95 Theses of Lomography organized into 7 categories

2009-04-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

FUNDAMENTALS

1. Lomography is always ironic

2. A good way of drawing people’s attention to you is to lomograph them.

3. Always lomograph. Never grow weary.

4. If you don’t achieve mastery of lomography through self-education then technical literature won’t help you

either. For lomographers it is always important not to get out of practice.

5. Point your Lomo at yourself. This works like a spiritual purgative.

6. A lomographer lomographs everything, even corpses.

7. Lomography always signifies contact.

8. Morals are a misconception. Lomography is a virtue.

9. The eyes of the lomographer are his assets.

10. The shutter release of the lomographer is his detonator.

11. Live as far as possible with a Lomo.

12. Always love. Always lomograph.

13. Inspiration is everything for the lomographer though a little training doesn’t hurt.

14. The lomographer is inquisitive. Surprise is his elixir.

15. To get to know a lomographer you need only get to know yourself.

16. Don’t hit others with your Lomo, you could damage it.

17. Give your friends and enemies lomographs as gifts.

18. Be tactful when lomographing during sex.

19. Be suspicious if someone recommends you a relaxing massage or calming tablets in anxious situations.It is better to lomograph instead.

LIFE

20. Make lots of lomographs. No one will be able to hate you that much and it will slightly influence those

who don’t love you.

21. If someone asks you, what kind of passion causes you to lead such an enjoyable life, answer: „my

Lomo“.

22. Don’t go overboard with paradoxes if you want to lomograph someone.

23. A lomographer can also be an exhibitionist. But that’s irrelevant.

24. Never think of sleeping. You can sleep later. It is better to lomograph.

25. Never flatter. Be harsh and lomograph.

26. Your slogan reads: „Exclusive“. Think however of your friends, the lomographers.

27. Don’t let your voice or your complexion let on that its late at night but always allow your lomographs to do

so.

28. Keep all physical exertions to a minimum. It is better to lomograph.

29. Don’t live with other people. That will hinder you from lomographing.

30. If in doubt always decide against seeing a doctor. Should you however need to consult a doctor then wait

for the results of the examination first before lomographing him.

31. Hide your own opinion wherever possible. Lomograph instead.

GIRLS AND BOYS:

32. There are people who may approach you in order to be lomographed.

33. If you should forget your Lomo and a woman / man returns it to you, lomograph him / her.

34. Only undress the person opposite you if you at least intend to lomograph her or him.

35. Learn to hypnotize with your Lomo.

36. If a man / woman ask you how he/she can look best in the picture don’t trouble yourself with your Lomo.

He / she is either unattractive or impudent.

37. If a man / woman keep out of your way, throw yourself at his / her feet, kiss the floor and your Lomo and

surrender your fate to him / her.

38. If a man / woman kisses you impulsively after you have taken a lomograph of him / her then bestow your

Lomo with a new film.

39. If you want to remain the object of affection of a man / or woman for as long as possible, lomograph him /

her in a way that is most flattering to him/ her.

40. A lomographer rarely greets people, but always lomographs. Occasionally, he even enjoys kissing.

41. When trying to win over a man / woman it is often effective to lomograph later on.

42. Appreciate the suggestion of lomography, lomography always wins.

43. From time to time excess is necessary. Attack and lomograph. The results will later become the narrative

of your life.

44. Observe the reactions of those you’re with, if you talk about lomography. Laugh.

STYLE

45. Occasionally lomograph shouting loudly „Hurra".

46. Don’t keep company with imbeciles, it’s better to lomograph.

47. Have you suddenly no more strength to take lomographs, then from now on be miserable.

48. Lomography isn’t a dog and doesn’t need to go out regularly.

49. When lomographing always give yourself the impression of beeing dangerous. That will make more

pictures possible.

50. In Salons it is better to stand. You could be lomographed.

51. Greet people with your Lomo and never your tongue.

52. Only kneel while taking photographs as an act of adoration. Otherwise shoot from the hip.

53. Never sweat; if you have to, lomograph immediately to distract the other person.

54. When at the opera, resist the temptation to throw your Lomo. Use eggs or tomatoes instead.

55. Never lomograph a mobile phone. Never!

ANALOGUE / DIGITAL

56. Never trust a digital camera.

57. Never enter a photo shop that doesn’t have Lomos.

58. Never excuse a digital photographer because you will come across as arrogant.

59. Be wary of digital photographers, their lack of imagination is contagious.

60. Now and again suddenly close your eyes when taking lomographs, the result of your excitement will

surprise you.

61. Always judge according to the external appearance of the picture. The secret of the world is visible not

hidden. Think of Oscar Wilde. Lomograph.

62. Only criticize someone else’s camera a) if it’s a digital camera or b) if he or she hits you over the head

with it.

63. What is important in lomography is simply to shoot from the hip.

64. Avoid any association with digital photographers. Each one is bad luck personified. Digital photographers

have no imagination or passion.

65. Always assume that digital photographers mean mischief.

66. Consecrate analogue cameras. Digital cameras are of the devil.

67. Every rule has an exception. The exception is the rule. A lomographer may do anything. So never forget

and secretly repeat: „digital or analogue, whichever, Lomo is everything. “

JOURNEY

68. If there’s no way out, lomograph.

69. Wherever you lomograph, never forget: „Everything that you see around you may be put on.

70. The journey never ends for the lomographer.

71. Only take your Lomo home if you aren’t in a hurry.

72. Always live together with your Lomo. You will definitely need it at some point.

73. Lomograph at dawn, on land, on water, in the air, wherever.

74. There are so many things you can do if it’s sunny. However, you can lomograph whatever the weather is

like.

