LomoGuru of the Week: alienmeatsack

Behind the amusing username, alienmeatsack, is the avid lomographer Robn Kester. He takes on the analogue world with his radical film and camera experiments that serve as useful guides to his fellow film shooters. His dedication to be a better analogue photographer certainly knows no bounds and that’s why we are crowning him as our LomoGuru of the Week!

Full Name: Robn Kester
LomoHome: alienmeatsack
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Number of years as a Lomographer: More than two years.
Number of years in the Community: More than two years.

Tell us something about yourself.

I work in the IT and Purchasing department of my family’s architectural firm and I pretty much do anything that others in our office can’t or won’t do. Lately, this has taken up more of my time for photography than I’d like.

I have a broad range of interests, which of course includes photography. Aside from shooting, I also do the film developing and scanning on my own. I do experiments with films, lenses, filters, and lightings to see what will happen and learn from them.

I also love music and listen to bands like The Beastie Boys, SONOIO, Ladytron, The Knife, Metric, Devo, Galactic Cowboys and many others. I love watching Doctor Who and sci-fi in general. I also hang out with my friends and I scout the internet and local shops for deals on film and cameras, as well as old electronics that can be modified or circuit bent. I love to ride my Harley and my bicycle. I regularly go walking or hiking for the sake of exercising and staying sane but also for photo opportunities.

Tell us something about your LomoHome’s name. Why did you decide to have that username? Or if you can change it, what LomoHome name would you like to have?

This is a story that started many years ago. A very long time ago, I was called “flow” by all of my friends online due to the fact that I tend to ramble from one topic to the next. The problem is that it is very common and as the internet community grows, others have started using my alias as well.

At that time, I joined a website called Hoopee which was basically a blog kind of website with a bunch of guys talking about beer and silly things. When I joined there, I needed a fresh alias. I kept on thinking until eventually my mind went back to this episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in which the aliens referred to humans as bags of water. I looked at myself and thought my body seemed more like a bag of meat and so alienmeatsack was born.

Little did I know that “meatsack” is also slang word used for something else. I did not learn about this until I had been alienmeatsack (or ams as I prefer to call myself) for years, so I just rolled with it. I like continuity. I like that if someone wants to look me up online, they just need to know my alias and they will be able to find me. So when I joined Lomography’s community, I decided to use this name.

If I could change it, I might consider using “ams,” but honestly I’ve been alienmeatsack so long it just kind of grew on me.

Share with us your most memorable experience in the Community.

I’ve had many: being Home of the Day (and not realizing it until nearly a week after), trying crazy things with Lomochrome Purple that no one else had done and sharing the results, doing film swaps with people like alburnkat, fartstorm, mrtall, forceusr and others from all over the world and so on.

But my most memorable experience happens every time I browse the photos. I get to see the world through the eyes of my fellow lomographers and experience their cultures, their friends and families, and everything that is in the photograph. For me, this is what makes this place magical and memorable.

I’m not a very well-traveled man but I’ve seen almost all of the world through the photos here on Lomography. Pretty cool stuff.

Have you actually met people in the Community that you now consider as close friends? If yes, name at least one of them.

Sadly, I’ve not met any Lomographers in person yet. I am longtime friends with forceusr who joined here and got back into using film because of me.

One day, I will find the time to see the world and meet with some of the people I’ve made friends with in the Community. I think part of the problem is that a majority of the regular contributors here are from other countries so I can’t just say “Hey, I’m coming over. Let’s go shoot!” There are a handful who I’d love to meet and I am hoping one day to do so.

Do you think you’ll still be taking Lomographs in the next 5 years? Why?

Absolutely. I have a freezer and fridge full of film. I have an office full of cameras and gears. I am in this as far as I can be and I will keep shooting film and using photography to document my world for years to come. I dread the day when I can no longer go out and shoot and I am hoping that day will never come.

What is your favorite Lomo camera and why? Do you have any memorable experiences using this camera?

That is a difficult question as there are quite a few I own and love. But if I were to pick one, I’d say it’s my original Lomo LC-A. For me, the look of the photos that come out of it is quintessential Lomography and the camera is very fun to use. Regardless of what other cameras will be in my bag, I always take the LC-A or the LC-Wide with me during my adventures. I’ve hiked and walked and trekked with this little camera stuffed in my bag or pocket countless times. It has the perfect size and it is easy to use.

If there would be a runner-up, it would be my Sprocket Rocket. It has a super wide-angle lens and sprockets. It’s like having two cool things in one. And I love that you’ll only have to worry about few camera options when using the Sprocket, so you can just literally load the film, aim, and click.

Please share with us your favorite Lomographic shot and explain why you love that particular image

I have over 12,000 photos in my LomoHome and I have easily taken a hundred or more that are my favorites. Picking one is not easy. There was one or two I shots after I received my LC-Wide that I really liked. I was out shooting with forceusr at a busy intersection one night. I aimed the camera up at the light pole/traffic light and got this shot:

I just really like the tone and the feel of the resulting shot. I’m a big fan of aiming your camera up, especially when using wide lenses, because it really captures the world in a fun way.

Please share a Lomograph you wish you had taken and explain why.

The shot that immediately jumped to mind is this somewhat recent shot taken by the fearless pearlgirl77 with her Pentacon Six loaded with Lomochrome Purple.

The framing, the colors, and the otherworldly feel just struck me as totally cool.

What’s the best Lomographic or photography advice you think you have given?

I gave a lot of advice to other people. I have sent cameras and films to interested and budding film photographers around the globe. I’ve answered their questions and pointed them to the right cameras to get them started.

The advice I give people, no matter how I phrase it, is always the same message. Go out there and shoot. Don’t worry if your shots aren’t professional studio quality. All that matters is that you, at that moment, captured something on film that meant something to you. That moment is forever captured on film and looking at it will definitely bring back memories.

I also love that someone else had used every secondhand camera I own to shoot photos and capture moments before landing in my hands. When I use a vintage camera, I am using a camera that has seen so many things in other people’s lives. I love that aspect of film and cameras.

If there’s one song or movie that best describes your Lomo life, which one is it and why?

This is a tough one. I think perhaps the French film, “Amelie”, which is also one of my favorite movies.

I love the wonderful and dreamy feeling of this movie. I love Amelie’s adventure and the fact that she is piecing together a mystery that revolves around photobooths. It’s such a wonderful film in general. It always makes me happy. It makes me want to go out to shoot photos and see the world innocently again like Amelie does when she skips rocks or breaks her creme brulee.

Is there any advice you can give to new analogue shooters?

Spend some time browsing the massive library of photos here on Lomography.Take note of the films and cameras used in those photos that make you excited. Take notes, look things up, and learn from what others have done.

Carry a notebook and pen, some rubberbands, some tape, and extra batteries that work for your camera (if it uses batteries). Keep a small flashlight, lens wipes, and other goodies in your camera bag. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And never let the rules keep you from trying something new.

written by icequeenubia on 2014-09-28 #lifestyle #lomoguru #lomoguru-of-the-week