Joseph Jimenez on Discovering Analogue Photography and Lomography Color Negative 800 Film

Joseph Jimenez is a California-based photographer with a following on Instagram for his portraits, landscapes, and occasional street shots. He shares with us his beginnings of discovering analogue with help from Lomography Color Negative 800 film as well as his tips and tricks for budding Lomographers!

Hi Joseph, welcome to Lomography Magazine! Can you please start off by telling us a bit about yourself and your work?

First off, I want to say how grateful I am to be featured in this magazine and show you guys my favorite shots I took with Lomography film. My name is Joseph Jimenez, and I am a photographer from the Bay Area. I primarily take photos of landscapes, portraits and sometimes street. Most of my inspiration comes from music, movies, and photography books. I oftentimes drive along the California coast to see the beautiful light that it has to offer. As a photographer, I also love to explore. I love driving to different places to immerse myself in a new environment, take pictures, and most importantly, make new memories. Honestly, I think the best part of being a photographer is looking back at your shots and reliving precious experiences and moments.

Do you have a favorite Lomography film stock?

My favorite film stock is Lomography Color Negative 800 on 120. I can use that film stock at any time of the day.

Do you have an all time favorite shot taken on our film? Is there a story behind it?

My favorite shot I took with Lomo 800 is the low rider in front of the movie theater in Oakland. At the time, I was still so new to film and trying to understand exposure. It was a cloudy day, so I anticipated the shots being underexposed. But, I couldn’t miss the opportunity—I was out all day shooting with a good friend of mine, and he was introducing me to other creatives. Since we were already there, I figured I’ll take photos and hopefully I’ll produce a shot that I like. After the roll was developed and scanned, I was filled with joy when I found that the shots I took turned out better than expected. Overall, when I look at this picture it reminds me of what happened that day and how fun it was.

What makes you reach for Lomography film?

Around my area it’s hard to come by with Lomography 800, so whenever I see it on the shelf I buy a pack and instantly want to use it the next time I take photos. Other than that, it’s affordable and the colors you can get from Lomography film are so different from others.

What is your go-to camera kit?

My go-to camera kit is a Mamiya RZ67 and Fuji GA645.

Do you have any tips or tricks for shooting with our film stocks?

Try it at any time of day and see what it has to offer. Keep experimenting with it and see what works for you. From experience, I already know I can depend on Lomo 800 at any time of the day and know it will produce shots I like.

Do you have any advice for people just getting started in film photography?

Keep trying everything until you find something that suits you the best, whether it’s shooting 35 mm or 120 mm, finding the film stock you like, etc. Also, just have fun with it and embrace the possibility that the pictures won’t come out how you want them to be. I know most people gets discouraged when that happens, but I say keep going, keep shooting, and enjoy the process.

If you could take Lomography film anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would take it to the Philippines, where I came from. I would love to document it and see what I can get. To come back as a photographer with a new perspective, I think that would be really nice and help me remember my roots.

Do you have any upcoming projects or shoots that you can share?

I don’t have any projects coming up. In this moment, I’m just exploring new areas to take pictures and occasionally do a photoshoot here and there.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I'm just grateful I can share my experience with film and thank you Lomography for making that possible.

If you're interested in keeping up with Joseph and his work, don't forget to check out his Instagram!

written by eloffreno on 2023-07-10 #gear #people #street #landscape #gear #portraiture