Second Nature: a Lomography Interview with @guja

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the view. Very few things can beat a great scenery and there are even fewer people who can match up to @guja when it comes to loving the outdoors. It's all evident in the photos in this gallery – nature, and photography in perfect visual harmony.

How long have you been a Lomographer?

I've been with Lomography for nearly four years or over 178 albums now, but I've been shooting analogue since I was a kid in the 1980s. When digital cameras became popular in the late 1990s, analogue photography took a back seat, but I've never given it up entirely. Since I discovered Lomography, I have almost exclusively taken analogue photos again.

How did you find our analogue community?

Since I had never completely given up analogue photography and my interest in taking pictures with old cameras grew, I looked around the Internet for a platform where the exchange with analogue photos is possible. When I discovered Lomography, I was immediately enthusiastic about the ease of photography and the joy of experimentation.

Why do you choose to stay with film photography?

Above all, it is my love for old and historical cameras, which is why I continue to shoot analogue. I'm also interested in the other chemical and physical processing processes, such as developing and enlarging films and photos.

What inspires you to shoot photographs?

I love to photograph landscapes, ruins, animals, or just empty places. It's my balance to the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

We love the nature aspect of your work. Is this a particularly favorite subject of yours?

I love nature, especially the change... The ephemeral, the new emerging, the changing seasons, special natural scenes – there is always something new to discover in nature.

Your photos really show how skilled you are at framing a shot. What goes through your mind while you're taking a photograph?

Regardless of which camera I go with, I always try to use the possibilities of the respective camera to depict the lines and frames around the motif or to capture special light reflections. Of course, the film is also decisive, which I use depending on the spontaneous idea, but also depending on the weather. In the end, I indirectly think about which topics I might be able to photograph before starting and adapt them to the lighting conditions, i.e. the weather conditions.

What are the things you like about shooting landscapes and environment photos?

I enjoy the peace and quiet and the vastness of the landscapes and that is exactly what I want to reflect in my photos. In my immediate surroundings, however, I try to look specifically for details that are often overlooked in everyday life.

What do you wish to express with your film photographs?

I often choose the camera and film for an excursion intuitively, but the photos often also have a documentary character for me. Ultimately, I leave the interpretation of my photos to the viewer.

What is your favorite camera/lens and film set up to shoot with?

Well, I can't answer that question clearly. I love the simplicity and vignettes of the old box cameras or the toy cameras, such as Agfa, Daci, Kodak or Diana and Holga. I also like to be out and about with a folding camera like the Zeiss Ikon Nettar or a twin-lens camera like the Seagull 4A. But when I'm traveling, I like to use an SLR, such as the Minolta X-700.

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers and film shooters?

My recommendation is to start with an old mechanical camera where you still have to set the time and aperture yourself. There are many light meter applications that can be installed on a modern mobile phone. This is how you get to know the relationships between time, aperture, and film.

Any last words for our readers?

Photographing, developing, enlarging – it's not as difficult as it seems at first. Many solutions are already described here on Lomography and questions are gladly answered.

We would like to thank @guja for letting us feature their work in the Magazine.

written by cheeo on 2020-10-21 in #culture #news #people #lomographer #interview #guja