Lomo In-Depth: The Relevance of Instant Photography Today

It is no secret now that social media platforms have taken the place of photography in many aspects — such as the Lomographic style mimicked in photo app “filters”. Although a growing and reviving market, instant photography remains at the shadows of smartphone cameras; this is to make room for the snap-and-upload social media culture of today.

However, let us not forget that even in the light of progress and advancement, instant photography (in its most classic definition), remains important even now.

Importance of the physical print

The boom of instant photography in the 90’s now may only remain an echo, but even an echo can vibrate so it can be heard again. The efforts of instant photography Edward Land continues on even in the 21st century.

Along with the growing and resurrecting love for film and analogue, there seems to be more value being sought after in the physicality of a photograph. Even Bryan Caporicci of Digital Photography School admits to the importance of the print, especially for the photographer:

“A print will always be the most realistic representation of an image as it is the only medium that is truly tangible and actual. This will ultimately be the best way to judge your work as an image isn’t truly finished until it’s in printed form. It’s easier to judge an image when it’s printed — you can examine it closer, look at it longer, and see it in different contexts. I have been taught that a great way to judge and find improvement in an image is to print it, display it somewhere that you pass by frequently, and look at it often. Try changing its orientation and displaying it upside-down for a while. You will often see things that you wouldn’t otherwise notice if you didn’t analyze it to that extent. This is a much more effective exercise than staring at a computer screen for hours on end.”

Amanda Mabel of Vogue Australia has described the excitement she felt on seeing the photograph develop in the flesh:

“The feeling of watching a photo develop is unlike any other, and it builds up anticipation and excitement — which will further increase the satisfaction you derive from taking a beautiful photo.”

The physicality of a photograph enters once again in the discourse. If not film, instant cameras does its function to provide ‘immediate’ prints. Of course, this physicality and concreteness that is sought in instant photography is not exclusive to the photographer. The consumer will have a more enjoyable and appreciative outlook on an image, if on print. There’s nothing but the image on print — no sidebars, popping notifications or distractions that are always found on screen.

Like vinyl records, cassette tapes, paperback books — photographs become more personal.

If not now, then when? — satiating nostalgia

The aspect of nostalgia and sentimentality is an integral part of photography. After all, the very, initial purpose of it is to ‘keep’ moments of reality; to have souvenirs of things that had already happened and passed away; it is why Land’s invention became such a hit. Instant photography — true to its name, delivers immediate results.

Brendon Hannaford, a photography enthusiast and owner of a Lomo’instant Wide camera, vouches for this:

“In the digital world, how are you meant to take special notice of a photo you took last month when it is one of hundreds? Enter one of my favorite aspects of the instant camera. Once a photo is taken, it cannot help but be noticed. Jutted out from the camera, an instant photograph uses its physicality to refuse being ignored. Try as you might to forget it, you now have a physical monument to a moment in time, and even if you don’t look at it every day, it will need to be put somewhere. And, unlike that third photo you took of your delicious eggs Benedict this morning, an instant photo will remain long after the day it is taken, and even open up the possibility of being nostalgically found in a shoebox someday.”

Instant photography makes photography more fun.

Another thing is, unlike in digital and analogue photography, there is only one physical copy of an image done out of an instant camera. This uniqueness and ‘specialty’ of instant photographs only heightens the images’ personal importance.

Contemporary aesthetics: authentic vintage is in

There is no doubt about the stark difference between digital and analogue. Even if redone and edited in Photoshop, analogue medium has that unique vintage feel that just cannot be reproduced. Amanda Mabel adds:

“While digital photography captures the world in its natural beauty without any colour effects or filters, film offers a more artistic effect. This also explains the popularity behind Instagram’s ‘vintage’ filters, such as Valencia, Rise and Nashville (free), Hipstamatic’s grainy, film camera emulation effects ($1.99) and Afterlight’s dust and light leak overlays ($0.99) as well as Shakeit Photo’s instant film borders ($1.99). Do away with the hassle of filtering your photos and instead snap away freely with an instant film camera. The pictures will come out looking as if they’ve been edited in the camera itself with a slight grain, gorgeous vintage tones and, of course, with a classic instant film border.”

The effortlessness is just unmatched.