The Ludlites, a collective of Sydney based 'lo-fi' photographers, hope the group's latest exhibition 'throws light' on the benefits of old-school film photography.
Ludlites Love Light opens in Sydney on 13 May as part of the Head On Photo Festival and showcases images taken with plastic lens and pinhole cameras.
On show from 13-24 May, the free exhibition is curated by Steven Siewart, one of Australia's leading photojournalists and art photographers, and celebrates the values of instinct and the unpredictable in pre-digital photography.
Tim Hixson, one of the founding Ludlites, said: ''High-end glass lenses that given an evenness in focus, contrast and colour are now the norm, even in our phones, but we strive for the imperfection that is possible from shooting with a low-grade lens and film.
"You learn to 'feel' the effect of the light and trust your instincts then wait for the lab before you know you have a worthy image. The dreamy quality is something that many phone apps and filters on Instagaram actually attempt to replicate," he added.
This is the third year the Ludlites have featured in the Head On Photo Festival, growing out of regular exhibitions of plastic-camera photography at the Blender Gallery in Paddington, a favourite haunt for Lomo photographers in Sydney. The group has continued to grow, and new members have joined for this, their 10th show, including television personality Osher Gunsberg.
Many Ludlites champion film and plastic cameras as an antidote to constant digital perfection, says group member Patrick Boland.
"It's nice to have a little unpredictability in your life. I encourage this by using expired film, hoping its ageing emulsion will take me somewhere new. Professional quality film is still widely available but for me the more cheaply made a film is, the more I love the results.
"Some of our members like to show the amazing quality they can achieve with their plastic cameras. For me, I like to see how dirty I can get. I love a big fat negative covered in strange spots, scratches and inky muddy goodness."
The exhibition is at The Depot Gallery, Danks Street, Waterloo. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-6pm.
For film camera enthusiasts, the Ludlites are holding a free Plastic Camera Open Day at the Depot Gallery on May 17, 12pm-4pm. There will be demonstrations, an exhibition tour and mini workshops.
