Titoist Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Instagram... I knew you were fake to begin with. You are nothing but a copy-cat. Bow down to the true master and original "Hipster" camera.... the Soviet Lomo. It was a nervous time for film photography when digital cameras took off in the 1990s, and seemed set to take over entirely. But with some help from Vladimir Putin - then deputy mayor of St Petersburg - the little Lomo camera became a retro cult classic, and showed film had a bright future. In 1991, a group of Austrian art students on a trip to nearby Prague found, in a photographic shop, a curious little camera. Black, compact and heavy, the camera was rudimentary. The lens was protected by a sliding cover. Loading, focusing and rewinding were all done by hand. After developing the shots, the students found it produced pictures unlike anything they had seen before. The colours were rich and saturated, an effect heightened by the lens's tendency to darken the corners of the frame to create a tunnel-like vignetting effect, and there were dramatic contrasts between light and dark. The Austrians were hooked, and so were their friends when they showed them the results back home in Vienna. Continue reading the main story Distinguishing features Vignettes - the Lomo's shots show a characteristic vignette at the edges, like tunnel vision Bold colours - a Lomo hallmark, especially with cross-processed slide film Long shutter speed - the Lomo LC-A's shutter stays open for as long as it needs to expose a photo, which can lead to interesting light trails Expired film - the LC-A's lens suits the warped coloured shifts found on cheap, expired film Small size - the best camera is the one you have with you, and the LC-A fits in a jacket pocket The little camera was the Lomo LC-A - Lomo Kompact Automat, built in Soviet-era Leningrad by Leningrad Optics and Mechanics Association (Lomo) - and very soon a craze was born. It was an analogue Instagram in the days before digital photography. This Lomo craze may have ended up helping save film photography from an untimely end. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20434270 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joep1984 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Wait wait wait WHOA. Instagram wasn't the first when it comes to the whole retro photo look? Retro cameras did it first? /s Charisma 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titoist Posted November 22, 2012 Author Share Posted November 22, 2012 Wait wait wait WHOA. Instagram wasn't the first when it comes to the whole retro photo look? Retro cameras did it first? /s I think the article is trying to mention the "style" of the photo and look which now most Instagram photos have, such as dark corners and the "tunnel-like vignetting effect". Though technically back then any photographer can do it with tricks in the darkroom, the Lomo did it automatically. Even today most photographers I know absolutely "hate" that style, but younger photographers like the "style" and ive heard it being called anything from "Hipster", to "Grunge", to "Retro". Though, what most people consider "Retro" today was achieved by point and shoot disposable consumer cameras from the 70's and earlier. My old Minolta, Nokia, and even FED can produce pictures of much higher quality if one took the time in the darkroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slammers Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 That's just one effect on instagram. Most people I follow don't use effects. Screw everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remixedcat Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I just use it for an easy photo sharing method... i don't normally apply the cheesy effects... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth86 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 i also use it only because of easy sharing... I also like the effects of it. makes my photos look good but i don't often use this effects Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I really don't get people applying the effects :s All the photos end up looking the same! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alladaskill17 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I really don't get people applying the effects :s All the photos end up looking the same! Lemming hipsters, they look the same, why not their pictures too? MarkusDarkus 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Lemming hipsters, they look the same, why not their pictures too? Quoted for teh truth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth86 Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I guess we all have different perspective about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetonesun Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Isn't one of the filters called "lomo"? I thought this was well known. They're not all "retro" per se, a lot are just effects you commonly get with cheap cameras / lenses that allow for weird exposures, light leaking in, weird tints, etc, all of which died with digital photography. So...I suppose they're retro because they were all done on film cameras, but if you still have a place to process film you could create these effects easily. Well, could, hipsters have jacked the prices up on those old crap cameras. :laugh: Charisma 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 My problem with instagram is that people use their cell phones to capture photos of their kids and lives, and use instagram to make them look like their old 70's and 80's photos. this is going to suck when they get old and want to loko at photoso pf when they where young and had kids and such, and all their pictures are crap. Ask any 40+ person today, if they would rather their old pics look like they do, or if they'd rather they look nice and crisp with real colors... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 My problem with instagram is that people use their cell phones to capture photos of their kids and lives, and use instagram to make them look like their old 70's and 80's photos. this is going to suck when they get old and want to loko at photoso pf when they where young and had kids and such, and all their pictures are crap. Ask any 40+ person today, if they would rather their old pics look like they do, or if they'd rather they look nice and crisp with real colors... Totally agree, Nothing beats have tack sharp detail and vibrant real colors. Instagram filters smear everything :/ it's amazing how millions of people think their purposefully blurred detail-less instagram ruined photo is something worthwhile keeping. I think people are just lazy, they could easily better post-process in lightroom or any other softer and get better results. That said, this is a rather interesting subject for a whole different topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 One of the main reasons instagram is popular is that it blurs out details such as skin blemishes, giving the appearance of being more attractive. Seth86 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Spaceman Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I work in a photo department. I can't stand instagram because of the square photos. People are dumb as hell, "What do you mean my square photo gets cut off when I order a 4x6?". I spoke with a Fuji tech today, he agreed, square photos are something that should have died years ago and never been brought back. It's a non standard! Aergan 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 One of the main reasons instagram is popular is that it blurs out details such as skin blemishes, giving the appearance of being more attractive. I don't have any beef with removing skin blemishes, it's adding over the top effects that hands down ruin the photos! Heck i've even seen local newspapers use that "instagram blur". Even webpages with photoshop actions :/ I work in a photo department. I can't stand instagram because of the square photos. People are dumb as hell, "What do you mean my square photo gets cut off when I order a 4x6?". I spoke with a Fuji tech today, he agreed, square photos are something that should have died years ago and never been brought back. It's a non standard! IIRC, wasn't there square film as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Well yeah, but it makes it easy for anyone to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiranui Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Never used it - didn't see the point of it on Android. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Spaceman Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 I don't have any beef with removing skin blemishes, it's adding over the top effects that hands down ruin the photos! Heck i've even seen local newspapers use that "instagram blur". Even webpages with photoshop actions :/ IIRC, wasn't there square film as well? Yup there's square film, and today I did some square slides. They're pretty much dead and gone though until this instagram thing started it back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moloko Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I work in a photo department. I can't stand instagram because of the square photos. People are dumb as hell, "What do you mean my square photo gets cut off when I order a 4x6?". I spoke with a Fuji tech today, he agreed, square photos are something that should have died years ago and never been brought back. It's a non standard! I like square photos myself. Non standard? I can get them printed at home or at the lab I use. Parents love it when I put in a frame. I thought wet plates are square too. Those are still around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qdave Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I have one of these: haven't used it since childhood. I guess I would look quite hip by ditching my d90 to this :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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