Alina Bradford: What are lomographs?
Andy Hayes: Lomography technically started in 1982, when production of the "Lomo" Kompakt Automat started in Saint Petersburg. However, the foundations for the modern lomographic movement and cult following began in earnest ten years later, when two Viennese students founded the Lomographic Society International.
The basic premise of the original lomo camera was purely keep it simple. Although a number different types of lomo cameras are on the market, none introduce more than one or two features to the core design. Lomos produce distinctive, almost experimental designs; images are often affected by vignetting – dark corners, uneven color distribution, in the case of the multiple lens models, light bleed. These unorthodox results have led the lomographs to be called "toy cameras", even though the cameras are well built and some artists are very serious in use of the lomo.
The Draw of Lomographs
Alina Bradford: How did you get into doing lomographs?
Andy Hayes: It was purely by accident. I'd never heard about "lomography" as it were, but for my birthday a couple of years ago one of my close friends gave me my first lomograph, the 8-lens Oktomat. I had no idea what it was – I just sat there looking at all those lenses staring back at me like the beady eyes of a monster.
We were at a restaurant for dinner, so as the camera was passed around the table, we all discussed its artistic possibilities at length. I loaded up the camera with film when I got home, headed to the beach the next day, and photographed everything I saw. I couldn't believe it when I received the processed images – they were colorful, off-the-wall, extraordinary. The rest, they say, is history...
Alina Bradford: Why are you drawn to doing 8-lens features?
Andy Hayes: Lomographs are known for an edgy, half-processed look and feel. While the more traditional cameras, such as the Holga, do produce this amateur feel, the 8-lens feature does it with even more panache, giving the photographer eight opportunities for capturing the color, style, and feeling of the moment. The shots remind me of an old-fashioned cartoon reel, or maybe the flipping through the pages of a sketchbook as a character jumps and leaps across the page. You certainly cannot deny that a beautifully framed 8-lens shot is a real conversation piece.
The Lomograph Process
Alina Bradford: Can you tell us a little about your process?
Andy Hayes: Lomographers around the world will tell you that the process boils down to two actions: point and shoot. Digital camera fans will be remiss, though, as there is no preview function on these cameras, so an eye for what works and what doesn't is somewhat key, but it is hard to make a mistake. My biggest challenge is lighting - with such a simple camera and eight lenses to satisfy, loads of light is required.
I take quite a number of different shots of the same thing – they're like snowflakes, every one is different, so this gives me or the customer some choice on which one is best. As a travel writer, I often take shots on the road, producing what I call travel lomography. Periodically, though, I brainstorm ideas of new things to capture, and I often get custom requests from readers of my blog or visitors to my Etsy site. Otherwise, the process is simple: point, shoot, develop, repeat.
Learning More About Lomographs
Alina Bradford: How do I find out more?
Andy Hayes: Well, the Lomographic Society International is the biggest lomography community in the world, with members on every continent. The site also has an online shop where you can buy your own camera. If you'd rather have me do all the work, then visit my online shop at Etsy or check out my website, Sharing Experiences, for the scoop on the travelogues behind my travel lomography.
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