Digital Lomography
From Mod Mania
"Digital photo + graphic program + "skills" = Digital Lomography"!
Digital Lomography
Lomography is a new take on an old style of analogue photography. These are cameras made by Russians which have colour-intensive and blurry lenses. The characteristics of lomography included over-saturated colours, off-kilter exposure, blurring, high contrast, twisted colours, and a noticeable vignette. In this writing, I will be focusing on the different between Lomography and digital Lomography (Digital photo + graphic program + software + “skills”). Photoshop is one of the common software for editing digital photo into Lomography. The Lomography effect is popular for its ability to transform boring snapshots into interesting abstract photos.
Photoshop software is a powerful and professional- ¬¬quality image editor. By using blend moder and adjustments layers in the software, it edits and gives digital photo a “Lomo effect”. Photoshop give digital photo a Lomography effect through editing however it is more depending on individual skill. Nowadays, people are using Photoshop as a tool to create a lomo effect instead of getting a lomo camera. According to Net Magazine, it claimed that there is no way of turning it into original or clean image after lomo shotting. Ultimately, the best solution is to fake the lomo effect in Photoshop although it will not provide a random element that real lomo camera does. However, people are still able rework on any digital shots and control the colour and contrast on Photoshop. Crucially, by using layers, you won’t need to amend your photo at all while able to transform new images into the effect rapidly. In the tutorial shown below, it instructs users step by step on to manipulate the photo in order to adopt the Lomography effect. ( http://www.123rf.com/blog/blog.php?idblog=b1000106&v=tutidx ) Some tutorials involve skill to take a Lomo style photo with a digital camera to fully apply the spirit of Lomography, snapshot everywhere, anytime, day and night. Lomography does not interfere with your life, but is a part of it; you can try the shot from the hip and approach the objects of your "Lomographic desire" as close as possible.
Besides, the Lowyat (http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/774164/+40) website has a discussion about the real Lomography and Photoshop. Majority of the lomo’s fans prefer lomography but some of them could not afford to get one. They claimed that Photoshop editing cannot replace the lompgraphy, they are two different things. Lomo is not mean to be edit. There's a huge difference between them while one with the result displays straight from the LCD screen and the other one going through the whole film process. However, the most fun in film camera is that people taste the curiosity before getting the photo developed and be more precious about the finish. For that reason the value of modding in Photoshop is low as they believe film photos are more precious. On the other hand, there are people who still prefer using Photoshop. They claimed it is wasting money to buy lomo camera and the lomo lenses. Moreover, it is time consuming over the film processing since Photoshop could do those effects within a few minutes. Loyal supporter insists lomo is irreplaceable as it is after nature and feeling at the moment of capturing, not the afterwards edition. It is not real.
iPhone Toy Camera is another common tool that people use for editing lomo effect same as Photoshop. By downloading the free software (application) from iTune, Toy Camera functions as Photoshop but required no skill. Simple as, just activate the application, take a shot with your iPhone, and it processes it in a few seconds. Then, you can upload to facebook or email to someone immediately. The iPhone’s camera may be roundly regarded as a piece of crap ,but lomography do not have to be top quality or skill – they just have to be fun and turn a boring photo into attractive and artistes photo. There are few different lomo effects software to be downloaded for iPhone which including Quad, Sepia and so on. QuadCamera is one of the popular applications, designed by Takayuki Fukatsu. It captures time stuttered of four to eight frames and arranges them into a single picture in a grid or single row. It allows people to gran a kind of time-lapse set of snaps into one masterpiece. The DesignNotes (http://www.psfk.com/2009/04/talking-to-iphone-app-designer-takayuki-fukatsu.html) features an interesting interview with Takayuki Fukatsu; he claimed that he wanted to make something that is both product and interactive thing. The first thing he is interested in is camera and makes something fun with it. So he came out with an idea of making a cheap iPhone’s camera. For him, cheap is good and attractive. Beside, the QuadCamera is only less than 3 dollars comparing with real Lomo Camera which cost more than hundred dollars.
(iPhone Quad Camera effect)
Multimatic is also one of the free software for people to download. It is created by Casey and helps to manipulates similar effect as lomo. Everything that does by Multimatic can do by Photoshop too. Certainly, Photoshop does many other wonderful things, but there are a few reasons of having Multimatic as a separate tool. First, not everyone has a copy of Photoshop or iPhone. Second, if editing a digital camera photo in Photoshop, it's done very precisely, and with intent. Multimatic allow users set a few options and generate five, ten, or fifty options for people to browse through and choose either ones. It becomes part of the joy in the unexpectedness without controlling, and getting a surprise in return although it does not give the exactly lomo effect. Third, as a standalone tool, it focuses your effort upon a particular way of thinking about (and making) composite images. Work within the constraints. Last, users need to have a good skill in using Photoshop in order to create a prefect effect, but Multimatic can be done automatically.
(Multimatic Effects)
In conclusion, lomography effect is a popular photo effects that influence people around to obligate it. Photoshop, iPhone – Toy Camera and Multimatic are a tool for people to mod their digital photo into a lomography effect instead of getting one lomo camera although people know it was a not original lomo effect. People are just enjoy turning their boring photo into interesting abstract photo with high contrast and share with friends by uploading it to flickr, blogger or facebook.
References:
DesignNotes, 2009, Talking to iPhone App Designer Takayuki Fukatsu, Viewed 24 September 2009, http://www.psfk.com/2009/04/talking-to-iphone-app-designer-takayuki-fukatsu.html
Lowyat, 2008, Photoshop Vs Lomography, viewed 25 September 2009, http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/774164/+40
Multimatic, 2006, Multimatic FAQ, viewed 25 September 2009, http://projects.caseyporn.com/multimatic/discussion.php
Xuancreative, 2009, Lomography – Faking in photoshop, viewed 25 viewed 2009, http://xuancreative.com/?p=90
Digital Photography School, 2009, How to make Digital photos Look like a Lomo Photography, viewed 25 September 2009, http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-digital-photos-look-like-lomo-photography
.net, 2006, Get into lomo with Photoshop, viewed 25 September 2009, http://www.netmag.co.uk/zine/design-tutorials/get-into-lomo-with-photoshop
