Analogue Surprises with the LomoKino: A Review by Shane Fang

When you're way in too deep with film photography and its uniqueness, the next step is often to experiment with more tools that boost the desired vintage Lomo-look. Out of her creative curiosity, young and independent film photographer Shane Fang recently tested out the LomoKino and used the known filmmaking tool for photography. Read her detailed impressions about the camera here.

Hello everyone, I am Shane from Fujian. I graduated from Communication University of China with a degree in digital media technology in 2020. I got a master's degree in engineering and a double degree in photography. At the beginning of the year, I was an AI product manager. I resigned in April this year. I am now a full-time independent photographer.

The magic of film lies in the process of waiting for the film to develop. Every time you receive the photos, you will recall the moment when you took this photo, the mood when you pressed the shutter, the person who was around when you shot, and the interesting things that happened during the shooting. Film is really attractive. I hope it will not end up like the ending in the movie "Kodakrom Film." I hope more and more people like the film.

Getting Started

It was the first time I used the LomoKino. I didn't even know how to install the roll when I got it. I sat in the coffee shop and watched the tutorial video released by Lomography for half an hour. I just wanted to see what photos might look with the LomoKino. I was seeing some samples on Instagram before and found it very interesting, so I asked a good friend to hang out with me and wander around the alleys at the Qianmen to try to take some pictures. I didn’t expect to take perfect pictures, just want edto try out and record the daily life of my friend as she will leave Beijing soon when she graduates. I thought it would be interesting if we could make full use of 144 photos LomoKino can take and dynamically record some daily life in Beijing. The photos could even be cut into single pictures to make a simple vlog.

Details About the LomoKino Shoot

The playability is quite strong. Because of its thickness and appearance, I felt the LomoKino was like a small toy when I got it, and I didn't know what the photos by it would be like. After shooting a few times, I am surprised by the photos. The dynamic feeling is one of the main reasons I like to use LomoKino for recording, and the image with a hazy feeling is beautiful too.

I used Kodak’s ISO 200 film. I wanted to use the one with ISO 400, but I checked that the weather was good that day and I was outdoors, so I used an ISO 200 film instead, and Kodak’s color is very suitable for shooting outdoors in the sunshine. Later, I also took a few indoor photos, but the aperture F/5.6 is not enough. I went back to read the manual and learned that it can be used with an external flash. I will try it next time.

A Pleasant Dreamy Effect

I guess it is mainly the light condition of the day. This group of photos was taken at 1 o’clock noon. The light was very strong when I took it.

Tips For LomoKino Users

The LomoKino is easy to use for beginners. Make sure to watch the tutorial video Lomography posted and understand the basic techniques including how to load and unwind, and then choose the film according to the shooting light condition. After all, the shutter speed 1/100 is fixed, and the aperture is only adjustable in three gears (but it's enough), so it is easy to take control and get good pictures.

In fact, I have been taking LomoKino to record a lot lately. I have taken photos of a friend in a bachelor's uniform for graduation and also some random records of wandering on the streets. I was attracted to the LomoKino at the beginning when I saw a group of very sweet couple photos on Instagram, so I also want to use LomoKino to record something similar. Next, I might use LomoKino to record the lovers around me. I am also planning to use LomoKino to record the process of my friend getting her marriage certificate.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and photos with us, Shane! Follow her Instagram @shanefang_ for more of her works.

written by lavenderliao on 2021-07-19 in #gear #lomokino #shane-fang