Daniel Schaefer: Thoughts on Lomo'Instant Square

Daniel Schaefer returns to Lomography Magazine, bringing in some hot takes on the new Lomo' Instant Square, and explaining his love affair with the square format. Read on as he gives us the scoop on his apocalyptic summer and the new age of instant photography. Schaefer's photography embraces the 1:1 format as it allows him to craft a more intimate portrait.

Hi Daniel, welcome back to Lomography Magazine. Seems like you've got a pretty cool job this summer, tell us about it!

This summer has me back out in the Zombie Apocalypse! Writing for Z Nation on the SyFy network, and shooting some behind the scenes.

How did that get started?

Writing has always been the family business, I got pulled into this particular project because I enjoy all things B+ Horror gory zombie comedy nonsense.

What inspires you and keeps your creative gears turning?

A constant love/hate relationship with all the work I make. I love it at the moment, hate it a week later, and force myself to make something better to one-up the last thing I make, and then later down the line, look back at the things I grew to hate and realize I love them so much more.

What advice would you give to your 15-year-old self?

Never say no to something that gives you a chance to create in a way you haven't tried yet. New mediums, different art forms, even something as simple as a different street to walk down on the way home. Anything that gives you the chance to something new, take it.

What are your thoughts instant photography?

It's so satisfying to make an image into an object so immediately. The fact that the camera spits out something tangible makes for a really intimate and meaningful shooting experience.

What do you think of the Lomo’Instant Square?

It's awesome to have a camera that can turn out such a lovely size of an image in a package that can tuck away into the bottom of my bag so readily, and the lens is just absolutely phenomenal.

How do you like the pictures taken with the Lomo'Instant Square?

Love the treatment of light, and the character of the color the lens/film combo lends itself to.

What do you like about the square format?

Before Instagram ever lent us the scrollable square, the 6x6 format made for a lovely, confined frame. Especially shooting portraits and balancing scene and subject, the square allows a more direct balance between the person in frame and the space around them that I adore.

How does the Lomo'Instant Sq compare to other Instant cameras that you've used?

It's nice and light, which for a collapsible camera is always appreciated. Being able to carry around a camera that produces such nice images on the fly is always appreciated, and the ability to swap between formats is really convenient.

Daniel Schaefer is a photographer and writer based wherever his lens and pen are most useful. Currently making work in Spokane, WA, he is known for his cinematically charged images ranging from delicately lit portraiture to visceral shots of the lively NYC streets. His writings on photo theory have been met by much community acclaim, with industry standard sites like Petapixel, the Phoblographer, Japan Camera Hunter and Fstoppers publishing his articles. His work and workshops can be found at OutlierImagery.com.

2017-09-30 #people #instant #kickstarter #instantphotography #lomoinstantsquare