Retro Love

As some of you know, photography is one of my first-love hobbies. Despite my lack of technical and creative skills, I still find the moment when I capture a meaningful image to be incredibly rewarding (sometimes, it's just the image in my head that's captured - and that's a great memory to keep, too).

One of my favourite Christmas presents this year was from Scott, a departure from the digital age and a return to the 'analogue'... in the form of a small film camera modeled after a 1980s-soviet style camera, called the Diana Mini. This little camera fits in the palm of my hand and is slightly more advanced than a pinhole camera, but not by much. Cool, but quirky.

The point is that no picture is a bad picture - in fact, the effects produced from a plastic, light-leaking, overexposing, underwhelming camera can be more interesting and unexpected that those images from their high-tech cousins. Don't think, just shoot - that's the motto of Lomography fans.

Between Christmas and New Years, I shot off my first role of film and waited with anxious anticipation for the results. And? Some were good, others were bad. But the fun I've had with this little camera has renewed my interest in looking closer at everything around me, and finding the beauty in small things everywhere.