The Slow Film Photographer – Yu Huapen and Lomography Color Negative Film

In this interview we meet Chinese photographer Yu Huapen. He tells us about his attitude towards photography, his love for medium format film in particular, and his future creative plans. Through his words we also gain a deeper understanding of the charm of film photography, and learn about the unique perspective and creative ideas of the photographer.

Hi and welcome to Lomography Magazine. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I am Yu Huapen, but photography is not my profession. Photography is more of a hobby and a tool for self-expression, so I can take photos and create at my own pace. For me, the efficiency of equipment and media is not the core requirement. I prefer to use medium format cameras and film as a creative medium.

Recently, I was invited to host a sharing session on "New Terrain Photography" in Chengdu, and I plan to expand and refine the related content to create a theme course that is more suitable for online dissemination. My personal creative work is also slowly progressing, and I welcome my fans to follow me on Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, and my official account.

How did you first discover Lomography?

I first came into contact with Lomography at the end of 2021, when Lomography's team found me on Bilibili. I really like the color and versatility of Lomography 400 and 800 color negative films, so I stocked up dozens of rolls for daily shooting. During the 2022 Spring Festival, I even brought these two films on a 7-day road trip and made three vlogs.

Can you tell us about a bit about this trip?

It seems that every small holiday, we can only be forced to "stay at home and do nothing". After hesitating for a long time, I decided to be impulsive and "brave the road" again. In the end, I chose to go to some seemingly unpopular areas in Lishui, Zhejiang as my destination. Although some destinations did not meet my expectations, I still gained many surprises on the way.

How was the experience of using Lomography Color Negative film?

The films I used this time were Lomography 100 and 400 color negative films. Both films have a good level of detail and can produce rare vivid colors.

Do you have any exciting photography plans for the future that you can share with us?

My long-term creative project is still based on the theme of my hometown. I am more concerned about the relationship between Harbin's diverse history and current life. At the same time, I am interested in Lomography's instant cameras because they have more diverse methods and functions, which can achieve unique visual effects.

We look forward to seeing more of Yu Huapen’s work and creative ideas in the future, and hope more people can discover the beauty and value of life through the art of photography. Follow Yu Huapen on Bilibili to see more of his work.

written by gavintang on 2023-07-17 #culture #people #places #travel #medium-format #china #color-negative-400 #color-negative-100