LOMOGRAPHY

LOMOGRAPHY

Quite interestingly, a jolt is delivered to the believers that “Film is dead”. Yes, for decades now, films of the traditional ‘chemical image processing‘ nearly y disappeared except for some lingering film stocks in discrete corners of the world. So to say, the analogue version of photography was presumed to have had a burial.  With so many die hard practitioners of Film photography [Analogue variety] has after all been simmering in their minds hoping against hope that one day the wheel would turn a full circle ; restoring at least some of the bygone.

To be precise, a revival of Analogue working has been made possible by a global effort to revive Film photography at least among the fans of film photography by providing supplies of film varieties to a limited extent. The name ‘LOMOGRAPHY’ is linked to the use of THE CAMERA ‘LOMO’ –a  Russian compact camera modeled on the lines of the Japanese compact camera- COSINA. In other words, the earlier used cameras had all gone silent and LOMA  restored film shooting and proudly used the term ‘LOMOGRAPHY’  to the  revived working of analogue photography. The idea fructified in   1982.  

The first cameras of LOMO –LC A were released in 1984 for photo enthusiasts in Russia; soon these cameras were exported to other Communist countries like Ukraine, Poland , Czechoslovakia and the old game began in those places.  Photo enthusiasts in Vienna found the LOMA images quite sharp and sensational. Soon Vienna faced a huge demand for those cameras.

By 1992, a Lomographic society was established in Vienna to popularize the art of Analogue photography. However, political developments in the region meant ‘swinging’ fortunes for Lomography. With increasing patronage Lomo cameras underwent design changes to provide for greater operational flexibility and improved picture quality. Slowly, it has permeated continents roping in all the fans of film photography to be Lomographers – a new clan of photo enthusiasts.

Happily, by the untiring efforts of those enthusiasts, film manufacturers keep making quality films for the enthusiasts. Almost every nation has Lomo enthusiasts and different film formats are available for use. India is also among the Lomo patrons and has facilities to import films from Hong Kong at reasonable pricing. So, photo enthusiasts shake off your slumber, find from where in India, your film stock can be had and location of processing stations / chemicals if you choose to work yourself.                              Good luck

Prof. K. Raman