Oceanator's Upcoming Album "Everything is Love and Death" and Photo Diary with the Diana F+
7This past October we partnered up with musician Elise Okusami, also known as Oceanator, to hit the road for a photo diary with the Diana F+ camera.
Fast forward to today, Oceanator just announced the upcoming release of her third full length album Everything is Love and Death — featuring a Diana F+ and LomoChrome Turquoise self-portrait on the album cover.
“I feel like these songs are honing in on and parsing the same themes as previous records, more settled and clearer,” she says in the press release for the album. “I’ve gotten better at listening to the rational part of my brain, the understanding that things aren't going to work. I know better but I'm gonna do it anyway, because everything is love and death.”
Keep reading for our exclusive interview with Elise and photos from the artist!
Hi Elise, welcome to Lomography Magazine! Can you start off by telling us about your work as Oceanator?
Hi! Oceanator is mostly a solo project, though I have some friends who play with me when we play live. I started writing songs for this project in the early 2010s but didn’t do anything with any of them ’til mid 2015, when Oceanator really took shape as a project. So far I’ve done two EPs and two LPs, and the third LP, “Everything is Love and Death,” is coming out this year!
Can you tell us a bit about your background in film photography?
As a kid I took photography classes in school and really enjoyed them, but as I got older and got more busy with work and music and everything I kind of fell out of it. In the last couple years I have picked up my old cameras again, as well as a few of my parent’s old cameras, and gotten back into shooting again. It has been really fun to explore that kind of creativity again.
How did you discover Lomography?
I’m not sure, but possibly on instagram? Or when I was searching around for different and experimental film stocks. I saw some photos from the purple and turquoise film and I really wanted to try those, and that’s what led me further into other Lomography stuff.
How does film photography compliment your visions and aesthetics as Oceanator?
As a 90s kid I really like the way film looks. It’s just an aesthetic I like. And it’s got a nostalgic quality. I like digital photography, too, but for Oceanator specifically and with the songs it just feels like film really fits right in.
What did you decide to shoot for your photo diary?
Mostly just hanging out with friends, or whatever else I saw while I was going about my day. I just took the camera with me everywhere I went. I hadn’t really done much double exposure stuff before so I tried to experiment a bit with that, as well.
Do you have a favorite shot from the Diana F+ camera? Is there a story behind it?
Yes, my favorite shot is the one we’re using for the album cover. It’s a double exposure. I wanted to look like a ghost. I wasn’t sure it was going to come out but I’m so happy with it. I set the camera up on a tripod and took the first shot, then went and stood and had my friend act as a little remote-control trigger to shoot the second shot. It came out perfectly.
Do you have any upcoming projects or shows in the works that you can share?
Yes! The new album out August 30th called "Everything is Love and Death" with that cover photo I talked about. We’ll be in California in June and a few east coast dates in July, and then hopefully everywhere else starting in the fall!
Thank you so much for sharing your photos with us! Any last words to our community?
Thanks to everyone for sharing all your beautiful photos! It's really inspiring.
Keep an eye out for Everything is Love and Death, to be released on August 30th.
If you're interested in keeping up with Elise and her work as Oceanator, make sure to check out her Bandcamp, Instagram, and website.
written by eloffreno on 2024-06-22 #gear #culture #people #music #medium-format #musician #tour #diary #120-is-forever #saving-120 #a-future-for-120
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