I Bought an Instant Film Camera & It's Terrible

I bought a Lomography Instant Square camera and I have mixed feelings anout the benefits to my photography with this film camera. I have had the instant film camera for about 6 months and my success ratio is approximately 1/9, but I feel like things are improving.

*SAVE MONEY*

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#LandscapePhotography #instax #film

[TZerot]

Kinda comical to be critiquing the shots you got from a lomo camera the way you did. I actually ended up enjoying most of the shots you pointed out as failures.

[amalieemmynoether]

This reminds me of the "pro-tog, crap camera" segment on (I can't remember which YT channel). There was always a professional photographer that had to shoot the whole day with some awful, cheap camera (Lego camera and Barbie camera come to mind).
It always struck me that their shot on crap cameras were better than most amateurs with dslr's (myself included). It's all about skills and knowing the cameras strengths and limitations rather than the camera itself. And you have proven the point again! Not only did you capture some beautifully ethereal night shots in fog but even your misfire (ie minimalist tree branches emerging from the bottom of the image) is better than 2/3rds of my shots.

[gabyisphoto]

what a great exercise stripping off all tech capabilities and challenging your photography skills - and the results are truly amazing! well done.

[colinamonk]

I was waiting for your calendar I’m still enjoying this year’s keep up the good work

[clarkzy]

Man you were firing this video!! Great energy 👌🏼

[hoodie]

I'd be interested to see the difference between your keeper rate on the instax vs on your other cameras. I think it looks a lot worse because you can physically see and hold the piles and the difference is very noticeable.

I tend to shoot high burst-rate photography, such as wildlife, so my keeper rate is probably a lot smaller than yours, but I think with limited shot analogue mediums we tend to be slower and more considered in how we use the shots, so you might find you've taken far fewer but the keeper rate is fairly similar.

[changinglight]

Just an idea but why not get a Polaroid film back for your Hasselblad 501 - you would then have no issues with focus and exposure. The print isn't as large but the results would be much more rewarding.

[alexandredelepine]

Can't wait for that Norway video!😉

[rickpetersonphotography]

The street light photo was awesome! It’s a pitiful cheaper ratio though for that camera. Do you think a different camera with the same film would produce more keepers?

[terrywbreedlove]

Some of these good shots are actually some of your best ever from any camera. Scan them and make a print

[adampoll]

Every time you said "sky replacement" I died a little inside. It's killing the art of photography.

[tmoo]

I have this camera, and it requires patience to learn. The biggest issue is exposure due to the 800iso film, but with ND filters and skill using the lighten/darken function you can eliminate most over-exposure. The viewfinder becomes ok as well once you understand how it links to focus (include the dark area when shooting infinity, only use smaller bright area when shooting close). It is also terrific for shooting long exposures with the remote. Not a perfect camera by any means but it is Lomography after all. They make a living from plastic and usually difficult experimental cameras.

[brineb]

I think you had different expectations than what an instant camera can do!!! I have the camera and love it, if you just shoot for fun and not expect the same results as a modern digital!!! It';s more just a fun experience, which i do feel you did touch on ... I have used instant cameras since 1970 and love the magic to this day!!!

[iwasapirateonce]

Wow I absolutely adore that shot of the triple traffic lights, it's almost like looking back in time.

[blindsleep]

I'm a wedding photographer and I bought one. I take candids all day and deliver them at dinner to the bride and groom. They love it!

[martinjn]

"It's about having fun" - This is such a true statement, I may never scale the giddy heights of being a professional photographer or have my own YT channel with, 000's of followers, my images may never make a ripple in a judging round of a prestigious photo competition but all of that is unimportant if my photography gives me pleasure. I loved those night shots of the traffic signals and street lights, with autumn approaching you have just given me a great idea for a shoot with a roll of nice grainy HP5+ in my OM2n.

You should have taken the Blad out for these shoots, buying and getting a roll of 120 developed is cheaper. Great video thanks Thomas.

[lensman]

if you can, find a copy of Ansel Adams's Singular Images book. Its a collection of photographs taken with Polaroid Land cameras of yesteryears. There will be no more jokes made about ' instant photography ', I can assure you.

[areallyrealisticguyd]

a camera is just a tool to create art. that being said if you're pinning most of your problems on the camera perhaps it's more of an issue with the photographer rather than the camera. I shoot instant film all the time and rarely have issues with it 🤷🏻‍♂️

[ThomasParis]

To train my eye (and I wholeheartedly agree it's fundamental), I photograph with my mid-range phone. And with it, I sometimes make photos that sell, so I do have some winners. But I make them with the included photo app, meaning I have very little control on what the camera makes. Other than the most important thing: composition.

As for the instax, I have a printer that uses the same paper but I use it when I photograph a live gig, to offer the musicians a print just after they've finished their set. It's my way to thank them for the music and I love the big smiles I get every time I do that. The only gigs I photograph are in cafes and such, of musicians who seldom see the photos that have been made of them, not even digitally, certainly not printed. So, there's a bit of magic when I do hand them a piece of my work.

[oderycke]

I like the Missfired shot.!... It is another genre in itself, something different but why not ? If it conveys a mood why say they are a failure, not especially. The flaws (blurred, overexposed, double exposure, no composition...) can be the strength of such a photography type. Trying something new is always refreshing, it boosts creativity, doesn't it ? When you know too well the rules, breaking them is also fun. I wouldn't apply the rules to polaroids, they are not meant for that in my opinion.