Current fads see us reaching for our smartphones to capture the moment with a Lo-fi filter. Marysia Korzeniowska considers whether our passion for quick fixes is eroding the traditional art of photography.
What camera do you shoot with? Instagram. The new fad is readily available for anyone who enjoys taking pictures, providing users with the chance to explorewhat the art of photography can offer through simple, fun, digital filters. Unless you blanket filter all you photos using “lo-fi”, the final images can arguably look quite good. Instagram doesn’t necessarily show off a person’s creative ability, but it certainly is a quick fix to complement a busy daily lifestyle, even if the results demonstrate an ironic lack of individuality.
Instagram is your most popular friend on Facebook, and has all the followers on Twitter. The reason Instagram is so successful is because it is quick and easy to use. You don’t need to know your aperture from your shutter speed to get instant, attractive results. All you need to do is download app on your smartphone and click some buttons – effortless. But what does this mean for the future of photography? The art of photography has the potential to be lost through digitalization, but when the art comes from the photographer, as opposed to Instagram filters, it will always continue to exist.
Whilst Instagram readily gives you solutions on how to make your photo look different, Lomography offers another trendy alternative to traditional photography methods, challenging you to hone in on your analogue photography skills. You can point this particular camera at ‘hipsters’ as Holgas and their ilk are in danger of joining the roll of Urban Outfitters’ ‘edgy’, overpriced products.
Whilst Instagram readily gives you solutions on how to make your photo look different, lomography offers another stylish alternative to traditional photography methods, challenging you to hone in on your analogue photography skills. Initially it points the camera at ‘hipsters’, appearing to be yet another ‘edgy’ overpriced product from Urban Outfitters.
Far from being solely a method of photography, Lomography defines itself as a magazine, a shop and a community that shares tips and tutorials on how you can get the best out of film photography. The golden rule of Lomography is not to worry about any rules; just bring your camera wherever you go, day and night. Lomography appeals to me because there is so much to it you won’t find yourself bored with it. Since I got my Canon DSLR, apart from taking and uploading a ridiculous amount of photos onto Facebook (as most would agree), I’ve experimented with light graffiti. I’ve even made my own pinhole camera using 35mm film from scratch. There are always new areas to explore regarding photography, and I feel that Lomography encourages this exploration rather than hindering it.
To me, the art of photography is about capturing portrait photos whilst also exploring different camera techniques in a fun, novel way. My next step is trying to create my own DIY bokeh shape filters for my camera! The quality of photography certainly seems to be lessening now that there are new, ready made options available but if taken seriously as a hobby or profession, the art of photography will never truly disappear, only continue to evolve and change.
photos: Marysia Korzeniowska and Leo Garbutt