Oh No - I'm Taking a Holga Class!

[LW Dail]

Stop laughing!

Yes, I'm taking a class where I'm shooting with a plastic camera! Go ahead, wipe your eyes, finish hiccuping, and keep reading!

You know what the hardest thing I'll have to learn? Stop Thinking!

No, ISO is not a factor.
No, there is no shutter speed. Just a cloud and a sun.
No, there's no f-stop. Just one person, two people, three people, a bunch of people, and a mountain!

Yes, you can change shutter speed. From about 1/60 to 'bulb' which holds the shutter open until you release.

So far, my favorite comment has been (and I paraphrase) "And tape the back of your camera because the back WILL fall off." WHAT?!?! :shock:

Instructor continued, "But don't worry, if it's low light, you might get some cool effects!"

I'm afraid my head will explode during this class!

Next week we're going to go into the darkroom, pull the exposed film, and expose the film to our cell phones. <poof - there it went!>

[Livinthalife]

WOW! Tape the back huh? lol

I don't know anything about Holgas, but sound kinda chinsy. Why take a class on something like that? You got a 5D, you know how to use a camera, right ;)

[LW Dail]

Evidently I don't know how to use a Holga!

Actually, I've wanted to play with one for a while and the timing for this class worked out so hubby and I can take it together (he's been on crazy travel and we rarely see each other, so I managed to carve out some time for us together!).

As for the camera, it's a piece of c--p! It's plastic. With a manual film advance. It leaks light, and evidently hardly ever performs as advertized - each one's different, the instructor explained. And people mod them like crazy - vignettes, little people sitting between the film and the lens, hair in the same place, it's a whole new world here!

And the photography is - "No rules, anything goes." That's the hard part for me. I'm an old film photog, back to digital, and moderately technical.

Personally, I wanted to try and loosen up a bit (didn't know how far I had to go!). And I thought that having a Holga at some of the cool places we go might be neat - shoot the standard stuff then clear the mind and throw out some Holga film!

I guess I don't want to be in a rut, yet!

[anon1010]

The chintzyness is the point. I have to tape my Holga with duct tape b/c it leaks so bad. The results can be very interesting. There are several web sites that show how to modify the Holga to get different effects--you can even buy a Polaroid back for it (of course with the demise of Poalroid pack film, you'll need Fuji pack film).

Also, the Holga forces you to consider composition because of that fixed lens (unless you try one of the mods to put a different lens on it.

Have fun!

[ooo]

Oh man, I'd love to take a holga class!

[Youngster]

You'll love it, I'm sure. Holgas rock. I sport a Diana+ myself, it's great. You never know what you get when shooting with one of these!

It's never good to get too comfortable with what you're doing. Safe and easy is boring.

[LW Dail]

Going out and shooting my roll of 'just anything' so we can expose it in the darkroom!

I'm actually thinking it's a bit like the old Instamatics we had as kids. I always composed a great shot thinking it was going to be the most beautiful photograph ever (a'la National Geographic - which is where most of my initial examples came from).

The pictures never measured up to what I remembered seeing in the camera or my mind.

With the 5D and the lenses, you can forget a fixed lens, if you want closer you can get there, if you want further away, you can get there too. The photographer controls so much - unlike the fixed lens.

Maybe that little girl will come back and shoot with the Holga!

[neilwood32]

Not sure i fancy trying a Holga but i guess its a great way of forcing yourself not to worry about the technical details we all seem to get too hung up on.

Sometimes its good to just go and shoot

[Wilt]

Is that Hatha Holga, or White Lotus Holga, or Bikram Holga ?! ;)

[javanutsy]

With the 5D and the lenses, you can forget a fixed lens, if you want closer you can get there, if you want further away, you can get there too. The photographer controls so much - unlike the fixed lens.

The class sounds very interesting and fun... Would love to hear your experiences after a few class meets.

You're right about zoom versus fixed lenses. I find myself having a lot more fun shooting with a fixed lens.

[sunking39]

Thers nothing to laugh about:
1, Holga is a cool camera
2, youll learn a lot.

That seems like a good teacher.

[SlowBlink]

I see those Holga chicks all the time in my neighbourhood with their Lulu Lemon sweats and theit Holga mats. Wear comfortable clothes in case they want you to do the downward facing DOF. K, I'm done. Hope you enjoy the class, sounds like fun. :)

[Bumgardnern]

They are cool cameras. I tend to tape mine with gaffers tape because it does not leave a residue and is black.

[LW Dail]

Okay, we've had another class. As requested, some of my observations!

1. The first pics out of your Holga are lousy! Fun, intersting, you can see where they'll go, but they suck!

2. Artsy chicks think bad photos are great! My hubby noticed this one. We're looking at our film saying "Eeewww!" and the girls looked over and thought he was an incredible photographer for his picture of a crosswalk sign! He's obviously enjoying the class!

3. A Holga class will, eventually, make my head explode. This week we did a Holga mod and fit 35mm slide film into our holgas. If you process it like prints, the sprokets will appear on the film. You can't rely on the red window to display the film advance, so you count clicks on the film advance! And the image will bleed over the film (into the sprockets).

