Adventures in 110 Film Format With @materiagrezza

From starting as something of a novelty format to becoming an increasingly popular way to experiment and shoot film on a budget, 110 film is a firm favorite for many Lomographers. More and more film shooters are rediscovering this retro format all the time. We wrote about the rise of 110 format two years ago, and more recently we have featured photographers encouraging and sharing their wisdom on the 110 format and making zines created entirely from 110 film shots. Today we get to know Lomographer Dario (@materiagrezza) with his grainy and intimate look at Italy using the Diana Baby 110, and other 110 film cameras.

Credits: materiagrezza

Dario currently lives in the city of Palermo, which is located on the breathtaking island of Sicily. He got back into film photography after he found an Argus 110 camera in a trash bin and took a chance to see if it would work. Despite not liking every photo on his first roll, he saw that some of the shots came out well and this interested him in trying out and pursuing this format of film.

The main pro is the portability, obviously. And the fact that you can swap the same cartridge between cameras is useful if you want to test multiple ones. There is minimal risk of light leaks or accidental exposure while doing so (it's best done in a dark room or inside a camera bag), and the worst that could happen is losing a frame. Another pro is the ease of use, and if you use a wide lens, you don't have to worry too much about framing. I'm aware of 110 SLRs, but I have yet to find a working one, and just by looking at some sample shots of cameras like the Pentax 110 SLR, I'm surprised by the sharpness of it, and can't wait to get an SLR ASAP. About cons, one I can think of is that you're bound to lose some very fine details and that the negatives are hard to scan if you don't have a digital scanner like those mini scanners Kodak makes.
Credits: materiagrezza

After his experience with the Argus, Dario ended up getting the Diana Baby. Being more aware of how to shoot the film format, the results were mindblowing for Dario. He uses it especially when he wants to take more discreet shots without ruining those spontaneous moments. Its small size is great for quick shots without getting noticed to preserve intimate moments.

I have actually a funny story. I ordered the Diana Baby with a Metropolis cartridge bundled with it, and because I wanted more film to pack, I ordered two by mistake. This way I got two Diana Babies. I don't know where the other one is, but I do know that I have a spare if the other one breaks or gets lost. When I told my mother, she just couldn't believe this little thing could make photos. I find it very comfortable to carry anywhere, so much so that sometimes I forget it's even in my pocket, bag, backpack, or whatever. The first rule of Lomography, "Take your camera everywhere you go", is fully embodied in this tiny camera. I take it out whenever I see the best occasion for it, to frame a little story, to discreetly take pictures of something happening. So much can happen in a frame that's 1/4 of a standard 35 mm shot.
Credits: materiagrezza

After using the Diana Baby for quite a while, Dario shares some tips with the community on how to achieve some amazing shots with the camera.

As I said, the Diana Baby is a very small camera. Don't tell anyone you have it, and be sure no one sees it when you're taking a picture of your friends, or anything unusual happening will lose its spontaneity if anyone is aware of the camera. I got my best shots with the camera as-is. I don't tend to be lucky when using it in B mode indoors or in the dark unless I wanted to play with light or make some abstract art. I think using the Fritz the Blitz flash on it is neat and unlocks newer depths, but in the end by sacrificing the extreme portability of it. In conclusion, go wild with it. Show it off, or don't. Bring it anywhere, on your keychain, in your lunch bag or adventure backpack. It's a worthy companion that can tell many stories.
Credits: materiagrezza

Besides the Diana Baby, Dario also has other 110 cameras which he rotates with such as the Haking Star Lite 2 and the Minolta Autopak 460T. With these cameras, he still uses an abundance of Lomography films such as the B&W Orca 110, Color Tiger 110, Lobster Redscale 110, LomoChrome Purple 110 and the now-discontinued Peacock Slide 110. With the abundance of 110 film stocks, Dario is truly free to run wild and shoot creatively knowing he can find the film he needs for the right situation.

With his abundance of 110 photos from his many cameras, we asked Dario to choose some of his favorite pictures and the stories behind them.

SEQQQQUENCE
This wild experiment is the result of not knowing how to fill the 24th frame after 23 other frames of various shots, some good and some bad. Every 10 seconds I advanced the take-up dial by a little bit, making 3 clicks before I stopped, and then took another shot, with the camera perfectly still on the bus stop bench. In each shot, the cars are different, except the parked ones, and the house in the background is stretched. I called it "Seqqqquence" because of the method I used. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this. Yes, with the Diana F+ it's possible and I've seen some great stuff done with it on Lomography. But with a Diana Baby? I doubt.
CHILD ON A SWING
I took this picture at a first communion party at a farm in the middle of nowhere in my native Sicily. Whenever a child has his first communion here, it's tradition to throw a big party, as if it was something like a wedding or a baptism. This child is the brother of the "communion boy", along with other children from the extended family. He liked this picture a lot, even saying it looks like the cover of Korn's first album (great reference, clever boy!) It's no secret that this is one of my favorite shots so far.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
This is a particular Lomographic adventure I had last summer, visiting the place where one of my many cousins practices horseriding. While she practiced, I tried to befriend some of the horses there. There was this sweet mare with two foals. One was hers and the other one was adopted. The foal in this picture is the adopted one. I took many closeup pictures of her with many cameras, and this one is the closest, the most intimate, the one that best shows the bond between two animals.

Dario shows how 110 film is more than just a novelty. It's a format for those who want something more grainy, gritty, and discreet. There is plenty of support for this format with cameras and film stocks always available at our online store for you to start your 110 film journey.


We thank Dario for his wonderful photos. You can check more of his work on his LomoHome. What's your favorite moment with 110 format? Let us know down below.

written by rocket_fries0036 on 2023-04-02 #gear #people #places #palermo #street-photography #110 #sicily #italy #110-format #diana-baby #color-tiger-110 #lobster-redscale-110 #b-w-orca-110 #lomochrome-purple-110 #peacock-slide-110

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