Toby Mason on Shooting with the LomoChrome Turquoise 35 mm Film

Self confessed serial user of film cameras, double exposure experimenter and all-round inspiration in the analogue world, Toby Mason, AKA fotobes is back. He's been testing out some LomoChrome Turquoise and LomoChrome Purple films on a mix of different cameras, including the Sprocket Rocket. Here he shares his thoughts and tips on shooting with color-shifting films.

Hi Toby, how have you been since we last spoke? Still shooting film?

I've been keeping well thanks, life has been busy with my job in the wine trade, and the challenges that the industry continues to face, plus growing kids (now aged 17 and 11). It means that I don't shoot film quite as frequently as I used to, but I still love doing so when I can. This does make me more thoughtful when taking pictures, I also feel like I can treat myself to some rather lovely films too. Not shooting as much film does keep the passion burning though, so I'm always really happy to make the time for it.

How did you get on shooting with the LomoChrome Turquoise film with different cameras?

LomoChrome Turquoise has been one of my favorite films to use in the past year or so. I've used it mostly with my Olympus OM10, where the color shifts and tones really seem to sing. This recent roll was no exception, and the colors work nicely to highlight the chaos of Glastonbury and Brighton. It was loads of fun too with the Sprocket Rocket — a combination that I hadn't tried before. Apart from a couple of frames that I accidentally shot in bulb mode, it was easy to use and the colors shifted nicely, especially in bright sunlight with clear skies. I took a couple of double exposures which came out well (one of Brighton Pavillion, and another of my favorite and much-photographed tree in France.)

What tips and tricks would you recommend for people wanting to try out color shifting films?

For me, the best shifts and resulting colors come when shooting LomoChrome Turquoise in well-lit conditions, such as s sunny summer's day. The colors are richer, more vivid and trippy. If you're taking portraits, skin tones change, but I kind of like the results both with Turquoise and Purple. These are great films to use to gain different perspectives from everyday scenes, but also to capture some of the wonderful weirdness in the world. I've also used LomoChrome Purple for self-film swaps — this was great to do and some of the images were really pleasing. Be creative and have some fun with them!

Have you got any exciting photo projects or collabs lined up for the rest of 2023?

I'm quite excited about my next collaboration. My youngest son (Felix, aged 11) now has an interest in shooting film, and has been using a Petri GX-1 that we gave to him for Christmas. He's been loving it, and has asked for us to work on a film-swap together. So, that will be my next project! I'll share the results once this is complete, perhaps we will use a roll of LomoChrome Purple. My elder son Spencer also used one of my LC-As for a recent college project, and came up with some really cool results including some double exposures. It's lovely seeing them both genuinely enjoying shooting film and having some fun with it. Let's hope that this continues. Isn't it great to see the next generation getting hooked on film? I certainly think so.

To see more of Toby's work visit his Instagram page.

2023-10-07 #gear #people #film-swap #brighton #uk #sprocket-rocket #south-coast #fotobes #lomochrome-turquoise