Interview With Laura Burlton

Hello Laura,Thanks for the chance. I admire your work so much.

1.Can you please introduce yourself to us?

Hi, My name is Laura Burlton and I am a plastic camera addict.


2.Since when do you started using your first film camera? why it make you interested?

I probably used my first film camera when I was a little bitty child. There was no digital then.  I got serious about it when I was a teenager and then again in my late 20's. I have not stopped shooting since then. I just like the magic of film. It's like Christmas every time you get your images back.


3.How you define your art? what do you want to show to the people with your art?

I just make art that makes me happy and pleases my eye. I want to to transport myself and others to a magical land. Sometimes these are creations I make, sometimes it is things I see in the every day.

4.About your holga wedding, can you tell me step by step how to do it,maybe about how you find the concept, how do you execute your concept and some tips..

Well, for this I actually used 6 cameras! It is very difficult to reload film in the heat of the moment so i wanted to be prepared for anything.  I had a few cameras loaded with color and a few with black and white. I also taped a peice of the film box onto the camera so that I would know what was in it ( for instance one might have had 400 speed color and another 3200 speed BW film) I will say that it would have been excellent to have had an assistant to change out my film for me!  I did not carry 6 cameras all night long though. After all of the major events had passed, I only carried 2. When shooting a wedding with film, you have to anticipate what is going to happen so that you still have film in youyr camera to capture it, so it helps that I had shot over 100 weddings previously to doing this one.


5.Let me put you in the condition: You only have a holga with film inside and external flash and you have 1girl in the toilet. How do you do the photo session?

Interesting scenario! Well, I would try to get her from many different angles. I may also ask her stand on or in toilet for variety. I may stand on the next door toilet and get her from above. It might be also interesting to get a whole row of  empty toilets with doors closed and just her feet. I would like it very much if the stall doors were different colors.


6.From your Poin of view.How to make our art become valuable and get a lot of respect from the other people?
That is just so hard! First of all, you just have to put yourself out there. you have to network in person, go to art openings, meet people who are in the art industry, go to photo reviews, etc. It is also VERY important to market yourself online through a blog, facebook, twitter, flickr. etc. the more people know who you are the better chance you have of being seen. Another way to get attention is to be a big fish in a small pond. In other words, maybe specialize in something where there are not so many people competing for attention.

7.Can you please tell me some story about your participation in Holga palooza?

Well, I have participated in Holgapalooza for a few years. Last year I won third place in the creatures category and the year before I won first place in the modified holga category. I wish I could have seen all of the entries they got for the contest, I think that would have been a treat!


8.Do you always feel confidence with your shoot? Do you have any tips for all toycam user how to be confidence with our art?

I usually do feel confident that my photos will come out, but that just comes from practice! I have shot many, many rolls of film through my toy cameras so I know what to expect. the trick is to anticipate what the quirks are with a particular camera and make them work for you. I also like to stick to similar lighting for each roll so that the exposures are not too varied.

9.What's your opinion about the other toycamera user like Pauline ST.Dennis,Susan Bowen, Tammy Cromer or maybe Mailale lani?

Pauline's work makes me want to work with models more. Fantastic stuff! And I had only seen Maile's stuff once before, but I loved it! I envy her because I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to shopot weddings in New Orleans. For anyone out there reading this, it is not a long drive, I will totally do it :)) Any excuse to visit that city. It is my heart.



10.3 words about your art? and 3 words for all Klastic (toycamera community in Indonesia)
mystery beauty story