Lomographers' Print Exchange — A Community Project Recap

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The city and our jobs keep us moving, they are part of our life, but at the same time, they are stealing time from us, time which we could have used enjoying ourselves more, with friends and families, sports and hobbies, brainy and spiritual activities. One of these spiritual activities that popped up in our Community nine months ago is Lomographers' Print Exchange which we couldn't love more!

Photo by: @ellie97

Wait, what is Lomographers' Print Exchange?

One Community member would print a postcard size photo (4x6 in), stick a stamp to it, write the address of a fellow lomographer and a nice message on the back and send it through the mail. When received, it would be their turn to send one back.

So a bunch of beautiful people gathered one by one and revived the lost art of snail mail, and what at first seemed to be just a print exchange, very soon it became much more.

"Every time I travel somewhere I send postcards to the people I love most because even if people forget to send them while they are traveling, I discovered that most people love to receive one. It is probably because we love the surprise of opening our letterbox and find out that someone somewhere took his time and effort to choose, write and send us a tiny card just to say hello. This makes this project so special and emotional because people take the effort to choose something they shot, like a tiny piece of themselves to send to a stranger somewhere in the world. In most cases to a place, they've never been to. I must admit that I grew curious about all the places the cards reached me from and where mine were directed." – @crazy_little_red_riding_hood, Italy
"Lomographers' Print Exchange is a great project, it puts you in touch with other people who have the same passion for analog photography, it's a nice thing, it keeps alive the exchange of postcards, something that with the advent of digital and internet has been lost." – @ilcontrariodime, Italy
"I wondered what to send to others and I came to the conclusion that I would send not so much the best picture of mine as something about my city in which I live. That's why I sent a postcard from Krakow. It's an invitation to visit me and my beloved city." – @tomczykd, Poland
Photos by: @ilcontrariodime, @tomczykd, @crazy_little_red_riding_hood

Once in a while we all have to take a break and how else but slowing down time. Therefore our Community members put their phones and laptops down and grabbed a pen to connect with each other the way we did before this digital world took over. And what a feeling this thing gives you!

"This project is like a time tunnel. When I was a kid, traveling wasn´t so usual as today. But when I went somewhere I always sent a few postcards from there. It was a normal routine and it was affordable. As I was growing up I sent postcards less and less. And suddenly appeared a cell phone... It was the slow end of postcards. And this project appeared! After more than twenty years I again sent a postcard." – @gesp, Czech Republic
"It reminds me of my younger days when I used to send out letters to my penpals and waited patiently for their replies. The wait might be long, however, it gives you that element of surprise once you received it. It is always better to hold a physical copy than a digital one. A little photo and a short and sweet write up put a smile on a person's face." – @lzyrich, Singapore
"It's a bit like going back to the childhood and running to check the mailbox to see if a new postcard has arrived. It's the joy of holding in your hand an image that was lovingly chosen, printed, handwritten by someone who you do not know but it is close to you." – @aronne, Italy
Photos by: @gesp, @lzyrich, @aronne

Aside from connecting with wonderful people from around the world, the postcards we've received beautifully decorate our homes. We are all photographers, we need photography all around us, we can't get enough of it.

"It is great fun for two very simple reasons. First, it is great to print up some of my images, something I have neglected of late; and second, and possibly the best reason, I now have some fabulous images from my fellow Lomographers adorning my desk and my post has become somewhat more enjoyable." – @guin, United Kingdom
"In the meantime, I’ve gathered a lovely collection of prints, that I proudly display in my apartment." – @debja, Netherlands
"I now have a collection of postcards from my fellow print exchangers attached on my magnetic board. The postcards certainly show the signs of their travels. I suppose the curled corners and creases symbolize their unfettered openness to all those who help them through the postal process; possibly having the chance to appreciate them if they so choose." – @downsouthuk, United Kingdom
Photos by: @guin, @debja, @downsouthuk, @troch, @mimi8909, @captainfantastic

And we are not the only ones who enjoy this project. Have a look at this little helper of @lomonina from Slovenia!

Photo by: @lomonina
"The best part of the print exchange is that I look forward to sifting through my envelopes for that moment of discovery. I saw lomographers that I already had addresses for had signed up for the exchange, so I sent them cards as a surprise. I even sent a few cards out to ones that didn't sign up. To paraphrase a friend, 'It's nice to get something in the mail that doesn't require paying a bill." – @fartstorm, Canada
"It's fantastic! I've never expected to check my mailbox so often with such excitement. And it's a nice feeling to know that my postcards traveled across the world (e.g. all the Europe, Hong Kong, Hawaii)." – @_wool_x, Poland
"Since I embarked on this project, not a day passes that I look expectantly at the post box, or with curiosity about the postman's passage. This has become a relationship of sharing with others, and friendship. The real joy of this project consists in the difficult but rewarding process of choosing the photograph to be shared, and what message to write to whom, to make the relationship with the other person unique." – @ellie97, Italy
Photos by: @fartstorm, @_wool_x, @schwarzesauge, @frenchyfyl, @alexi56, @lomodesbro, @bonadriel, @gheinz, @lizkoppert

Here is how Lomographers' Print Exchange world map looks like so far. Let's fill this map!

Lomographer's Print Exchange Map

Want to join us? Drop me a line at @systemdevice to include you in the project's members list! Check the guidelines here.

