#1. Faux Lomo Effect

A modern digital approach to creating a traditional alternative process.

Welcome to the first installment of my series on Experimental Digital Photography Technique. The aim of this series is to share the results of experimentation I am doing, while hopefully introducing some people to new and different ways of manipulating their digital photos in creative ways. I start by looking at an old favourite - the Faux Lomo Effect.


The distinctive qualities of the Russian origin Lomo camera include large amounts of distortion at the edges whilst keeping the center sharp and high overall contrast and saturation.

There have been many examples of how to replicate this effect digitally using Photoshop (some included in the related links below). The steps I worked from were found on this website, but you can take these as a guideline only if you wish. The process is relatively easy to render, it basically involves increasing the Contrast and Saturation by 20 points, then overlaying a darkened vignette. Some variations also include a slightly blurred vignette to replicate the defocussed and distorted edges. As with any effect you should play with the variables to match the photograph being manipulated.

You can mouse over the thumbnail of this sample image to compare the effect. What you see is a deepening of the shadows and the detail in the aircraft becomes more dynamic. The vignette helps to draw the eye into the subject and the contrast and saturation takes transforms the flat image and makes it pop out.

Conclusion
It would be fair to say that the aim of this process is really to exaggerate the Lomo effect. Many original Lomo photographs have also been developed using a method known as Cross Processing which increases the saturation and generally messes with the colours in unpredictable ways. Regardless, this is an effective technique that can give a flat and dull photo a new lease of life.

About The Photo
The remains of this old aircraft are located to the side of the road near the Awhitu Regional Park (opposite the golf course). While it may appear as though it is surrounded in bush, this is a trick of the framing as it has been placed in between two house sections.