BLOOM by Emma Cortijo: A Series with the LomoChrome Purple
14 Share TweetWe are very pleased to welcome again talented French photographer Emma Cortijo who has already created remarkable shots with the Lomography Art Lenses. Today, she shares her wonderful and intimate images that combines the human body and flowers called "Bloom". From cyan to magenta, Emma lets the surreal and vibrant colors of the LomoChrome Purple film inspire her. With these new photos, she let us her enter her life by revealing her fears and doubts, while inspiring us with her enthusiasm and her amazing photographs.
Hello Emma, we are happy to see you again on the Lomography Magazine. How have you been since the last time we spoke?
Hello Lomography! I'm very well, thank you. I just finished my studies in photography and started the adventure of freelancing as a photographer and videographer. I'm a bit stressed but I think this a good kind of stress.
Can you tell us more about you new photos taken with the LomoChrome Purple film?
I've done this series on my own at my place, just after my last oral assessment for my diploma. I felt the urge to create but I was also feeling a bit lost regarding my future, I was asking myself a lot of questions. Then, I checked some old moodboards... I called the series “BLOOM”. I wanted to make a parallel between flowers and the human body. It's visually very interesting and they are two things that really inspire me and, both that I love to photograph. It's also a very personal series which helped me to express my emotions through images: feelings of absence and frustration. I wrote a lot about my feelings before creating “BLOOM” and I wanted people who interpret my images to find love in different shapes, intimacy, but also melancholia. These images were a way to put my fears in words, to accept things too… it was a nice therapy.
How was your experience of the LomoChrome Purple? did you know what to expect?
I prepared a lot before doing these photos, I tried to study and analyze the rendering of this film. I took notes on the colorshifiting effects. For some images, I thought a lot before choosing the lights but after, I also let the film surprises me.
Even if the lab I go to is very fast, I was really looking forward to discover the results! It reminded me of the feeling you get when you develop your first rolls of film, when you don't know at all what will be on it!
Have you already used a colorshifting film before? What impact did the LomoChrome Purple had on your way to work and on your choice of subjects?
Not really, I've only had the occasion to shoot expired films which produced some colors effects and I actually got a rendering close the LomoChrome Purple's aesthetics.
The LomoChrome Purple had an influence on my choice of flowers. For example, I chose some with light colors or some with a touch of rose and orange, in order to have some creative space to play with the background and the lights. Regarding the human subject, I was my own model since it was a personal project. It had to be my skin in the pictures, I was just a bit afraid to have too much pastel in the tones or to look sick because I have a very light skin. But in the end, I'm very pleased with the results and I think that I was a bit harsh on myself.
Let's talk about your gear: what camera and lens did you use? At which ISO did you shoot the Lomochrome Purple?
I used my Pentax super ME with a 50 mm lens and adapter to get something around a 100 mm. I first did some tests with a digital Canon camera to be sure everything was okay because for some images I used a flash. I shot the film at 400 ISO because it was more “simple” to link flash and led without using them at full power. But I would really like to push the film at 800 or 1600, the results must be very nice...
For what type of photos would you recommend the LomoChrome Purple?
First, I would say for landscapes because I've already seen some amazing results on social media and also for travel photography, it looks very nice! But I would also recommend it for still life photography of natural things like here plants but also other materials. I'm pretty sure the results will be very original and fun.
Would you like to try another Lomography film?
I would love to try the LomoChrome Purple in 120 since it's been a year I own a small Lubitel, I really like it but used it very basically for now. I would also like to get my hands on the LomoChrome Metropolis, I'm quite intrigued by it since its release.
Some upcoming projects you would like to share with us?
For now, my plans are to take as many pictures as I can during this summer! It’s always at that time of the year that I like the most of what I do. But I'm also planning to stay creative in September as I'm filming a lot a of things and I would like to do a summer video with a nostalgic vibe. My creative journey is always “to be continued...”
Thanks Emma, we wish you every success! Don't hesitate to follow her on Instagram and visit her website to see more of Emma's work.
The LomoChrome Purple film is available on our Online Shop.
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