Lo-fi photography refers to unconventional photographic practices, chosen for aesthetics, which give an impression of low quality. Popular techniques include the use of toy cameras or pinhole cameras, for their distinctive stylistic effects. It can be considered a reaction to the perceived ease of creating technically perfect photos in the digital age. Some emphasize a return to film, while others use digital technology to accomplish the same effects. Low-fidelity photography has also been commonly linked with lo-fi music as well. "
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Use of Lo-fi photography is slowly becoming a popular genre of Photography. It uses the basics of digital photography to usually create more of a soft look to photos compared to crisp and high definition photographs. This is a variation that is among some photographers are attracted to. However, lo-fi photography can be unpredictable with its exposure. Lo-fi photography is less of methodical format photography and more of a pick the best kind of photography. Lo-fi allows the photographer to basically take as many photos as possible and choose the best from the bunch. This is what makes lo-fi photography enjoyable. The unpredictability makes it so even the photographer does not know what they will receive. Creating lo-fi photography is also cheap and can be done with any low mega-pixel camera. When it comes to low megapixels you can use a toy camera or something as simple as a disposable camera. This is especially good for traveling because if something breaks it is a cheap replacement. However, there are specific cameras for purchase that can be used to create lo-fi photography. Since it is a low cost, minimal training type of photography, it is no surprise that lo-fi photography was discovered more prominently through Instagram. The softer lines and hazy aesthetic of a lo-fi photograph make it completely unusable to forms of print such as magazines, or any form of photographic research. However, the low budget cameras and lack of needed equipment make it an easy type of photography to produce for up and coming photographers looking for an outlet and this type of photography is accessible enough that it’s only a matter of time before this trend changes into a more well-known genre of photography with well-known artists endorsing it. Lo-fi photography has already been fully embraced vintage enthusiasts, who prefer the timelessness of the photography style as opposed to state of the art cameras. This style of photography is less of a straight edge photography style, and more of an art style, making the images taken hard to place in a timeline, with no other use other than to appeal tothe eye. The clouded lens is extremely reminiscent of art styles that many painters have used in their works, and many people are drawn in by the similarities of the photography to hand-drawn art forms.
