Multiple Exposure Portraits

One of my favorite features on my Diana Mini camera (if you haven't been able to tell already...) is the capability to create multiple exposures, layering images over each other in one photograph. It's an interesting way to approach photographing people:

Valencia, Spain

Quirky buildings and fun beach structures, taken with my Diana Mini (Lomography):

The center, as seen through the lens of my point and shoot camera (Digital):

June 2011

Schools Kill Creativity

A really amazing talk by Ken Robinson about education and the importance of creativity in schools. If you're interested in education, children, art, or funny people (the guy is an awesome speaker), definitely watch it:
Click here to watch the video!

Lighthouses!

A charming lighthouse in Faro, Portugal (taken June 2011):

Although these multiple exposures were planned, I can't say that's always the case...
I'm not sure which is more fun - getting back a great photo you intended to take or a great photo that was a complete accident!

Asturias, Spain

With its jagged mountains, oceanside cliffs, green rolling hills, and foggy/rainy weather, Asturias almost feels more like a trip to Ireland. But it's northern Spain, and it's beautiful!

Picos de Europa - I love the panoramic feature on my point and shoot camera!

Adorable towns and misty weather

Since I temporarily misplaced my Diana Mini one hour before the trip (turns out I left it in the store I bought the film...), all these photos are digital. I did experiment with a four square lens toy camera while I was there, but I haven't developed the roll yet (still some frames left to shoot).

Los Molinos - Digital vs Lomo

While in Consuegra, Spain (June 2011) visiting the windmills made so famous by Don Quixote, I brought both my Diana Mini and my digital point and shoot. I thought by including both digital and lomo photos of the same material, it would help clarify some differences between digital photography and lomography. Here are some digital photos from the trip:

Here are some lomo photos from the trip:

Although my recent obsession is lomography, I really enjoy digital photography as well. One obvious advantage is the amount of photographs you can take - essentially unlimited. With a lomo camera, you're limited by the amount of film (or money for film haha) you have. Also, with a digital camera you get immediate results and can adjust future photos accordingly; with a lomo camera it's always a surprise! Both are great in their own way.


With my lomography photos I don't do any digital adjusting, but I love playing with the colors and effects on my digital photos (as you can see above). If you're looking to have cool color effects or B&W in your lomo photos but you don't like digitally altering yours either, you can buy different films (B&W, color tint film, etc.). I haven't used these films yet but I'm excited to give them a try to see how it compares!


The format size of the picture can also vary from digital to lomography (depending on what lomo camera you have). With the Diana Mini, I can choose between the square format (as seen above) or half format (two smaller pictures side by side in one photo).


As you might be able to tell, the colors and focus of a digital picture vs. lomo picture also vary. The lomography photos tend to have a more "vintage" dreamy look, while the digital photos are usually crisper and brighter. What type of look you want depends on your subject and personal preference. Most lomo cameras are also capable of multiple exposures (without a fancy expensive digital program), which is a lot of fun! I especially like how the multiple exposure adds movement to the bottom left and right photos (don't the windmills almost look like they're moving?), and an almost ghostly effect to the bottom middle.


I guess a lot of what it comes down to in the end is control (digital) vs. surprise (lomo). If you want to be able to zoom, take tons of pictures, get immediate feedback, and a more exact photo, digital's the way to go. If you're looking to experiment, try cool film effects, and get a different color palette, grab a lomography camera (in my case, the Diana Mini)!

Playing with Color Splash

Thanks to my technological skills (or lack thereof), I just discovered, after two years of owning a Mac, that I can buy applications for my computer (Rachel - why didn't you tell me earlier?). After accidentally clicking on the Application Store icon, I found the Color Splash Studio app and decided, for $2, to give it a try. It's a lot of fun! Here are some examples:

Sol during protests, Spring 2011.

La Tabacalera in Madrid (metro: Embajadores).
An old factory turned art/community center.

Two Worlds

On the left, the marshes of Plum Island in Newburyport, MA. To the right, the lake in El Parque del Retiro, Madrid. The last photo I took at home and the first photo I took in Spain, together in one picture.

As you can see in the frame on the right, light leaks sometimes show up in lomography photographs - an unwanted surprise to some or an unexpected quirk to others. Either way you look at it, I love the overall lighting. 

Templo de Debod

A really beautiful, tranquil place in Madrid - I keep getting drawn back to photograph it. 


During the day, with the half format feature on my Diana Mini that I recently experimented with (Lomography):

At "golden hour", the most beautiful time to photograph. Also with my Diana Mini (Lomography):

At night, with my point and shoot camera (Digital):

We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are.
[Anais Nin]

La Luna

Lanzarote, Spain (May 2011)

Mallorca - The start of my lomography obsession

Last March I stumbled across the international lomography website, and, intrigued, asked my photographer friend Izzy if she knew anything about it. Luckily not only was she familiar with lomography, she had an adorable white Diana Mini camera that she let me borrow for Mallorca! After playing with her camera on the trip I fell into an obsessive love and bought my own. Here are some of my favorite pictures from that trip: