@expirededexposures – Discovering the Lomography Philosophy with Diana Cameras

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Community member Elisa (@expirededexposures) is a 24-year-old artist from Sicily, Italy. "Born and raised in a screen printing lab", she considers herself a daughter of convergence between analogue and digital, having been influenced by film photography in her early years and eventually studying cinema, as well as old and new media.

In this interview she tells us some of her analogue stories and how discovering the Lomography movement has led her in search of her own artistic direction, led by a few creative cameras such as the Diana Baby 110, Diana Mini and Diana F+.

Credits: expirededexposures

Browsing her LomoHome, Elisa's album of 110 photos taken with the Lomography Color Tiger catches the eye in particular. The photos were taken using 110 cameras such as the Holga Micro and a Diana Baby 100.

These photos are postcards. I didn't have too many expectations from this roll or the 110 format, but I got to try it on three different mini machines. Every roll has different vibes, the tones are super warm and the color rendition is crazy. I took them in the summer and literally holiday postcards came out. It's a format you shoot without thinking about it, but it offers surprises and this film has a delicate but shiny mood.
Credits: expirededexposures

Elisa's fascination with film photography started in 2019 with a Ferrania point-and-shoot camera marketed for children, the flash of which was always on.

I tried to shoot a couple of rolls of it during some parties with friends using expired rolls, and it took a couple of months to develop them. The results were some crazy colored photos of moments I had totally forgotten. They were epic.
Not all of them were beautiful but all were significant and representative of those moments. Choosing to shoot on film and living this experience made me think a lot, each roll is an emotional experience for me. At the beginning I happened to underexpose and make mistakes, I was very disappointed when I expected very cool photos, I waited and waited just to feel bad. But then when you learn from your mistakes you appreciate every photo twice. Each roll is a different emotion.
Credits: expirededexposures

Eventually, she was led to Lomography when a film shutterbug friend of hers told her about the Lomography philosophy. Her friend, who had shot with cameras such as the Lomo Smena and Holga 135BC and had used accessories such as filters and fisheye lenses, told her that her approach to photography was similar to Lomography's.

He gave me the Holga for a couple of rolls and I ended up keeping it for a year. Before he gave me the Holga, enchanted by his stories about these cameras made in plastic, I took a Diana Mini. It was love at first sight, too cute, very small and light. Few settings, but I had only shot with the Ferrania which had manual advance.
Credits: @expirededexposures II Diana Mini

Recently, Elisa has been trying her hand at Lomography cameras after testing a Diana Mini and Holga using expired films, which yielded multiple exposure photos. She has since got to know more about the Diana family and has tried the Diana F+ too.

Crazy trips, a couple of wasted rolls of film and some futuristic photos. The Diana Mini has only a few settings but they shouldn't be underestimated, with a few ideas they can be super creative. Even smaller and tiny, I was too curious about the 110 version, the Diana Baby.
I immediately tried the wide lens, so small with a unique touch. I recently got the Diana F+, I love all three of them because they look the same but each one is special in its own way. I am extremely fascinated by the countless colors of the Diana F+ flash jellies, I can't wait to play with my new toy.
Credits: @expirededexposures II Diana Baby 110
In every roll of film that I have taken with the Dianas there are shots that are special to me. Surely one of my favorites is this, the overlapping effect creates this involuntary collage, one vertical and one horizontal photo, if I had tried to do it voluntarily I probably wouldn't have succeeded, the unexpected thus becomes a pleasant surprise.
Credits: @expirededexposures II Diana Mini

Continuing her Lomography journey, Elisa has become a part of a film collective and has a few projects in mind to further develop her style.

In these four years I think I experimented a lot, when I shoot I always have a reflex camera and a toycam with me because I want to both learn the technique and try to give shape to my "images". I'm definitely getting passionate about fine art photography, but I have a lot to learn, I have some projects in progress and I'm concentrating on understanding my artistic direction.
Credits: @expirededexposures II Diana F+
However, one of the things I love most about this world is the community, last year with some of my passionate friends we created a collective, Rifondazione Analogica . We organized a Lomowalk in Palermo and we always try to meet new people to share the magic of this world. We have many ideas in mind.
Lately I've been shooting a lot with La Sardina, the wide angle drives me crazy and I'm having fun with the double exposures changing the colors of the jellies in every shot, I tried to do it with the Diana and I'm waiting for the results. And 120 films are tough, I hope I didn't screw up!

Many thanks to Elisa for sharing her photos and stories with us! To keep in touch, visit her LomoHome or follow her on Instagram.

written by sylvann on 2023-02-28 #people #places #sicily #110-format #diana-family #expiredexposures

Mentioned Product

Lomography Diana F+

Lomography Diana F+

Take timeless and dramatic photos on 120 film with the Diana F+. Create stunning soft-focused images and customize it with sweet lenses or even an instant back for additional effects and flexibility.

5 Comments

  1. sylvann
    sylvann ·

    @klawe I definitely agree! :)

  2. polaroidlove
    polaroidlove ·

    Great photos! :-)

  3. untamedboy
    untamedboy ·

    Love this

  4. sylvann
    sylvann ·

    Many thanks @polaroidlove and @untamedboy , and again to Elisa, @expirededexposures! 🙏

  5. polaroidlove
    polaroidlove ·

    😊

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