Ivy Nguyen's Ethereal Self-Portraiture with the Nour Triplet Art Lens

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Last time we spoke to LomoAmigo Ivy Nguyen, she was exhibiting her anonymous portrait photography at B4BEL4B Gallery in Oakland, California.

With her soft and introspective aesthetic working as a through-line amongst her body of work and assistance from fellow artist Chang Liu, Ivy is back with us today to put the Nour Triplet Art Lens to the test. Her results are absolutely otherworldly!

Photos by Ivy Nguyen shot with the Nour Triplet Art Lens

Hi Ivy, welcome back to Lomography Magazine! Can you fill us in on what you've been up to since your last feature?

Thanks for having me! I’ve been floating around and bringing my camera with me, especially when I travel. I like to build up work as I go through life, and after some time, I will stop to look back at what I’ve made and find any patterns to weave a story.

Photo by Ivy Nguyen shot with the Nour Triplet Art Lens

What was your initial impression of shooting with the Nour Triplet Lens?

To first get a feel for the lens, I took the same shot in each of the 3 modes and looked back at the variations. The results were lovely, and the bokeh felt very swirly to me, almost like the blurred circles melted into each other. I liked that the photos looked unique straight out of camera, and the effect could also be dramatized with some editing. My friend Chang Liu got this path blur with lots of layering and blurring.

Photos by Ivy Nguyen shot with the Nour Triplet Art Lens

Can you tell us a bit about what you decided to shoot with the lens?

I mentioned last time that I take anonymous portraits. While I do take pictures of people, it’s really the environment that pulls me to take a photo of that person because I want it to feel like a scene. This lens inspired me to think of site-specific shots I wanted to do, so I decided to showcase the bokeh modes using the ocean and the San Francisco cityscape.

Because my hair matched the ocean, I set up self-portraits so that the water and the reflection of the sky on the wet sand monochromatically blended into each other. I used the soft mode to soften the focus and make the colors smooth.

To make the San Francisco cityscape look like the game Bubble Pop, I used the bubble mode. I didn’t expect the variety in bokeh, but I got defined concentric circles like the ones water striders make as well as glowy marbles that look like planets in space.

Photos by Ivy Nguyen shot with the Nour Triplet Art Lens

How did you make use of the soft focus in your work? Do you feel like it complements your style of shooting?

It totally matches the soft, illusory feel that I try to create in my work. I tend to stray away from the crispness that modern technology brings to images, so I used the soft focus to give the images more messiness and character.

Do you have any tips or tricks for shooting with the lens?

Lean into the world of blur! Since this lens adds such an effect in-camera, get experimental and let the lens inspire you to compose shots you normally wouldn’t. And maybe take notes on which mode you’re using for which shots in case you want to recreate an effect later.

This is not your typical full-frame mirrorless lens. What do you think of the Lomography Art Lens range in general, and the idea of bringing historic references and character to the digital world?

I love that these lenses are catered to photographers who are open to more creative possibilities. Reworking historical lenses and giving these digital lenses an analogue character increase the chances of happy accidents, in my opinion.

Photo by Ivy Nguyen shot with the Nour Triplet Art Lens

Do you have a favorite shot that you captured with the Nour Triplet Lens? Is there a story behind it?

I love the angled one that looks like a linear gradient function was applied to it. It’s a bit unclear where on earth I am just by looking at it. As for the story, it was just a happy accident while I was clicking away.

What is your personality? Soft, classic or bubbly?

At heart, I’m soft.

Do you have any upcoming projects or shoots that you can share with our community?

I’ve had a private idea in mind since last year, but I have a feeling that it’ll be a while until I can realize it because it’s so intimate and different from my usual work. Other than that, I’m working on a music video for my friend Juniper Fields. I think this one will also be quite different. I guess I’m in an exploratory mood.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Always bring a camera with you, and always look at the world around you!


If you're interested in keeping up with Ivy and her work, make sure to check out her Instagram.

written by eloffreno on 2024-06-16 #gear #people #historical #lens #vintage #historic #lens-test #first-impressions

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