Bon Adriel's First Impression of the Lomo LC-Wide

Bon Adriel is an information designer, computer scientist, and visual artist, based in Toronto, Ontario. In his free time he shoots a lot of film and makes content about the gear he tries out. After trying out an array of Lomography cameras and recently attending LomoWalk Toronto, Bon has given the Lomo LC-Wide a shot and sat down to tell us about the experience.

Hi Bon, welcome to Lomography Magazine! Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your work?

Thanks for taking interest in my work. My name is Bon Adriel and I’m a multi-disciplinary information designer, computer scientist, and visual artist based in Toronto, Canada. While I think of myself as a hobbyist, photography is my current passion and I really enjoy the process of shooting images on film. I treat photography as something like a visual journal, so most of my work centers around sharing how I see the world, my experiences, and the people around me.

What was your first impression of the Lomo LC-Wide?

I think the first thought I had when I took it out of the box was “wow, it’s so small.” I somehow didn’t think it would be that compact. It also felt sturdy and well-made, not flimsy like some cheaper point-and-shoot or reusable film cameras.

You've tried a ton of Lomography cameras, how does the Lomo LC-Wide hold up?

I own many of the simpler yet fun cameras like the Sprocket Rocket, Diana F+, La Sardina, and even some of the more premium ones like the Lomo’Instant Square Glass and Belair X 6x12, which is out of production now. I’d say that the Lomo LC-Wide is on the more premium side of Lomography cameras — it has features like manual zone focusing and multiple exposures that enable you to shoot a bit more creatively rather than simply pointing and shooting. And it does require a bit of getting used to at the beginning, but it’s simple enough that it still allows you to have that carefree shooting style that is quintessentially "Lomographic."

What did you decide to shoot with the camera?

This year was my first fall season in Toronto so I took a lot of photos of the area I live in during the last few, sunny weeks of fall. I thought it also made sense for me to use Lomography Color Negative 400 to take these shots.

Do you have a favorite photo from the rolls? Is there a story behind it?

I think my favorite is the multiple exposure shot that I took of a person riding a bike and some trees with bright fall colors. I took that during a morning walk to the office. I didn’t really plan or think too much about the composition when I took the photo, but I really liked how it turned out.

Any tips or tricks you can share about the camera?

First, I’d say, take advantage of the wide lens and use it to take photos of large structures or landscapes. For example, I really liked that I was able to fit an entire building with a mural painted on its side in a single photo frame.

Second, I really enjoyed the multiple exposure setting. Use it to take a silhouette of a person and then overlay some textures on it. I took a selfie this way, I think it made it more interesting.

Third, the half-frame settings allow you to take continuous photos that looked like they were stitched together. While I don’t think I was able to really make something out of this quirk, I think it could be cool to experiment with. Like, what would a full roll shot this way even look like?

Lastly, to avoid out of focus photos, I’d say pay attention to the zone-focusing tab, it’s quite easy to switch to a different focus zone. I took some blurry photos because I didn’t notice I had the tab on the closest focus setting while I was taking photos of faraway subjects.

Who would you recommend this camera to?

I’d say this camera is for those who like to carry a camera with them all the time to document their surroundings. The wide angle allows you to put a lot more context into a photo, so it’s excellent for capturing environments and such. It’s also very compact so it’s easy to carry around with you all the time.

If you could take the Lomo LC-Wide anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’ve been dreaming of going on a trip to some countryside villages in Tuscany, Italy, during the summer. I think this camera, paired with a good color film like Lomo 100 or 400, would be great for that kind of trip.

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

I recently tried the LomoChrome Turquoise and I’m working on a YouTube video to share my thoughts about it, so please check out @bonsees on YouTube and Instagram.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I’d just like to say thank you to Lomography for letting me try this camera. I saw that the Lomo LC cameras are having a 30-year anniversary, which just attests to the staying power of film photography, and I hope there will be more to come!

If you're interested in keeping up with Bon, make sure to check out his Youtube Channel, Instagram, TikTok, and website.

written by eloffreno on 2022-12-28 #gear #people