Lomography – lo-fi photography – has had an established place amongst vintage camera cults for centuries, and recently the concept has exploded with the introduction of smartphone camera apps equipped with aging filters.
Now though, the concept has been well and truly brought back to its classic indie roots by one enthusiastic fan combining a La Sardina camera with rich blue Lee Jeans denim.
The camera which looks as cool as the photos it takes – mystery vintage camera meets
classic denim jeans.
Origins of the concept
Lomo cameras were born in 1990s Russia as a cheap alternative to more expensive film. The images they produced were something unique; inexpensive yet stylish, the shots oozed an atmosphere that more modern cameras couldn’t quite capture, and they quickly found their place not as a low priced substitute, but as the source of a colourful new school of photography.
Today, a society dedicates itself to this very cause, and operates in 35 countries holding exhibitions to showcase the artistic nature of the cameras.
Where can I get hold of a denim camera?
One of the most interesting things about the whole story is the mystery surrounding it. The camera never really found its way into the media spotlight and was only spotted when someone happened upon an image of it uploaded by a man called Mr Shi.
And that’s all we really know. Mr Shi commented that he is a big fan of denim but said nothing more about inspiration or method of construction. With that in mind, it would seem that for now the camera is a one off, though it might inspire avid enthusiasts to give their own design a go and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Lomo camera customization services opening in the not so distant future.
Thinking bigger; if this were to take off, would we see a decline in the popularity of photography apps?
Smartphone apps such as Instagram have become so popular because they are a cheap and easy way of producing attractive shots from a device which fits in your pocket without you even noticing.
Really though, what’s cooler – an iPhone or a camera made from denim? iPhone design is pretty much spot on as far as technology goes, but it still can’t quite replicate the vintage feel of Lomo.
500,000 photographers belong to the Lomo society and with more designs like this I wouldn’t be surprised to see the numbers grow.
Rob likes to write about photography and technology for DirectSight – a leading destination to buy glasses online.
