Creativity and photography should be two terms that coincide together. Lately, however, photography is closely associated with, well, a lot of money. It is interesting to know that a group of photo enthusiasts have been building a large fan base for Lomography and lomo cameras. These cheap analogue film cameras that are designed to produce a single photographic effect have become a popular trend.

Actually, Lomograph photography has become a legitimate sub-culture in photography and for most ‘lomoheads’ out there, a way of life.

Right this moment, a lot of people (mostly men, sorry to stereotype) take photography as a hobby because of the gadgets, just ask professional photographer Ken Rockwell. The group of individuals who want to take photographs for creative expression are not as populous.

Lomography has become the means by which photographers can really convey themselves as artistic visual painters. For the ladies, the brooding artist and his plastic lomo camera is largely more attractive than the guy who takes 30 minutes to explain the triumphs of an expensive tripod.

So yes, having a lomo camera makes you cuter.

LOMO HISTORY
In the 1990s, students from Vienna discovered a cheap plastic Russian camera called Lomo Kompakt Automat. It sparked a new kind of artistic experimental photography that resulted in unorthodox images. The way of thinking is to take as many Lomograph snapshots, shoot in the most unusual angle and develop them as cheaply as possible. Lomographers usually do a group exhibit and showcase their works together. You will see, mounted on panels, hundreds and hundreds of Lomographs which create astonishingly colourful, diverse and compelling images.

From an underground scene in the 1990s, Lomography has become mainstream form of photography today. There are LomographicAmabassadors who look after LomographicFriends (let’s just call them lomohead) that span 35 countries around the world. There are special LomographicShootings, publications, international and local art projects, films and so on.

Famous lomoheads include Brian Eno, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Pulp, Underworld, Helmut Lang, Moby and Robert Redford.

The premise of Lomography is “Don’t Think, Just Shoot”. Lomo photography is to absorb the moment and capture that event candidly, creatively and naturally rather than obsessively.

10 Golden Rules of Lomography
These rules are from the official LomographySociety
1. Take your camera everywhere you go.
2. Use it any time- day and night.
3. Lomography is not interference in your life, but part of it.
4. Try the shot from the hip.
5. Approach the object 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 capture on film.
9. Afterward either.
10. Don’t worry about any rules.

Check out the Lomo LC-A+ Golden Edition. They are only selling 130 pieces. Each Lomo Gold Edition camera comes with a kit and is sold for £500. Available at http://shop.lomography.com/lomo-lc-a-gold

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