Strong, crazy, fantastic, unique, original, exciting and sexy! These are words commonly used to describe pictures taken by Lomoers. Currently catching the eye of many a fashionable person, LOMO and the spirit it embodies, have started to lighten the dull life of metropolitan white collars. But what is LOMO and how to become a lomoer? Read on to find the answers.

The history of LOMO

LOMO is the acronym of the Russian Leningrad Optical Mechanical Society. In 1982 LOMO headquarters in St. Petersburg received an order from the state defense ministry to develop a special camera for information agencies that could be used anywhere, anytime and was easy to carry. Modeled after Japanese mini cameras, LOMO designers created the LOMO LC-A, which was actually refused by information agencies who stated it wasn't what they had asked for. In order to get rid of its stock, these LOMO cameras were sold to ordinary families and made their way into Vietnam, Cuba and East Germany.

LOMO came into the spotlight again in 1992 when two Austrian students found one in Prague. They took it back to Vienna and it quickly became popular among underground artistic circles. Continuously rising demand caused these two Austrian students go to St. Petersburg to ask the already-closed factory to start making LOMO cameras again. But what on earth is so magical about LOMO cameras?

The LOMO camera has a 32mm wide lens and works fast. It is extremely sensitive to red, blue and yellow light. Pictures taken with LOMO cameras typically have amazingly bright colors. However, the major attraction of LOMO cameras lies in their rapid snapshot function.

How to be a Lomoer

To become a lomoer, no photographic knowledge is needed but some background information about LOMO may help.

When using LOMO cameras, focus and aperture settings aren't really that important. The main thing is to shoot as many pictures as possible. LOMO pictures are often displayed in groups around a central theme.