Petzval LomoAmigo: Australia's Naomi Frost

Naomi Frost is a photographer based in Australia who specializes in alternative portraiture. She took photos with the new Petzval lens recently, and shares her photos and insight in this exclusive interview.

Name: Naomi Frost
Country: Australia
Camera: Canon 5dMkIII
Website: www.naomitakesphotos.com

Hi Naomi, tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into photography.

I’ve been taking photos professionally now for about seven years. My initial interest began in digital infrared landscapes, and then I moved onto people and found my niche creating alternative portraits. The Petzval Art Lens is a tool I can use to create portraits that look a little out of the ordinary.

How was your experience shooting with the Petzval lens and what was your first impression?

Oh gosh… this lens is divine. I adore shooting with film and adapting old film camera lenses to my digital cameras. The Petzval lens is another way to experience ‘old style‘ shooting and the images it can produce are like nothing else.

Please tell us the story behind your favorite photo that you have taken with the Lomography Petzval lens.

This has to be my favorite photo taken with the Petzval so far. I don’t know of any other lens that can give you such defined bokeh and an amazing lens flare at the same time.

If you could have any kind of imaginable setting for a shooting with this lens how would it look like?

I think if I could place a model in the center of a domed room entirely covered in colored fairy lights…I’d be ecstatic. The bokeh would be out of this world.

In your opinion, what makes the perfect portrait?

There has to be some sort of emotional connection with the subject for the portrait to be successful. If I can capture that connection then it can transcend to the viewer too. If the emotional connection can’t be captured in camera, then sometimes becomes a matter of manufacturing that connection which can be done through props, costumes and settings.

Do you have any tips for anyone who is new to the Petzval lens?

If you love old style photography, this is the lens for you. You don’t want to be in a rush with it, its all about slowing things down and getting back to basics…which is the exact opposite to how society is heading at the moment. It’s the perfect lens for some time out.

Do you have any future projects planed?

I’m planning on creating a new series of characters and shooting their portraits solely with the Petzval (similar to my clown series).

Thank you for the interview, Naomi!

written by borisb on 2015-01-12 in #people #art #amigos #photographer #portraits #lomoamigo #petzval