@jinyaguchi's Experimental Snapshots with the Lomo LC-Wide

3

​​With a background in advertising and publishing, Lomographer Jin’s (@jinyaguchi) photographs have an editorial-like touch. Having developed a stylized eye for curation and purposeful imagery, Jin’s images bridge the everyday mundane scenes with the otherworldly compositions and color.

“Ever since I started shooting on film, things I never used to pay much attention to before became my subjects. Ponds, mirrors, the sky, stairs, pedestrian crossings, and windows became my favorite things to photograph. Owning a camera really widened my perspective.”

We caught up with Jin to speak with him about his philosophy behind his practice and how he uses the Lomo LC-Wide to take an “atmospheric approach,” to analogue photography. We also discuss the details behind a few of his extremely unique multiple exposure photographs.

Credits: jinyaguchi

Hi Jin! Can you walk us through your history with film photography? When were you first introduced to the analogue medium and how long have you been shooting on film?

It’s only been a year since I started shooting on film. Before this, I wasn’t really interested in photography.

It was last May 2024 when I bought a HOLGA 135BC in Shibuya for no particular reason. I took some snapshots that same weekend, but nothing went as expected: the photos were too dark, too blurry, or out of focus. However, there was this one double-exposure photograph I took that was totally unexpected and turned out amazing. It was this experience — accompanied by the difficulty and depth of the process — that initially got me interested in film photography.

A month later, I learned about the Lomo LC-Wide 35 mm and it didn’t take too long for me to discover the unique kind of photos people from all over the world would take with this camera. I knew I needed the camera right then and there so I eventually bought one for myself.

Credits: jinyaguchi

Since then, almost all the films I now use are from Lomography. These film stocks help me create photos that go beyond my expectations. The LomoChrome Turquoise and Purple turn ordinary scenes into something otherworldly.

In terms of style and approach, I always try and photograph multiple exposure images when using different film cameras. Oftentimes these trials were constant mistakes after mistakes. But it was only through undergoing this process that I learned what I wanted to capture in my photographic practice and embraced the creative accidents that happen along the way.

Credits: jinyaguchi

What has your experience with the Lomo LC-Wide 35 mm been like so far? What do you like about the 35 mm camera?

The simple mechanical features and a wider lens. I love that the 17 mm lens allows me to consciously capture what I see. With this lens, it encourages me to get closer to subjects and elements in a photograph I’d like to focus and concentrate on. This in turn pushes me to be more thoughtful and intentional with what I intend to photograph. Plus, I also like how the camera allows me to capture light so beautifully.

Credits: jinyaguchi

How would you describe your photographic style? What kind of images are you drawn to?

Candid and spontaneous. I mostly take photographs when on the go and don’t plan as much.

Although my “style” is still developing, I’ve been trying to find myself through the photographs I take. I often wonder about what grabs my attention or what sparks my interest. As of the moment, many of the subjects I photograph are often found in ordinary, everyday scenes. I take a lot of pictures of crosswalks and I enjoy imagining the stories of the countless people who have passed through: from grandmothers on their way home from grocery shopping, to friends about to embark on an adventure and much more. Moreover, I also gravitate toward capturing the sunlight, climate, and atmosphere of strange places.

I’m inspired by the works of Daido Moriyama and Miyako Ishiuchi since I like photographs that vividly convey the stories and histories of people amidst the towns they live in.

Credits: jinyaguchi

You have a unique eye for composing multiple-exposure images in your travel photographs. This particular photo of cats stood out to me the most. Can you share more about how you achieved this?

This multiple exposure of a cat was taken at Alor Backspace Street Art, an art street in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The walls of the buildings on this narrow street are covered with wall art and one of them was a painting of a cat. Using my Lomo LC-Wide 35 mm loaded with a Color Negative 400 (shot at 800) film stock, I took a photograph of the cat artwork for my first exposure and walked a little further down the alley to see what I could use for the second layer of the multiple exposure shot. I coincidentally saw two more cats and ended up taking a photograph of them. This photo is a result of that stroll.

Credits: jinyaguchi

Going further, you also have many more multiple-exposure photographs that equally merge and distort elements found within the frame. Can you walk us through the technicalities and artistic liberties you took to compose the images in such a way? What accessories and camera tools did you end up using for them?

Every attempt at a multiple-exposure photograph is uniquely new and varied.

For double-exposure photographs: I would sometimes use the half-frame shooting mode on the Lomo LC-Wide 35 mm without inserting the half-frame mask. Another thing I’d do is to carry around a colored transparent paper to place in front of the camera lens (in the same way flash-colored gels operate).

But generally I don’t plan much when taking these multiple exposure photographs. These photos are the result of spontaneous moments and scenes captured on film.

Credits: jinyaguchi

What other formats, cameras, and film stocks are you looking to try out next?

I want to try the new Lomo’Instant Wide Glass for portraits. The very beauty of instant cameras is that you can instantly enjoy the physical photos at the scene and review them with everyone involved.

Credits: jinyaguchi

Thank you to @jinyaguchi for speaking with us about his film photography journey so far! View his growing collection of 35 mm photos over at his LomoHome.

written by macasaett on 2025-01-27 #gear #people #travel #holiday #color-negative #multiple-exposure #35-mm #lomochrome #lomography-lc-wide

Mentioned Product

Lomo LC-Wide

Lomo LC-Wide

Capture your life in wide angle with the world's widest 35mm compact camera with a 17mm ultra-wide-angle lens.

3 Comments

  1. whilethemusiclasts
    whilethemusiclasts ·

    Stunning use of a wide angle lens- great pics!

  2. jinyaguchi
    jinyaguchi ·

    Thank you for the great article! And thank you to everyone who read it!

  3. denisangelov
    denisangelov ·

    Fantastic shots!

More Interesting Articles