LomoGuru of the Week: Blueskyandhardrock

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We have tons of LomoGurus coming from the U-S-A and this lady from Los Angeles just jumped in the pack!

She was once interviewed for our LomoDiary feature in which she shared a great part of her Lomographic story. Now, as the new year has come, it’s time for blueskyandhardrock to share her expertise!

I guess we’d better stop with the introductions and just let you all read our interview with this week’s LomoGuru!

Credits: blueskyandhardrock

Name: Michelle Rae
Lomography Username: blueskyandhardrock
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Number of years as a Lomographer: About 5 years now
Number of years in the Community: About 5 years, too

Share to us your most memorable experience in the Lomographic Community.

I don’t think I have one most memorable experience. I do have severals great ones, though, which I prefer because that makes it a lot like real life. Life is not just about that one memorable experience, it’s a collection of events that mold you to become the person you are in the present — that’s how Lomography is. All my Lomo experiences, whether good or bad – meeting amazing people, sharing photo ideas online, getting creative with others from all over the world, winning contests, learning more about photography every day, and even losing a roll or two because it was severely underexposed or overexposed – molded me to become the Lomographer that I am today.

A thing for beautiful film grain.

Have you actually met people in the Community that you now consider as close friends? If yes, name at least one of them.

More than two years ago during one of my yearly road trips, I met finally myloveletter. Before then, I was already an avid fan of her work and we would send each other messages on Lomography. When she learned that St. Augustine, Florida – where she was living then – was one of my pitstops, she invited me to stay overnight at her place. I was kinda nervous because she was a big deal in Lomography and it was the first time that we would be meeting in person but I was nervous for nothing. When we finally met, we were already so comfortable with each other and we talked all night like we have been friends for years. It was freaky how it worked out so perfectly. We’ve been super close since then. She even lived with me for a short time when she came to LA a few months ago.

Do you think you’ll still be taking Lomographs in the next 5 years? Why?

Absolutely. Lomography is not just a casual hobby that I’ll grow tired of in a few years, nor is it an addiction that I’ll quit sooner or later. It’s a part of my life, it’s a part of me. Although I do other things like writing and traveling, a big part of me is a Lomographer/photographer. I don’t think I’ll ever be a complete version of me now if you took Lomography away from me.

Aside from her friendship with myloveletter, Michelle has also made friendship through Lomo projects with sobetion, superkulisap, and dakadev_pui who are all from Asia. Amazing, huh!

What is your favorite Lomo camera and why? Do you have any memorable experiences while using this camera?

I am a 120 film fiend and seriously, I had such high hopes for the new Belair camera. Never has there been an inexpensive 120 camera with such flexibility and possibility. Unfortunately, my expectations weren’t exactly satisfied, which I understand of course because it’s a new camera. Time and experience are needed to perfect such things. I mean, the first Apple laptop wasn’t exactly the much coveted gadget than it is today. So I’d like to say that it’s my favorite Lomo camera even if it still needs work. So if I were to pick right now, I would say it’s the Lomo LC-Wide, which I just purchased recently as a Christmas gift to myself. I love it! The lens is fanstastic, it is super wide and it offers different formats. They’re such great additions to the features that had made Lomo LC-A so fantastic in the first place.

Credits: blueskyandhardrock

Please share your most favourite Lomographic photo that you took and explain why.

To me, the freedom to go where you want to go, be who you want to be, and do the things you want to do is an important part to finding yourself and finding contentment. Freedom is one of the most important things to me as a person and I try to live my life that way. So I try to convey a sense of freedom and carefree-ness in all of my photos. I think I’ve captured that perfectly in this one photograph, which makes it my favorite one.

Credits: blueskyandhardrock

Is there any advice you can give to new analogue shooters?

Never doubt yourself. We all make mistakes and we all have taken bad photographs. Heck, I’ve just developed a severely underexposed roll today! We can’t all be innately great at everything! And once or twice we will encounter some bad days or even a camera that we just can’t seem to get along with. Don’t ever let those obstacles discourage you and doubt yourself. Learn from your mistakes and push yourself to do better.

