Photographer and fashion assistant Jennifer Hirschman takes instant photography to another dimension. She creates stunning collages from instant shots and the spaces she photographs. We want to share with you an interesting interview we took from the Lomography website. The team talked with Jennifer about her experience shooting with the Lomo'Instant Wide and Fujifilm Instax 210 cameras, which are the main inspirations for her Instagram account - mini.pic.
About my practice
I am a freelance photographer and fashion assistant. I was born in Switzerland, moved to Florida when I was 3 years old, and then to England at 13, where I studied studio art and psychology in college, which later led me to a career in photography and assisting in fashion publications. My interest in photography began at age 11 with a simple film camera. At that time, I was learning to develop film myself, and I have great respect for this technical part of the art. For my 16th birthday, I received a DSLR camera as a gift, and over the course of
Philosophy of photography
Beautiful things don’t ask for attention.
In today’s fast-paced world, we become increasingly desensitized to the wonderful things happening around us. We have so much visual information to process every day that often the small elements of our lives go unnoticed. I used to notice only the "big picture" of my surroundings. Through this project, I had to change my perspective to capture all the tiny details that make up this "big picture."
Favorite shot from mini.pic
"Fern Valley." This was my first "wow" moment with the Lomo'Instant Wide!
This shot came after I used several packs of film through trial and error. I was trying to find a good angle from a close distance, to find that "golden mean," and I was often off the mark. I came across these small ferns and stubbornly decided to stay there until I could leave with a successful shot. I spent a lot of time there, double-checking all the settings, and I did it! I felt such a subtle and otherworldly sensation that I hadn’t experienced before with my Fujifilm Instax 210.
First impressions of the Lomo'Instant Wide
The camera’s design fully conveys the spirit and power of wide-format shots. Like all instant cameras, there is a learning curve after which you fully feel your camera and its capabilities. I think the Lomo'Instant Wide requires a bit more time than the Fujifilm Instax 210 for the shooting process to become intuitive, but the camera has many more modes and features that allow you to experiment even more.
The most important factor that attracted me to the Lomo'Instant Wide camera was its creative possibilities. For example, double (or unlimited) exposures, wide angle and macro, light painting, and more.
Favorite features of the Lomo'Instant Wide
My favorite so far is the macro lens. There is something personal and intimate about the micro-environment, and I find these shots the most enchanting. I instantly fell in love with the Lomo'Instant Wide camera thanks to its ability to shoot in low light and multiple exposures, so I’m now eagerly awaiting new inspiration to use these features soon!
Tips for beginner users of the Lomo'Instant Wide
The secret of the appeal of instant cameras is their magic of getting a photo in your hands immediately after pressing the shutter. My advice is: don’t get discouraged if you don’t get great shots right away! As I mentioned above, there is a learning period, but once you find that "golden mean" with the camera, you will be thrilled with the results you get.
