Simple photography with instant camera

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Simple photography with instant camera

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A collection of Yoo Byung-yong’s photographs taken with low-tech equipment. Provided by Yoo Byung-yong

Yoo Byung-yong has gone back to basics.

Unlike many photographers today who take shots with high-tech digital cameras, Yoo captures the world around him with an instant camera, the type of camera that develops film as soon as you press the shutter.

For his upcoming photo exhibition, “Instax_62x99mm,” he has selected 1,200 photographs taken with his Fuji Instax wide camera.

The exhibition opens next Wednesday at the Fuji Photo Salon in Chungmuro, central Seoul.

The photos are displayed under five different themes - light and shade, human life, city images, nature and colors and poems.

Yoo, a banker, held his first exhibition in 1988. The upcoming show is his 15th solo outing.

He has also published books of his photography including “Rose” in 1988 and “Give Up, Then You Might Find Something” in 2006. He has published a 150-page book for the upcoming exhibition, too.

His instant photos on display are 62 by 99 millimeters.

The simpler, the better, is what he believes.

But what is the charm of instant photography?

“They [instant photos] are honest,” Yoo said. “You cannot employ artifice. The photos are developed just the way you took them.”

After pressing the camera button, you cannot edit or apply Photoshop.

It’s impossible to develop an extra copy - the original is all that you have.

The only technique you can apply to an instant camera is choosing the photo shade from light, normal or dark, Yoo says.

Taking photographs is a source of energy in Yoo’s life.

“It is the only way to express my emotions to the world. It’s a diary all my own,” he said.

In this exhibition, Yoo wanted to prove that camera tools and size don’t matter.

Even a photo as small as your palm has the power to move people emotionally.

“You don’t need an expensive, technical camera to develop fabulous pictures. An instant camera lens can reveal reality as much, or even more,” Yoo said.

Yoo is a member of the Photo Artist Society of Korea and is teaching photography at JaiNeung College in Incheon.

The exhibition runs until Nov. 3.

To reach Fuji Photo Salon, go to Chungmuro Station, line No. 3 or 4, exit 1.

For more information, call (02) 2273-5480 or visit www.phototina.com.


By Lee Eun-joo Staff Reporter [angie@joongang.co.kr]

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