Dreamy Visions: Alice In Lomo’Instant Automat Wonderland

For Alice, a photographer based in Korea, social media is her visual wonderland. It's where she posts her sweet snapshots, and her fairytale-like aesthetic has attracted a large following on Instagram. We had a little chat with her about her recent adventures with the Lomo'Instant Automat.

Hi, Alice! Please introduce yourself to Lomographers!

Hello! I am Alice, a social photographer taking photos actively on Instagram. I've been pursuing creative photography works that are picturesque and fairytale-like.

What made you take a picture?

I have always loved taking photos. Since 2012, film photography was my hobby. For the first 3-4 years, I was in love with film cameras and took landscape and snapshots. When I started to take more commercial photos I then worked a lot on digital as well. I especially like the sparkling lightings that film cameras give off. So I also take a lot of digital portraits resembling such a glowing effect.

What other cameras do you use?

At first I used different film cameras like Contax SLR body, Compact Camera, Minolta Hi-Matic, Olympus SLR. Now I use T3 and Nikon, Sony digital body which are Contax compact kinds, for films in particular.

Do you also often take instant photos?

I used instant photos a few times but only when traveling, I think I will use a lot more now. I recently brought my Lomo’Instant Automat along with me to every shooting, both model and I were extremely satisfied with the results.

What was your experience using the Lomo’Instant Automat?

I thought the design was very vintage and classic despite being an instant camera. It is also easy and convenient as it uses Instax Mini film. Compared to my old instant camera, the Lomo'Instant gave out a much more analogue mood.

Between Lomo’Instant Automat and Lomo'Instant Mini, which do you like better?

The recent edition of Lomo'Instant Mini is also to my liking but I think Lomo’Instant Automat is better for me to use. It is easy for anyone to just simple shoot, without many manual controls. But of course, having the film developed right away is certainly the best part of instant cameras.

How would you describe your photography style?

I've always tried to take dreamy pictures like paintings and fairytale art, by using different colors, so I think many people describe it in that way.

You seem to shoot in a lot of different places in the pictures. Where do you usually prefer to go on shooting?

I like shooting in parks with grass and flowers. Places like the Olympic Park and Seonyudo Park are amazingly beautiful in all seasons. It might seem like just a normal park, but it's extremely beautiful when you take a walk and observe it more carefully.

Since I've been taking pictures for quite a long time now, there are many places I've already been to. I look for beautiful places every season, even to the extent that it could now be considered my hobby.

But recently with the outbreak of coronavirus, I haven't been able to go out quite a lot. I originally liked to travel around a lot with models and take candid pictures from time to time. Sadly, I couldn't make a trip this year.

May the day come when we can all travel happily!!

What do you prioritize when taking photos?

I think the most important things are the locations, models, and themes. Also the weather! With a model that fits well with the theme in the background, the best picture will come out!

Also, another important thing is each and every 'theme'. It is the most energy-consuming figuring out. I get inspirations for this from different media, for example, movies, children's stories and music videos.

When coming up with the theme, I plan all the details of the looks including the model's hair, makeup, and the costumes. This step is the hardest, but it is also a fun process. Also, don't forget to use the sparkle of natural light as much as possible when shooting!

Do you have any tips for taking pictures with Lomo’Instant Automat?

I haven't used a lot of instant cameras, so it took me some time how to take them first. I think the most important is to have the right amount of light. If the flash is on, the pictures are clearer, but if you take it too close, the photo will be too bright and blur the person out. It's also a good idea to shoot at the right distance.

Personally, I felt that it gave out the best results when I did not turn on the flash but with some sunlight. I also liked the indoor pictures with the flash on. The settings all depends on the places and situation. If you control these factors well, the best pictures will come out.

Please let us know if you have any goals in your mind now!

I've always wanted to take pictures with some artistic elements. I'm still working on it, and I'd like to collaborate and do artwork in more diverse fields.

Recently, I started a hobby in painting, so I'm practicing acrylic, oil pastel, tablet, etc. So I think there will be more areas which I can work on.

I also wish I could work on self-collaboration someday! It will be fun to draw pictures on my photos. It's my little bucket list to try underwater shooting, since I haven't tried it yet!

Special thanks to Alice for sharing her pictures. We are also looking forward to more collaborations! See more of Alice's work on Instagram.

written by yuna7712 on 2020-10-12 in #gear #culture #people #cabo-verde #lomo