Lomographers Throughout the Years: Kylewis

An experimenter at heart, Ky Lewis made a name with her creative takes on alternative image-making techniques. From pinholes to chemigrams to Lumen prints, she has tried them all. For almost 15 years, she continuously shares her passion for these experimental processes through her LomoHome, photographs books, and workshops.

Name: Ky Lewis
Username: @kylewis
Year Joined: 2005/6
What keeps you busy now: These days my time is crammed with family, home educating my youngest of three, running an education group, making photos, experimenting with alternative processes and preparing for exhibitions and doing more and more workshops sharing pinhole, cyanotype, lumen and chemigram processes and the like. It’s a little bit mad but a lot of fun.

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

I got a crazy little camera with a pull string as a present and checked out the website on the packaging, joined up shortly after when I had run some rolls through it.

What was your first Lomography camera?

The first camera was the yellow SuperSampler, then not long after I got the Plastic Fantastic package and ended up with the Holga, Fisheye, SuperSampler and more. I’ve had four LC-As and an LC-Wide and pretty much all the rest of the older cams. My faves are LC-A, Holga, and my Zero Pinholes, though I do still use my older cams like the Horizon and Sprocket Rocket, they all still have film in, ready to go.

What's your fondest Lomography moment?

Tough one, I’ve had so many over the years and have met so many good friends. I suppose the Lomography Congress in London Trafalgar Square 2007 as I got to meet many friends that I’m still in touch with now. The Lomo parties were always great at the Lomography Gallery Store in Soho and the Lomo walks. The meetings in bizarre places such as the HMS President was a good one as well.

Could you share some of your earliest Lomography shots?

Who were your Lomography friends back then?

So many great friendships that have continued up to today which is brilliant, it was such a mad time and we always had a laugh whether at parties or doing events or online stuff, Julija Svetlova (@neja) Stephan Kapps (@mephisto19) Helen (@scootiepye) Adam Scott, Stephan Heinz (@vicuna) Linda Scott Liana (@golfpunkgirl).

What advice would you give newcomers (to the Lomography community)?

Learn what your cameras do and how each film works and in what cameras. Make a lot of photos and if you can get into a darkroom, I'll be the best. Keep it fun and experiment.

What does Lomography mean to you?

I had always made photos but it gave me a new outlook a more experimental approach which I carry through to my practice today. I don’t use as many cameras as I did and I often don’t use cameras at all but when I do it’s always a fun approach and mostly plastic, wood and homemade.

Some of our favorite photographs by @kylelewis:

Visit her LomoHome to see more.

As we celebrate 25 years of Lomography, we want you to be part of the unstoppable revolution. We’ve got heaps of exciting giveaways, parties, exhibitions and surprises, so don’t forget to stay updated on the official 25 Years of Lomography site and follow us on social media! Stay tuned for the latest updates on the most exciting must-have Lomo accessories!

2017-09-22 #25thanniversary #25yearsoflomography #lomographersthroughouttheyears