Diana & Mark finally met

It was a long journey for both.

Mark travelled all the way from Australia, made the necessary stopovers on the way and finally arrived in Bulgaria a few days ago. He is now more than fourty years old but still looks remarkably good for his age. When he was high up in the air, Diana boarded a plane thousands of kilometres away, in Amsterdam to be precise. Her destination was also Sofia. Judging by her appearance I would say that Diana must be of roughly the same age as, or perhaps slightly younger than, Mark. But you cannot really ask the age of a lady, can you? Diana must have been excited, as she has not been traveling much, ever since her parents in Hong Kong sent her to Europe when she was young.

Diana and Mark finally met today in my office- very officially, with all the right rituals. They knew about each others existence. What surprised all of us was how similar they still looked, even if they had spent their lives in different parts of the globe. Both had been witnesses of events that were important to their owners: birthdays, parties, that first kiss, the baby. And yet, as with all members of their family, it became soon apparent that they both had different characters. I immediately noticed the similar feel of the two, but also saw they have aged differently over the years, both beautiful in their own way.

Both were very surprised to hear that almost none of their relatives had ever been to Bulgaria. The Diana family of photo cameras has be­come highly sought-​af­ter since its initial production in the late fifties and early sixties. The camera is popular amongst professional photographers and amateurs alike. The younger generation, close relatives of Diana, is officially sold today in many places all-over the world. And yet no-one has thought of inviting these handsome little fellows to Bulgaria, let alone importing vintage models of the older generation, allowing Bulgarians to become part of the ever expanding group of Diana fans (and Mark fans, sorry my friend!).

This error needed urgent correction. Therefore, I have started to hunt down a few of the most interesting models, not as much with the idea to start a new business, but more to create a group of enthusiasts in this country, in order to share our love for this and other analog beauties. In this way, hopefully, one day we can organise our very own Bulgarian Lomotrips, exhibitions and events. So please do spread the word and note that I am expecting new Lomo models to arrive any moment now.

But back to our two friends.

Mark was not happy when I called him a "Diana clone" as he insisted he was one of a kind. While I have to admit he is very special, and rarer than Diana herself (don't tell her!), I cannot deny that he resembles Diana in more than one way. Both Diana and Mark are 4x4 viewfind­er cam­eras, and they both use 120-​film. Both have basic aperture settings and both are fully manual. You can either willingly, or by mistake, create great art through multi-exposures. However, with the I(nstant)-​set­ting of the camera, the individuality of all members of the Diana family once again shows. Some Di­anas have a fast shutter whilst oth­ers have a slow version. There is no other way to find out how your Diana reacts but by taking her out for a walk and starting taking photos with her, slowly getting to know her without ever getting used to her or taking her for granted.

Then there are the famous (or infamous, depending on how creative you think you are) light leaks. Don't worry, they all have them! What makes every Diana (yes, and you, Mark!) truly original is that not one camera takes the same photo. They all have their own view of the world, and they are not afraid to tell you through the photos you take with them. Through magic or through light-leaks (I don't know the secret recipe), their pictures tell much more than a thousand stories.

The world as seen by Diana (and yes, by you, Mark!) is a better and more beautiful place. Sharpness and roughness are replaced by romance and softness. I am delighted that both Diana and Mark have agreed to move in with two good friends of mine. They both will make the lives of their hosts more interesting, nicer and, well, better. Of course they will also annoy their hosts every now and then, as they just can't seem to get enough attention. But overall, I am confident that they will spend many happy years together.

Another bit of good news is that I am expecting the arrival of two more cousins from this great family. Their names are Lina and Barnier, both relatives of Diana and Mark (I will not make the mistake again to call them 'clones'). They are very close friends (well, that is at least what they claim, I expect something more is going on between them) and they currently live in a small apartment in Paris. The city of light may well be the best place to live for cameras like them. Perhaps they therefore will need some time to adapt in Sofia, who knows. I will try to find a good home for them, and I hope you can help me. If they can stay together for the rest of their lives we would all be happy! I will let you know when they arrive.