Yusuke Nakamura Captures New and Nostalgic Worlds with the Lomomatic 110

Kagawa-based photographer Yusuke Nakamura, aka you.co.co, has been a 110 film lover since he first discovered the Diana Baby two years ago. Yusuke has previously created stunning photographs with our LomoChrome Turquoise film in 35 mm, so we were excited to see what he would create with our Lomomatic 110 camera.

Let's see how Yusuke got on with the new star of the 110 format!

Hi Yusuke! What brought you to the world of film photography?

My earliest recollection must be when I was about five years old. My parents told me I would often take parents' film camera. There was a photo book that inspired me to try portrait photography, and the photos in that book were taken with a film camera. I had always been attracted to film, but no matter how many times I tried, I could never find a film that made me say "yes!"

When I first met LomoChrome Metropolis and Purple, I was fascinated by their unique colors and contrast! I still remember strongly feeling that way. Since then I started to shoot more film and discovered the unique world of film photography. It's not just that I like to press the shutter, but I started to think more towards capturing emotion, time, and atomosphere.

When and how did you discover 110 format?

I guess maybe two years ago. When I first learned about Diana Baby on social media I couldn't help but grab one as soon as possible. I was so excited about this small, toy-like camera and such a tiny cartridge of film. The photos with the frame really surprised me.

What did you like about the Lomomatic 110?

Such a compact, stick-shaped design really goes well with bags and pockets, which makes the camera the best choice for a small day trip and more. And I can't say that I don't enjoy the unique film advancing mechanism.

The Lomomatic 110 is so compact, and yet it's equipped with creative functions like flash and an MX switch. Especially the easy-to-use MX switch is so Lomographic! This camera is capable of rendering both soft and sharp images, making it a great camera for different situations.

It's a pure joy to be able to use the flash at slow shutter speeds with this camera. I might need to shoot more to get the most out of this camera, but I was certain this camera is more than capable of taking great images.

Can you share with us your favourite shots with each of the film stocks you used?

Lobster Redscale 110 ISO 200

Not even mentioning the colors – the somewhat blurred images here create the imaginary scenery of past memories. That made me feel warm but sad. I feel that the second photo captures something closer to emotion rather than a photograph, as a result of a slight frame misalignment. This is only possible for a small camera like the Lomomatic.

Color Tiger 110 ISO 200

This film renders natural and nostalgic colors. I was especially impressed by the nostalgic colors rendered in the ferris wheel photo, which I casually took when I went to an amusement park. The Lomomatic 110 offers good auto-exposure accuracy, so you can expect to have well-exposed images without thinking about it too much.

LomoChrome Color ’92 110 ISO 400

The first photo is a kind of photo that I would take with my smartphone. But I used the Lomomatic because it's compact and quick. As a result, I was able to capture an image that conveys essence of spontaneity. I love these type of photos because they remind me of the honest and fun aspect of photography that's free of hassle and overthinking. On the other hand, you can also capture the lines of light at night using the flash to make something "flashy" like the second photo. That made me realize this camera really works anywhere, anytime.

LomoChrome Purple 110 ISO 100–400

I took this first picture after I came home and took a break. I wouldn't have grabbed my heavy DSLR nor my smartphone to take this picture, so I gave the Lomomatic a try. The second shot was a multiple exposure shot. I didn't think too much, but I like the way the text portion of the photo overlaps the photo, which adds a bit of spice to this ordinary photo.

What’s special about the 110 format?

These 110 pictures with their frame numbers and film names sometimes look like slide film. This uniqueness can only be experienced with Lomography's 110 films. With the frame numbers imprinted on the film, you can also establish connections and stories with other frames. Another point is you can enjoy uncropped images if you scan them with the frames.

The unique design of the Lomomatic 110 is what makes it an everyday go-to camera that you also want to show off.

What are your hopes for the future of 110 film?

We could have more variety in 110 cameras for sure. The only way to get a good 110 camera now is to find a second-hand one or to use a plastic camera. The release of the Lomomatic 110 sure brought a big surprise to the 110 world. I hope the Lomomatic will trigger more 110 users and that 110 will eventually be where 35 mm is today.

More B&W in 110 and a 110 home developing kit would be nice too!

Thank you to Yusuke Nakamura for sharing his amazing 110 photos! To see more make sure to follow him on Instagram!

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written by kota_97 on 2024-05-30 #gear #people #110 #japan #110-format #first-impressions #lomochrome-film #lomomatic-110 Share Article