Vibrant colors morphing together in an angular shot of a building or a bloated "fish-eye" photograph of a stranger could be the result of Lomography.
"Lomographers tend to not care too much for details or specifics," Tempe resident Sandra Stewart says. "The phrase 'shoot from the hip' is one of the guidelines most lomographers adhere to. [It's] essentially, see something of interest, snap the photo — no worries of composition, lighting, focus, etc."
Lomography was a photography fad in the '90s and is making another round at recruiting followers. Lomo cameras first became popular in the late '80s to take photos in a point-and-shoot style.
A large following of fans, known as Lomographers, began to share their photos and embrace their love for the "don't think, just shoot" method of photography.
Stewart says the world of Lomography was unknown to her until The White Stripes released "his and hers" Holga and Diana+ Lomography cameras in October.
Lomographic Society International, which was founded in the early '90s, sells Lomo cameras for these photographers.
"The Holga and Diana+ are medium-format plastic 'toy cameras,' which is really what Lomo is all about," Stewart says.
The Lomo cameras come in a variety of styles and sizes that can capture different aspects and create unusual effects on film compared to average cameras.
Urban Outfitters and Fredflare.com, which generally aim their products toward young people, are now selling the cameras, creating potential for a new generation of Lomographers.
Some may question going through the process of developing film when digital cameras give immediate satisfaction of viewing the images.
"I much prefer developing my own film in my bathroom compared to digital [or] some lab doing it," Stewart says. "There's something about being in control of the chemicals and stop times that can't be beat."
Though buying film is more expensive than digital photography, Lomographers see many benefits in the art of developing the film.
"Film gives more surprise," graphic design sophomore Huilin Dai says. "You might not remember what's inside, but once the film is developed, you found your memory back."
Dai says she has been a Lomographer for about four years and was inspired by a magazine editor and photographer in China.
"He's probably one of those lomographers who first brought Lomography to China," Dai says. "When I first saw his photos, I was shocked about the colors and the tones in the picture, and I think that was the time when I fell in love with Lomo."
Though the Lomographic Society International has a set of 10 golden rules for Lomography, the organization stresses that it should be a liberated act of capturing life on film.
"[Lomography] is all about the idea of making yourself free, not just about what kind of camera you own or how many you own," Dai says.
She says the Lomography trend is already popular in Europe and Asia and is surprised America hasn't caught on yet.
"You can barely find the [Lomo] cameras in the U.S.," she says. "I'm glad that now we can find some cool cameras in the local stores, thanks to Urban Outfitters."
