Adventures in Experimental Film Photography; Introducing Yodica 

On the 13th July Analogue Wonderland will launch a new range of products for experimental film photography from Italian brand Yodica. Today we meet with the couple behind Yodica to understand what drove them to create the brand and why they love experimental analogue photography.

My name's Marco, I'm 31 and I live in Milan. When was young I studied computer science but I've always been interested in photography and in every kind of art. My passion made me start my studies as an autodidact and, as a self-taught photographer, I've been immediately impressed by experimental film photography.

After intense and passionate studies, I did my first art exhibition of photo manipulations with Polaroids in Rome. Beyond that, I always liked to test new films in my spare time and I did constant research because I wanted testing for all of them, and I was always hoping to find a new ones with creatives effects.

A few years later I met Cinzia, my fiancée, and thanks to her the dream of Yodica began.

My name's Cinzia, I'm 31 and I am Sardinian but I live in Milan. I've always been into art since I was child. I've always painted and drawn. I did artistic and academic studies, and I'm an Illustrator.
I approached the photography world thanks to Marco, he taught me everything I know.

Marco: Yodica was born out of a desire to combine traditional photography with art and creativity, turning a conventional shoot into something new and alternative.
At first these creative effects were used only by me, then Cinzia who loved those creative results, encouraged me to share my knowledge and give to other people the possibility to benefit from it, therefore we joined our skills for create this new experimental film photography Brand.

Cinzia: The packaging is a tribute to vintage graphics. I personally designed every details of the logo and of the labels; The particularity of the labels is that you can recognize at a glance, what creative color you will obtain with that film.

This peculiarity is shown also in the cap which completes the graphical presentation (I have to point this out since each labels are cut by hand, and trust me, it's a very hard work, especially the cap ones ahah). Space and Galaxies have always fascinated us, for this reason we have decided to give to each film a name of a galaxy or a star.

A particular anecdote concerns precisely the name Yodica. Because my dream was born precisely from a dream. One night I dreamed of my fiancée Cinzia who was saying me to have found the ultimate camera made just for me and its name was Yodica! I have no idea what this name means, but I think it sounds perfect

One day, I was about 25, I opened a drawer and I found the old camera of my mother which I loved when I was child; a Voigtlander Vito C.
That's when it all started.

Marco: my favourite film (non Yodica) is the Rollei CR200. That's no longer being produced, but I stocked up a good supply. I love this slide film with these warm tones!

Cinzia: Instead my favourite film is the Kodak Ektar 100! I love its vivid and vibrant color palette

Marco: My favourite Yodica film is the Atlas, our main film, because it allows you to always obtain different colour shades and particular colour matches.

Cinzia: The Yodica film which I love most is the Vega, because I find that it give a very romantic shade to the shoot, since this gradient reminds me of a sunset.

We both use for 90% of our shoots a SLR Nikon semi-pro

Marco: my favourite camera of which I'm very fond is my first camera: a Voigtlander Vito C.
It belonged to my mother since she was 14 and it was her and it was present in her most important events in her life. And it's magic that the same camera may be present also in mine important events even today.

Cinzia: The camera which I'm so fond is a Zenit 122 which was owned by my father, and he gifted it to me when he found out that Marco was a photographer.

We hope to be able to give photographers the possibility of creating unique memories with the artistic touch and colourful nature of our brand.

Marco: My advice is get started right away! Because it's a journey filled of experience and emotions always new. I don't want do comparison with digital photography, it is now clearly part of our life.
Just think about what I wrote about the camera of my mother.
What digital camera can accompany different generations of the same family and after many years give the same quality of the first picture taken? This is all just magic.

Hmm, that’s a bit hard to answer. Staying grounded, we are studying for new colours and new effects, you will find out in future by following us on Instagram!

Follow more of Yodica's adventures in experimental film photography on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yodicafilms/

Experimental film photography using Yodica Vega film. (c) AW community member Ellie Sumner.

NB: Yodica have now turned ONE YEAR OLD! Read our latest interview with them here for news about their most recent experimental film photography products.