Lomography

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Lomography is a commercial trademark of Lomographische AG, Austria for products and services related to photography. The name is licensed from a former state-run optics company LOMO PLC in St. Petersburg, Russia. The 35 mm LOMO LC-A camera employed an unusual lens which produced large amounts of distortion at the edges of the image while keeping the center sharp and was "discovered"/promoted by marketing students/businessmen from Austria with a viral/tribal marketing strategy heavily based on their internet site. A monopoly agreement was negotiated with the optics company. Like all monopoly agreements, prices were therefore controlled (and set high). The pricing systems of the Lomo Society generate a lot of contention on the internet. Many newcomers to the field are unaware of other cheaper sources of supply for the products they sell and/or feel a group loyalty to the society for introducing them to lomography.

Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Accidents such as over-saturated colors, lens artifacts, and exposure defects are rehabilitated to produce swirly, abstract effects—a trait emphasized by practitioners. Others use the technique to document everyday life, because the small size and ability to shoot in low light encourages candid photography, photo reportage, and photo vérité.

An artificial distinction is also made between "lomo" cameras (a list of cameras that have at some time been sold by the Lomo Society) and "non-lomo" cameras. Only photographs taken by "lomo" cameras are considered truly lomographic. Note this official list is not due to any overall coherent photographic philosophy (after all the "rules" could be applied to any camera) or attributes that the cameras share, rather it came about through a market/sales driven philosophy, that is, what cameras were available for the Lomo Society to buy and sell.

The lens effect (although perhaps not the philosophy) can be partially emulated in photo-editing programs, such as GIMP or Photoshop. (Though others argue that most of the effect is due to the common use of cross-processed slide film).

Similar to Eastman Kodak's concept of the "Kodak moment," the Lomography motto of "don't think, just shoot" ("don't think, just spend" by the detractors) presumes spontaneity, close-ups, and ubiquity, while deemphasizing formal technique (however to get a good lo-fi "from the hip shot" actually does take skill). Typical lomography cameras are deliberately low-fidelity, or inexpensively constructed (but not inexpensively priced—compare the popular Chinese-made Holga, ~US$80 from the Lomo Society vs. ~US$30 on eBay). Some cameras make use of multiple lenses and rainbow-colored flashes, or exhibit extreme optical distortions and even light leaks. Principles of Lomography have also been extended to cinema.

Current models marketed by Lomographische AG include Lomo LC-A, Holga, Holga 35mm, Actionsampler, Frogeye, Pop-9, Oktomat, Fisheye, Fisheye2, Colorsplash, Colorsplash Flash, F-stop Bang, SuperSampler, Horizon 202, Seagull TLR, and Smena 8M. The company also resells modified Polaroid cameras and Russian dead stock—the sort normally acquired at "quirky, old-school camera shops," as the company's web site puts it. The website also sells film at as much as 300% the price of the same film on other internet sites.

The following are the company's 10 Rules of Lomography:

1. Take your LOMO everywhere you go and whenever you go.
2. Use it any time - day or night.
3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but a part of it.
4. Shoot from the hip.
5. Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible.
6. Don't think.
7. Be fast.
8. You don't have to know beforehand what you've captured on film.
9. You don't have to know afterwards, either.
10. Don't worry about the rules.

The company's promotional web site for Lomography showcases many high-contrast photographs, with unusual saturation and color, that were created using the technique called cross processing in which film intended for developing in slide chemistry (E-6) is processed in photographic negative chemistry (C-41), and vice versa. This technique can be employed with any film camera and can be mimicked with digital photographs.

[edit] External links

• The Lomographic Society International
• LOMO PLC
• Lomography News Source
• English Language Lomo-Forum
• Emulating the Lomo effect in Gimp
• Photoshop action to automate Lomo effect on digital photos
• Photub.com article about Lomo Fisheye Camera
• International Lomoproject
• Lisbon Shop
• Oporto Shop
• Lomographic Forum - The meeting point of the portuguese lomographers