Do you think you’re qualified as a LomoGuru? Got something to share in our Community? Then drop me a line at mayee.gonzales@lomography.com qne become the next LomoGuru!

written by mayeemayee on 2013-01-27 #lifestyle #interview #community #blueskyandhardrock #lomoguru

32 Comments

  1. bebopbebop
    bebopbebop ·

    love your every shots, both in bad or good day! @blueskyandhardrock !

  2. adi_totp
    adi_totp ·

    congraaaaats! Haloo Guru! :D

  3. coca
    coca ·

    congrats @blueskyandhardrock!! :)

  4. bloomchen
    bloomchen ·

    @blueskyandhardrock congrats michelle!!! a well deserved guru-title.

  5. dida
    dida ·

    congrats LA girl! your photos are an inspiration to me ♥

  6. sobetion
    sobetion ·

    @blueskyandhardrock ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

  7. blueskyandhardrock
    blueskyandhardrock ·

    @mayeemayee thank you for the feature! xo

  8. blueskyandhardrock
    blueskyandhardrock ·

    @bebopbebop @adi_totp @coca @bloomchen @poepel @dida @sobetion Thank you my loves! You're all ace and my inspirations! xo

  9. sobetion
    sobetion ·

    @blueskyandhardrock Wohoooooooooo!! You're inspired me a lot too, Thank for everything my best friend Michelle ^______^ ♥♥

  10. dreadlockboy
    dreadlockboy ·

    im always a fan of your photos :) congrats michelle @blueskyandhardrock

  11. ohlordy
    ohlordy ·

    Congrats guru! @blueskyandhardrock

  12. sara81
    sara81 ·

    Congrats michelle, now im knowing a secong guru;-) My boxfriend gepo1303 is also one;-)

  13. vicuna
    vicuna ·

    @blueskyandhardrock: congrats lomoguru Michelle!!

  14. laurasulilly
    laurasulilly ·

    @blueskyandhardrock: congrats michelle! i'm so in love with your self portraits. and i like your adivce a lot, i should really try to take it to heart, i doubt myself so so much all the time.

  15. jawknee
    jawknee ·

    AWESOME! Congrats :) I really do love your work.

  16. gepo1303
    gepo1303 ·

    Congratulations Michelle :-)

  17. 134340
    134340 ·

    congrats!! @blueskyandhardrock: :)

  18. gauthierdumonde
    gauthierdumonde ·

    Great work !! @blueskyandhardrock

  19. boobert
    boobert ·

    @blueskyandhardrock congratulations!

  20. mayeemayee
    mayeemayee ·

    Woah! Tons of comments over the weekend! Thanks guys and thanks again @blueskyandhardrock for this interview :)

  21. superlighter
    superlighter ·

    Michelle ma belle.. Congratulations and welcome in the LomoGuru International Club! :-)

  22. disdis
    disdis ·

    Bravo Michelle!

  23. mojo_lomo
    mojo_lomo ·

    congrats @blueskyandhardrock i'm your big fan!

  24. stouf
    stouf ·

    @blueskyandhardrock ...See? Others that won't forget you : )

  25. ghuido
    ghuido ·

    @blueskyhardrock .....CONGRATULAZIONI!!!!!

  26. vici
    vici ·

    @blueskyandhardrock - Congrats dear girl. Keep it up!

  27. blueskyandhardrock
    blueskyandhardrock ·

    @superlighter thanks! no way, there's a secret club? can i attend your secret meetings now? i have a great robe for the occasion! haha :D

    @disdis @mojo_lomo @ghuido @vici thank you. you guys rock!

    @stouf i hope so my friend. :D

  28. giovannidecarlo
    giovannidecarlo ·

    wooooooooooooooooow I have a LomoGURU in "the Phileas Fogg project" ! ! ! :p
    Congrats Michelle !

  29. kibs
    kibs ·

    Super congrats! Great article about a very talented lomographer :)

  30. lostlittlekid
    lostlittlekid ·

    Congrats! Big fan of you work! @blueskyandhardrock

  31. peropero
    peropero ·

    love love love!

  32. robotto_dawad
    robotto_dawad ·

    nice article :)

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