine because it makes multi-exposures so easy.

Are you still traveling non-stop these days? Where are you now and where are you off to on your next trip?

Just now I find myself in Argentina’s Patagonia region, finishing up a bit of mountaineering. I can’t say where I’m off to next, I don’t plan as much as I used to. As our good buddy H.D. Thoreau once wrote, “In view of the future or possible, we should live quite laxly and undefined in front, our outlines dim and misty on that side; as our shadows reveal an insensible perspiration toward the sun.” Thanks for the wise words Henry D.

Thank you to Justino for sharing his photos and words with us! Follow him on Instagram and check out his website to see more of his film photography.

written by alexgray on 2024-04-18 #gear #people #places #travel #landscape #indonesia #lomography-redscale Share Article