Finnish Photographer and Youtuber Ari Jaaksi Tests Our Lomomatic 110 Camera
11We recently sent Finland-based photographer and YouTuber Ari Jaaksi our new Lomomatic 110 camera to test out. Ari's YouTube channel, Shoot on Film, which launched in 2019, has become a safe haven for many film photographers to share their ideas and learn over the past few years. In his monochrome videos, Ari is typically seen seated in front of the camera, discussing his theories and opinions on film photography. He not only shares photographic tips and tricks but also introduces various film equipment. Although Ari was not previously familiar with the 110 format, he decided to experiment with it in Mexico. In this interview he shares his results and experiences!
Hi Ari, welcome to Lomography Magazine! Can you please start off by telling us a bit about yourself and your work in general?
It’s always difficult to explain oneself, isn’t it? I used to list my accomplishments, exhibitions, awards, and whatnot. But those do not say anything real about me. So, like everybody else, I asked AI to create more cheerful artist descriptions for myself. And this is the one I like the most:
“Ari Jaaksi, the Finnish photographer, lives by one motto: 'Just do it.' For him, the journey is the destination. Unbound by tradition, Ari embraces analogue photography with a rebellious spirit. Often armed with self-made tools and a penchant for experimentation, he pushes the boundaries of the medium.
Inspired by the interplay of light, nature, and humanity, Ari's work is a testament to simplicity. His minimalist approach strips away the unnecessary, leaving behind only space and atmosphere."
We sent you the new Lomomatic 110 to try out. What were your first impressions and in what ways does using this camera differ from your usual photographic method?
I liked the way it looked and felt. It has a mechanical feel to it, which I like. I also shoot a lot with Lomo LC-A 120, and having the same distance setting and basic automation felt immediately familiar to me.
I love to shoot on larger film sizes, 6x6 squares, panoramic, 4x5”, etc. I love minimalism, landscapes, portraits and such. I don’t shoot snapshots, I don’t take cameras at parties and I’m not a fan of funny pictures. So I was a bit sceptical. But, as this was my first experience with the 110 film format, I was interested to see if I would enjoy it.
You went to Mexico to test the Lomomatic 110. What was your favorite thing about the trip and the culture?
I’ve been to Mexico many times, and my daughter lives there. However, this was my first time in Mexico City, and I was pleasantly surprised by how interesting it was. I love the food, colours and friendliness of people. We often hear troubling news about Mexico, but the country is very nice, clean and functional.
Do you have a favorite shot from your experience with the Lomomatic 110?
Well, I love all the pictures I took of my daughter. But, from a pure photography point of view, there is an early morning shot of the streets of Mexico City that I like a lot.
This was your first time shooting 110 film. Can you tell us a bit more of how you experienced that?
To be honest with you, I had mixed feelings. I shoot primarily black and white, I print my pictures in my own darkroom, I frame them for exhibitions and sell them, and I’m probably more on the artistic side of things, if you will. I was thus initially disappointed with the quality of such a small image size, not very beautiful grain and no possibility to control depth of field.
But, after looking more closely at the pictures I took, I started to see 110 films as something that could make me a better photographer. With a Lomomatic 110 camera and 110 film size, I need to think differently. I need to compose my pictures differently, and I need to take into account the limitations. So now I’m planning to keep on shooting with 110, learn it inside out, and see if I can create pictures that I like, with my own style. I'm not there yet after just a few rolls of film, but I plan to keep trying!
What are your hopes for the future of analogue photography?
We need films and cameras. We need more companies like Lomography, which supports this community of film photographers. I see my 20-something daughters shooting on film, which makes me very optimistic about the future of analogue photography. We older guys are happy to be in the minority!
Do you have any upcoming projects that you can share with our community?
Sure! I’ve got a bunch of projects going on all the time. One of those getting its final touches is a photo booklet to accompany a classical music album by an Italian violinist Stefano Zanobini. Much classical music is still sold on CDs, but the album art of LPs is a bit of a lost art. So here, I got an opportunity to create a real book, much bigger than the CD, to be a part of the listening experience. You can pre-order the CD and the book here.
Then, of course, I continue shooting my weekly YouTube videos — but those are primarily for my own pleasure!
Thanks for joining us Ari! If you would like to follow Ari and his work, you can find him at his website.
written by lomocato on 2024-04-17 #gear #people #mexico #finland #scandinavia #lomomatic110 #arijaaksi
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