Diana Mini

The last time I put film inside a camera must have been in 2003, before I graduated from uni and right before we (the family) purchased an Olympus Mju 300 digital camera which we share.  I had learned photojournalism for one semester back when I was in the 9th grade in high school.  Now that was such a great experience on learning how to take photographs and process the films manually in the dark room.  Yes, we processed our own photos.  Visually in my mind, I can still recall some of the steps that we had to do, but frankly, I don't even remember the names of the chemicals and even that small machine that we use to put the negatives, paper and light - for it to then become a photograph.

From my visit to the Diana Lomo exhibition last week, I decided to give film and lomo a try.  Introducing... Diana Mini.

My younger sister has explored lomography long before I even knew what it was (we siblings even 'questioned' the Colour Splash lomo camera that she first bought five or six years back because we really didn't know what lomography was).  But thanks to her, right after I purchased Diana Mini, I got an express tutorial of Lomo101 from her, having her explained to me about what films to use and about cross-processing.  She says that those effect which I like to use from my iPhone apps are effects similar to films which have been cross-processed.  I was thrilled.  It's never to late to try something new, right? Now one thing about shooting with film that's different from using digital camera - is patience.  Not being able to see the results instantly on the screen feels like waiting to open up a present!

As for cross-processing films, I came to know that the effect happens when slide films are processed as regular films.  In another way, it's processing the film in the wrong chemical.  That's why the processed photos would have really wacky, vibrant and highly contrasting colours.  Interesting, right?  But as it turns out, slide films are expensive! Fortunately, I went to the camera shop and was recommended an expired Fuji Sensia 100 film for AUD5.50, which is still a slide film.  Cheap enough for my first ever lomo roll.  And luckily, cross-processed images from Fuji Sensia using lomo cameras do turn out amazing!  Now I just hope that my Diana Mini will give me nice surprises... but that we'll only be able to see that in another month or so when the 36 exposures are finished.

 If you want to know more about what lomography is about, click here.