By joining Lomographers' Print Exchange you agree that your LomoHome will be included on the list so the other members could contact you for the print exchange. Don't worry, there will be no personal details on this list, no real name, no address.

written by systemdevice on 2019-04-09 in #culture #news #project #community #lomographers #print-exchange #lomographer-s-print-exchange

30 個留言

  1. hervinsyah
    hervinsyah ·

    at first I'm not interested but thanks to my longtime filmswap partner Nina @lomonina from Slovenia who send me her beautiful postcard. It motivated me to send mine too, just wait Nina until I finish my filmswap so it will make the shipping cost more economic haha

  2. systemdevice
    systemdevice ·

    Thank you @ellie97, @crazy_little_red_riding_hood, @ilcontrariodime, @tomczykd, @gesp, @lzyrich, @aronne, @guin, @debja, @downsouthuk, @troch, @mimi8909, @captainfantastic, @lomonina, @fartstorm, @_wool_x, @schwarzesauge, @frenchyfyl, @alexi56, @lomodesbro, @bonadriel, @gheinz, @lizkoppert for your contribution to the article! And also a big thank you to all the participants who are keeping this print exchange alive! ^-^

  3. tomczykd
    tomczykd ·

    @systemdevice You are very welcome! This project is more than just an email, something more than an SMS .... This project to return to the relationship, to contact the person with the person! It's a great idea to meet someone in the old, traditional way, via a postcard! This project is a postcard selected and printed by you, your pen, your time and your heart!

  4. rolfmg
    rolfmg ·

    Hi Systemdevice - thanks again for this wonderful project; reminds me that I promised to send you my cards......the movements seems to be currently dormant....Warm regards Rolf

  5. an4
    an4 ·

    Very good Idea.

  6. lizkoppert
    lizkoppert ·

    @lomonina, I love the photo of your cat helping you with your cards! :)

  7. irhamesar
    irhamesar ·

    @hervinsyah wah seru juga nih kang

  8. hervinsyah
    hervinsyah ·

    @irhamesar yuk ah daeng, kalo minat ntar saya pm alamat tapi enaknya mah sekalian sama filmswap biar hemat hehe

  9. sirio174
    sirio174 ·

    Great project, I'm in!

  10. irhamesar
    irhamesar ·

    @hervinsyah boleh kang

  11. hervinsyah
    hervinsyah ·

    @irhamesar cek pm daeng =)

  12. gepo1303
    gepo1303 ·

    This was simply great !
    I had a lot of friendly exchanges with people from all over the world ( alot of postcards) :-)
    Let's do it again...I suggest to run it again as an event, for a certain period only.

  13. systemdevice
    systemdevice ·

    @gepo1303 I think a limited period event would constrain many members.
    It's better to send postcards when you have time/money/new pictures/the right mood, this makes the experience more pleasant.
    Furthermore, some members send postcards marking a special occasion, seasons/holidays/birthdays etc, so any time is the right time.
    By the way, keep an eye on your mailbox, @gepo1303! I am preparing some new postcards. :)

  14. hervinsyah
    hervinsyah ·

    @gepo1303 & @systemdevice hey I'm interesting to do it too with you guys but how if we do filmswap too so it will more economist (for me =) ?

  15. katip29
    katip29 ·

    nice news, This project to return to the relationship, to contact the person with the person! It's a great idea to meet someone in the old, traditional way, via a postcard! This project is a postcard selected and printed by you, your pen, your time and your heart! www.adliyeci.com/uzlasma/

  16. guin
    guin ·

    @systemdevice it's a pleasure and time for another print run :)

  17. pinkfallingstars
    pinkfallingstars ·

    is it to late to join this project?

  18. mjanekerr
    mjanekerr ·

    Thanks so much for starting this off @systemdevice, such an amazing way to share photography and connect ❤️

  19. systemdevice
    systemdevice ·

    @pinkfallingstars No, it's not. Drop me a line at @systemdevice.
    @mjanekerr Thank you for being part of this project ^-^ :hug:

  20. crosschannel
    crosschannel ·

    Thank you for bringing this lovely ' old fashioned :)' feeling of sending and in return, receiving, post cards from so many nice people back into our digitalised world. I have almost filled an album by now and a picture should follow soon.

  21. lzyrich
    lzyrich ·

    Loved it! Thanks for doing this project:)

  22. troch
    troch ·

    Thanks again @systemdevice for starting and maintaining this project! It is truly a pleasure to connect with lomographers all around the world in such a tangible way and to learn a little bit more about them and their lives.

  23. silvergirl
    silvergirl ·

    Hi @systemdevice, I would like to participate in this exchange initiative, what should I do?

    greetings and I love the idea

  24. systemdevice
    systemdevice ·

    @silvergirl I've sent you a private message.

  25. stereograph
    stereograph ·

    Here you see the print batch i made for my second print exchange round! PX anyone? :-)
    www.lomography.tw/homes/stereograph/photos/24179341
    i have still seven left! first come first served! Firsttimers will be prefered!

  26. lomoemy
    lomoemy ·

    Pleasa inserti me in project 😍

  27. mennodv
    mennodv ·

    @systemdevice, great initiative! what do people use to print, just thick paper? Or can you buy printable postcards? I haven’t found those yet. looking forward to join soon.

  28. systemdevice
    systemdevice ·

    @mennodv Hi there! Some use regular photo paper, others thick paper, some postcard paper. Your choice. :) Visit your local photo lab and/or your local printing/xerox/photocopying service to know your options.

  29. mennodv
    mennodv ·

    @systemdevice Okay thanks!

  30. leisuresuit
    leisuresuit ·

    I want to be part of this print exchange how do I get in?

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