One shot deal

Despite the inhuman schedule I have been keeping the past few weeks, I’ve taken up a new hobby.

Well, technically it’s not a new hobby- as I’ve enjoyed taking pictures with my PDA camera and newer digital camera since the not too distant past. However, as of late, I’ve began to dabble in the world of lomography, a version of photography using a generation of cameras that offers a whole new perspective on art and life (read: I’m-so-new-to-lomography-I-am-still-in-the process-of-learning-more-about-it-so-let-me-try-to-fool-you-with-a-false-sense-of-profundity).

What sets lomography apart is that it has forced me to use film again. The film I’m feeding my WOCA 120G camera (whom I have given the monicker Willie as in WillieWoca) is a 120 film, a kind of film most shops do not carry anymore hence the need to buy them from specialty photographic supply shops. WillieWoca by the way is from the realm of toy cameras, made of plastic, running sans batteries, with films that need to be wound after each shot is taken. I am still in the process of reacquainting myself with this instrument but so far WillieWoca proving not too difficult to handle.

Each 120-type film has 16 exposure, meaning, per roll of film, 16 pictures can be taken. I’ve just had my first roll of film developed and, thank God, 9 of the 16 shots saw the light of day. Currently, WillieWoca has eaten the second roll of film and I am still waiting to take the 16th shot to finish off this roll.

While lomography’s motto is Don’t Think- Just Shoot, I can’t kick the habit of carefully planning shots. Shooting from the hip just isn’t my style; even with my digital cameras where most shots can be retaken if the image captured isn’t to my liking. Not to mention having prints developed nowadays costs a pretty penny.

Then again…

Life always doesn’t always go as planned.

Life whizzes past us, with each moment irretrievably lost if allowed to slip through the cracks.

More often than not, there are no second chances.

That alignment of light and shadow and stoic facial expression.

That combination of childlike glee and carefree frenzy.

That seamless fluidity of speed, action, and grace.

Thankfully, more often than not, these scenes need not be staged or concocted.

Kodak (or Fuji or Agfa or Konica) moments abound.

Life is as good as it gets.

And so I eat life and lomo on.

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http://lomomanila.ph