For the Love of LomoChrome Metropolis by Film Photographer Hiroaki Tanaami

It's been five years since the launch of Lomography's unmistakable and iconic LomoChrome Metropolis film. Known for its contrast, and desaturated color, this beloved film stock is a staple for those looking for something out of this world in the realm of color-negative film. Often used for capturing the fast-paced city life and the fashion styles of city boys and girls, over the years we've seen LomoChrome Metropolis being taken out of its comfort zone and see that it also produces incredible results outside of urban landscapes.

One lover of the film stock is self-proclaimed "Metropolis Photographer" Hiroaki Tanaami. It was love at first sight when he found the film stock a few years ago and since then he has been using LomoChrome Metropolis religiously. Today we'll see how he is able to create his own photographic world using the Metropolis film stock.

Greetings! Can you introduce yourself and tell us how you started your analogue journey?

Hello. I work as an engineer for a major camera manufacturer, working on CMOS sensor manufacturing equipment. I first became interested in analogue photography when I went on a school trip to a local city in junior high school. I felt the urge to capture the scenery I saw for the first time on camera. Soon after, I borrowed a camera from my father and started taking pictures with film. I work in the business of creating digital products, but I like the color and softness of analogue photography.

You describe yourself as a "Metropolis photographer". When did you start to develop this style?

I shoot a variety of genres from landscapes, nature, portraits, street, multiple exposures, and monochrome, among others. Despite this, I thought that it would be better for me to have something truly unique if I were to continue working as a photographer. Since there are photographers who only shoot in monochrome, I thought I would want to do the same but choosing LomoChrome Metropolis and becoming a Metropolis photographer. This style started when I held a LomoChrome Metropolis photo session in Ginza, Tokyo at the end of 2021.

How did you discover LomoChrome Metropolis?

In 2020, Lomography Japan released a limited edition of LomoChrome Metropolis Tokyo. I was attracted to the photo of a person wearing yellow goggles on the film packaging.

In your own words, how would you describe LomoChrome Metropolis?

The distinctive feature of this film is that it produces images with unrealistic colors and a strong impact compared to other films. To make the most of this characteristic, it is important to create an image before shooting. When I shoot, there's a story and world that I want to build in each photo. Such as the near future or a fantasy world. I think this film can express that well.

Do you have any tips for others when shooting LomoChrome Metropolis?

The ISO for this film can be set from 100 to 400, but when shooting at ISO 100, the highlights tend to blow out, and when shooting at ISO 400, the shadows tend to be crushed. I changed the ISO from 100, 160, 200, 250, 320, and 400, and found that ISO 250 was relatively natural and well-balanced. If you shoot at this ISO, you won't go wrong, whether you're shooting on the street, in portraits, or in landscapes.

Why are you drawn to take pictures of cityscapes and more urban environments?

Even in the everyday scenery of the city, if you change your perspective, you will find new discoveries and surprises. The LomoChrome Metropolis adds an essence to these experiences.

Among all your cameras and lenses, what is your favorite combination when you want to shoot LomoChrome Metropolis?

The LomoChrome Metropolis takes good pictures with both high-performance cameras and lenses and old cameras and lenses. I liked it very much when I combined it with the Pentax Super Takumar.

With the film stock celebrating its 5th anniversary, can you share a couple of your favorite photos using the film stock?

In 2021, there was a photo exhibition for the community I participated in. The theme of my photos at that time was "Wonderland." To express the world of a dream, I created a work using out-of-focus multiple exposures with LomoChrome Metropolis.

In 2022, there were two photo sessions for the community I participated in. The first was a nighttime factory photo session, and the second was a portrait session in a studio. So I came up with the idea of self-swapping the two for a multiple exposure. The result was a piece that matched very well with the surreal depiction of LomoChrome Metropolis.

Is there anything else you want to share with the rest of the Lomography community?

This year, I made my first photo book of my own work. All of the photos in this book were taken using the LomoChrome Metropolis. I'm still in the process of making it, but I hope to have it on sale on Amazon by the end of the year.

We thank Hiroaki Tanaami for his creative photos! Be sure to follow him on his LomoHome. What's your story with the LomoChrome Metropolis? Comment down below!

written by rocket_fries0036 on 2024-10-16 #gear #culture #street #urban #experimental #portrait #japan #cityscapes #lomochrome-metropolis #apac Share Article