Pâtissier Heidi Tests the Lomo'Instant Square

The Lomo'Instant Square is dedicated to all the sparks lighting up this beautiful, bizarre and bewildering world. We’re talking about the artists, the dreamers, the free spirits; the creatives who can’t live unless they’re spattering the earth with crazy ideas and irresistible energy.

Heidi is the pâtissier of the Sparks and Cakes bakery in Hong Kong. She gives each cake a sparkling candle, that implies the beauty of a fleeting moment. Cakes cannot be stored for a long time, as well as sparks; their best moments don't last long.

Read more about the stories of Heidi and Sparks and Cakes, and enjoy the shots taken by our latest Lomo'Instant Square!

Hello Heidi! Please introduce yourself and let our readers know more about you.

Hello, I'm Heidi. I stayed in the US for some time after studying high school in Hong Kong. My homestay often gave me opportunities to bake, which aroused my interest in pastry.

What made you decide to open Sparks and Cakes?

After working in jewellery and watch design for some time, I am more aware of my own interest and aspiration. Therefore, I quit my job and decided to take a pâtisserie course in the UK. After coming back to Hong Kong, my husband Siuman and I opened Sparks and Cakes.

What inspires your cake design?

Most inspirations usually come from daily life, for example, the scenery and colors I came across in my travels. I will then apply the colors on the cakes.

Noticed that you often put flowers on cakes as decoration. Flowers are definitely not easy for handling. Is there any challenges in managing the ingredients and baking?

Flowers are the most difficult items to control because it is a kind of seasonal ingredient. I usually look for flowers which are suitable for the cake design and use them immediately. For other ingredients, it is easy to find high-quality ingredients from different countries. However, the most difficult thing is to adapt to the weather in Hong Kong. Humidity and temperature in Hong Kong are not the same as foreign countries. They affect the process of baking. Therefore, for all recipes, we have to redesign and discover the most suitable way.

What is the greatest satisfaction that Sparks and Cakes brings to you?

Sparks and Cakes brings us a lot of happiness. We participated in a lot of special events, such as weddings and children’s birthdays. Also, most of the customers become our good friends. They trust and give us a big room for creativity. They always satisfy with our cakes.

What do you think about instant photography?

I like instant photography. Nowadays people just take pictures with smartphones or digital cameras and they seldom print them out. However, we treasure the instant photos more and we will always look at the photos. We can also give it as a gift to our friends.

What do you like about the square format?

The square format is the traditional format of instant photos for me since the first instant photo I received when I was a child was in square format. In addition, the square format also makes the subject more prominent.

If you are given a Lomo'Instant Square, where will you take it and what will you shoot for?

I will go to my favorite bakery immediately and take pictures of freshly baked pastries. I am so happy every time when I see and smell them. I would be so delighted whenever I see the square instant pictures.

Any plans for the future?

The number one thing I want to do is to learn how to make different pastries, desserts, or all sorts of things that I can put on the cake.

Discover more about Sparks & Cakes by visiting their website, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram!

2017-09-23 #people #instant #kickstarter #instantphotography #lomoinstantsquare