Special Edition: Ektar Lomography

A while back I picked up 15 rolls of Photoworks 400 ISO for crossprocessing experiments this year. The seller kicked in five rolls of Ektar that I didn't expect. So I was pleased and gave him all five stars. I've used three of the Ektar rolls, a 200 and two of the four 400s. The 200 was shot and returned one image that, when converted to monocrhome, wasn't terrible. The 400s have returned some very lomographic images that I've been pleased with. One roll was taken with one of my K2s the other with my F3. No idea which photos came off which rolls.

If you've never explored lomography, it's worth performing a Google image search to look at some results. Characterized by 'technically inferior' results, lomographic-type images are a modern film art form of the highest caliber. Let me pause here to note that Lomography (majuscule case) is a trademarked name belonging to Austrian company Lomographische, AG. The term lomography (diminutive case) is used by many photographers to represent lo-fi photography. I don't, personally, agree with calling lo-fi photography lomography for the same reason that I don't call photocopies Xeroxes and Internet searches Google searches: companies spend a substantial amount of time and money establishing and nurturing a brand. Brand degradation through common parlance denigrates the hours and ingenuity spent by marketing types to develop and coddle their brands. So, henceforth, I will refer to lo-fi photograph by its proper name: lo-fi.

Anyway, so these lo-fi results were generated by using Kodak Ektar 400 slide film that expired in 1983. The storage is, at best, questionable (probably a drawer somewhere.) Slide film degrades as soon as it is warmer than about 35 or 40 degrees (Fahrenheit.) SO this film returned very lo-fi results with poor color rendition, excessive grain, and a distinctly 1950-ish look. Also, I have no idea how these images arrived at this final look, except that the old film played a huge roll. Expired film is pretty cheap on a well known online auction site. Pick up a couple rolls and give it a shot. Any major city, and in fact some minor cities, will have a place that develops slide film. If not, any of a number of online sites can develop your film. I have used and like greatly OldSchoolPhotoLab.com.




Hannah is a fairly rare black Rhodesian Ridgeback. They're about one in 400. Her sister is also black, but her sister's ridge swirls in the other direction.


Hannah is silently judging me for taking her photo. She really, really hates having her picture taken.


I live a parking lot away from a fairly good pizza place. Cheever always perks up when we're outside and someone's ordered sausage or bacon on their pizza.


This is one of Cheever's classic looks: The 'yeah I just nailed that catch with an in-air inversion" look. He takes his fetch very seriously.