Lomographers Throughout the Years: Neja

To celebrate our 25th anniversary, we are honoring 25 of the most iconic Lomographers in the community. We did some catching up with Julija Svetlova, also known as Neja, who is celebrating her 15th year in Lomography!

Name: Julija Svetlova
Username: neja
Year when you joined Lomography: 2002

Let's do a backtrack: How did you discover Lomography?

My friend Aleksandr Botkov told me about it. I lived in St Petersburg for a while and he was working on the early Lomography projects.

What was your first Lomography camera?

The classic LC-A, then Supersampler and Actionsampler, then Holga, then the rest of the family.

What's your fondest Lomography moment?

It's gotta be the International Lomography Congress in Beijing in 2004! There, I met so many cool cats, and also got the travel bug that never left me since.

What does Lomography mean to you?

It's such an ever-present part of my life!

Could you share some of your earliest Lomography shots?

Who were your Lomography friends back then?

So many! We were all such a tight-knit community! I always laugh that doesn't matter where to I travel, I would probably be able to find a Lomographer or two who lives there, be it Vitoria-Gasteiz in Basque country or Singapore.

What keeps you busy now?

I am busy multi-tasking and wearing many hats. I work freelance as a photographer, I give guided tours at Tate Modern and I am trying to complete my MA in History of Art with Photography.

What advice would you give new Lomographers?

Shoot a lot, buy lots of films, scan yourself!

Some of our favorite shots by Neja

Visit her LomoHome to see more.

Have you submitted your shots yet? Help us create a global photography exhibition by sending us your top shots of your favorite places and signing up to construct your very own LomoWall. Keep an eye on the official 25 Years of Lomography site and make sure you’re following us on social media, too. From parties to exhibitions to giveaways and more, there are tons of festivities still to come!

2017-08-01 #people #25thanniversary #25yearsoflomography #lomographersthroughouttheyears