Meet our LomoGuru: robertofiuza

With his mastery of light and shadows, veteran lomographer Roberto Fiuza can turn anything his camera captures into gold. He chases then morphs silhouettes and reflections into eye-catching images. In this interview, our newest LomoGuru opens up about his passion for photography, shooting with an LC-A, his alternative LomoHome name, and more.

Name: Roberto Fiuza
LomoHome: @robertofiuza
Location: Leiria, Portugal
Number of years as a Lomographer: 3
Number of years in the Community: 3

Tell us about yourself and what you do.

For the last year and a half I’ve earned my living as a professional photographer at a small studio in the little city of Pombal. I’m a fitness addict and everyday I aim to do as many CrossFit WoD (workout of the day) as my body can handle. I’m also a proud husband to a female bodybuilder and a proud human of two cats and one chihuahua.

Tell us something about your LomoHome’s name. Why did you decide to have that username? Or if that’s your actual name, what would be a different LomoHome name you’d like to have?

I discovered Lomography three years ago, a few days later after buying a Diana Mini. After that, I created my LomoHome. At that time, I didn’t know that most Lomographers use an alter ego so I used my own name. If I were to start a LomoHome today, I’d probably go with “puddlephile.”

Share your most memorable experience in the community.

I love those moments when I was selected as the LomoHome of the Day, my photo picked as the Photo of the Day or I won a competition. I still remember the first time I had a photo in the Selected section. I was getting so many likes and I didn’t know why.

But the most rewarding experience I’ve had in the community (besides the “LomoWalks”) were the film swaps that I made with some very talented lomographers like @wolfinthewoods, @corali and @ihave2pillows.

Have you actually met people in the Community whom you now consider as close friends?

I haven’t met many Lomographers yet but I’ve met the best Portuguese Lomographer @zulupt. You should definitely check his LomoHome for some great double exposures.

Do you think you’d still be taking Lomographs in the next five years?

I hope I am. Because that means I’m making pictures for the love of it and not just for money. As long as there is film available I don’t intend to stop making Lomographs because film photography is much more rewarding than digital. It gives me great pleasure taking pictures but with film I also encounter surprises. Sometimes, I develop a roll that has been exposed a long time ago and I don’t even have any idea what’s on it. I love seeing the negatives for the first time and then seeing them as scans and prints.

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

I have 3 LC-As so I guess I really like them. It’s a great little camera. You can take it everywhere and the automatic exposure guarantees well-exposed shots (I usually get 40 photos per roll). You can do long exposures and multiple exposures with it. It has a recognizable look and has a very useful focal length.

One of my LC-As is a refurbished Lomography model which came with a cool shutter release cable. I was once stopped at an airport’s security check (in Porto, I think) because they thought the cable was a bomb detonator.

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

I have thousands of photos on my LomoHome, most of which are nothing to brag about. For future reference, I’ll keep some of my favorites for this year in my Best of 2016 album. Since I don’t have an absolute favorite photo, I’ll choose my wife’s favorite:

She is a bodybuilder and undergoes cycles of “construction” in which she builds muscle mass and later burns the excess fat. This picture always reminds her of that process.

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

One of the Lomographers who really impressed me in the beginning was @blueskyandhardrock and one of her Analogue Girl About Town albums but the Lomograph I wish I had taken is one of @hodachrome's EBS shots.

He is such a great lomographer with a style of his own. I love the discipline that he must have to shoot a roll and go to the same places and do it again. I’ve tried EBS several times but I’m light-years away from him!

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

I’m mostly self-taught but “always have a camera with you” seems like good advice.

What song best describes your Lomo life?

Behemoth’s “Christians to the Lions.”

You should not concern yourself too much with rules and what others think would make good pictures. Shoot to you heart’s content and develop your style.

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

Don’t be afraid to waste film and don’t take forever to finish a roll. The learning process in film photography is slower than digital and you will have to burn through lots of rolls to get to a place where you can be proud of your work. And don’t forget that, as Henri Cartier-Bresson puts it: “Your first 10,000 pictures are your worst.”

Also, always carry a camera with you. If you know you can take a picture anytime, you’ll be much more aware of photo opportunities. And no, your smartphone doesn’t count as a camera for this effect.

2016-03-05 #lifestyle #lomoguru #lomoguru-of-the-week #meet-our-lomoguru