75. Take care when drunk that your Lomo gets home safely.

76. It is possible to lomograph on aeroplanes, though you run the risk of appearing clumsy if you do. Better

to travel by train, particularly the Orient-Express.

77. Take care at unpleasant border crossings that your Lomo survives the inspection procedures regardless.

78. Should you be obliged to bury your Lomo in a wood, remember where you buried it.

79. Lomograph in the Alps giving preference to the Austrian Alps before the Swiss or French Alps. However,

bear in mind that the Taiga, Pampa and Tatra are also pretty.

80. You can lomograph everywhere but it’s always better abroad.

EXTRA

81. If the conversation turns to an awkward point, just lomograph the other person.

82. Never carry a gun; it will tempt you to use it. Always carry a Lomo instead and use that.

83. Should your Lomo fall from a window or balcony onto the street below due to carelessness or

drunkenness, if a loud scream rings in your ear, take to your heels.

84. Don’t steal lomographs from Lomographers.

85. If it’s hard for you to take the right shot, then force yourself to keep trying so that even if you don’t

succeed you will at least get into a Lomoflow that will stop you from getting bored.

86. Don’t concern yourself with psychoanalysis, politics, literature or science. It steals your time and strength,

without even challenging you. Lomograph the whole world. That will do you more good.

87. Go to the cinema frequently. Pictures create pictures. The lomographer loves the cinema.

88. You will also achieve peak performance if you take more and more lomographs.

89. Never forget the quote by Dr. Walter Serner: „Ideologies are nothing more than an assortment of words”,

and always feel completely free to decide what to lomograph and what not. So bear in mind that you will get

more rest lying in a hammock than on a Gauguin.

90. Suggest a lot, dont keep to your promises, convince with your Lomographs.

91. Don’t speak of projects. One day someone will shoot you or subsidize you. Take lomographs without

asking.

92. Lomograph high clerical dignitaries, especially the Pope.

93. If you lomograph an animal, choose cats or snakes first. Take care with birds or fighting dogs.

94. Be wary of journalists and politicians and consider the risk you run if you lomograph them.

95. At worst, after a day of lomography in inescapable loneliness, recite the 95 Lomo theses and then be

strengthened with a glass of champagne before going to bed. Or at best, if you meet an attractive person of

the othersex (or - in case - of the same sex), leave the reciting out and enjoy the glass of champagne and a

night in company.

Lomography? What is it?

2009-04-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

In the early 1990s a couple of students discovered a small, enigmatic Russian camera, the Lomo Kompakt Automat, and created a new style of artistic experimental photography with their first unorthodox snapshot cavortings. The approach: taking as many photographs (Lomographs) as possible in the most impossible of situations possible and from the most unusual positions possible, and then having them developed as cheaply as possible. The result is a flood of authentic, colourful, crazy, off-the-wall, unfamiliar and often brilliant snapshots. These are mounted on panels to form a sea of thousands of Lomographs which regularly astonish viewers with their sheer colourfulness, diversity and power of expression. Ensuing major exhibitions in Moscow, New York, Vienna, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Havana, Zurich, Cologne, Madrid, Cairo, Tokyo and many other cities, where up to 100,000 Lomographs were shown at a time, established an international reputation for Lomography.

So, what started out spontaneously as an artistic approach to photography in the Vienna underground scene developed into a far-reaching, international socio-cultural movement. This development has been supported by the marketing of products that have since been 'discovered' or specially developed by the Lomographic Society: extraordinary snapshot cameras (for example, the 4-lensed cameras or the Holga), photoFashion, photographic accessories, Lomographic books etc.. Also by a diversity of cultural activities organised regularly by the Lomographic Society in 35 countries around the world. The specially inaugurated LomographicAmbassadors look after LomographicFriends on a regional basis and organise all sorts of activities, such as exhibitions, parties, shows, LomographicShootings and tours, publications, international and local art projects, also collaborating on projects in the areas of film, music and the new media, as well as providing local support in a series of annual world-wide events and competitions.

The social and visual credo of Lomography had a strong influence on the function and aesthetic of photography in the 1990s. Today the community of Lomographers has over 500,000 members world-wide. Among these are mere mortals like you or me, but also such famous individuals as Brian Eno, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Pulp, Underworld, Helmut Lang, Moby and Robert Redford, to name just a few. The basic Lomographic idea be fast, don't think, be open-minded towards your environment, absorb everything, collect and enjoy being communicative has spread into a culture of communication and an approach to awareness that is shared throughout the Lomographic network. The creative premise is based on the playful combination of lo-tech and hi-tech and the amalgamation of a cultural institution with a commercial photographic and design company. And this approach has provided the Lomographic movement with a most exquisite role in this age of global and borderless (tele)communications wherever language, text and images are involved. Where is all this going? The Lomographic Society is busy beavering away with hundreds of thousands, soon to be millions of Lomographers, on and on, on the perpetually ongoing LomographicSysiphus project: The LomoWorldArchive. This is the most comprehensive archive of snapshots of all time, with all really all the wackiest and most impossible sights and moments of our time!

Lomography Addict

95 Theses of Lomography organized into 7 categories

Lomography? What is it?