For next class (pushed off into December for holidays!), we're going to shoot lots of film and have it developed, including 35mm and then talk about it. Hubby already scoping out street signs

Then we're going to put one roll of 35 mm in a diluted mix of H2O and chemical (Windex, vinegar, salt water, etc). We leave it there for a day then dry it out.

Then we're going boil a roll (simmer, really) and put it in a bowl of room temp or ice cold water. Bubbles and cracks should provide some nifty effects.

I must say this little camera is a lot of fun. It's not intimidating to subjects: We were walking around town and there was a cute little girl in the window of a laundry. I pointed at the Holga, pointed at her and smiled. She nodded her head and I snapped a pic of her huge smile as she laughed at the camera!

It's also easy - no thinking. Although now I'm stuck in a logic loop - the artsy chicks like images that suck. If I compose a great shot with the Holga, will they hate it because it's good? Should I compose an icky shot just for reaction? Hmmm, this might be my own reverse experiment!

OH YEAH ---- One more thing: we're putting together a Holga show of our work after the class is complete! Instructor thinks a lot of people will come! 25 years shooting film and digital, nothing. Three weeks with a Holga and I'm in a show!

<Pop- there it went again!>

[javanutsy]

Nice write-up! Sounds very fun. You should scan your hubby's crosswalk sign pic... I want to see! :)

[mattograph]

Is that Hatha Holga, or White Lotus Holga, or Bikram Holga ?! ;)

Well Played!

[LW Dail]

Well Played!

Ohh, I so missed this one! Funny, very funny!

[Wilt]

Phew, I was starting to wonder about POTN members having too narrow a focus, on photography only! almost like eating nothing except what they serve in IHOP and Popeye's to be able to appreciate Panda Express :lol:

[edit] I just noticed SlowBlink's post on the same theme!

[LW Dail]

Oh, do not even get me started on the Holga chicks!

I am so NOT an artsy chick - 44, professional woman, rather cute, trim. Clothing tends to be 'put together' and appropriate to an exec's wife. Don't get me wrong, I'll get down and wallow with the best of 'em - we camp, do back country at Yellowstone, etc. But there is a time and place!

But I am artsy! Photography, painting, home remodels, decorating, etc. Just like to dress a little better. And shave.

The Holga chicks look at me like I'm from Mars! Or Venus. Of maybe Neptune!

Maybe my reverse experiment should include a Holga chick makeover. I know! For our Holga Show - I'll go buy a hemp skirt, some hightops, and hair clips! And I can make over the hubby!

Like Wilt said, it's good to be outside of the box. Hubby likes to say I've never met the box. I tell him I've seen it, I know how it works, I just don't like it!

[tonylong]

You know, I never had heard of this fad, until reading this thread, Googled it..."Holga chicks"? Heh! They are probably my type of women, but I just doubt that I'll go Holga:)!

[Wilt]

Gee I have an old plastic cheapo roll film camera somewhere at my mom's house, nearing official 'antique' classification. I wonder if the Holga chicks would swarm me and salivate over my artistry with that camera! :confused:

[tonylong]

Gee I have an old plastic cheapo roll film camera somewhere at my mom's house, nearing official 'antique' classification. I wonder if the Holga chicks would swarm me and salivate over my artistry with that camera! :confused:

I doubt my ancient Brownie Box camera would have qualified me -- it was actually capable of taking some OK pictures.

[LW Dail]

Hey - How come no Holga dudes? Pretty sure I'm not interested, but HEY!

Picking up two more rolls of Holga film today, may have to dust off the flat-bed scanner and put some of these shots out here for you guys to enjoy, especially the children crossing sign!

[airfrogusmc]

Got a real good friend that shot an entire portfolio with a Holga and had a big show in New York with the work and sold several pieces. Learning what subject matter works with that type of camera is very cool. And the subject matter she chose to shoot for that project would have only worked with a Holga.

[javanutsy]

may have to dust off the flat-bed scanner and put some of these shots out here for you guys to enjoy, especially the children crossing sign!

Yes, please do!

Learning what subject matter works with that type of camera is very cool. And the subject matter she chose to shoot for that project would have only worked with a Holga.

Is the subject matter she chose worthy enough to be mentioned?

[justincase724]

One of my friends is into Holga's, and I must admit, it looks kinda fun at times. That technique of taping in 35mm film produces some cool results. Heres one my friend did (http://aesthetic-mindset.com/pixelpost/index.php?showimage=516). I also read an article where this one lady did all of her work with a holga. She's do huge pano's that were the full length of the 35mm film.

[airfrogusmc]

Yes, please do!



Is the subject matter she chose worthy enough to be mentioned?

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

The entire series of images were incredible. She has an M/A in photography and teaches photography.

[DougP]

I have a couple of the Holgas including a 35mm version (easier for me to get 35mm film developed). They are capable of some interesting photographs and the unpredictability of them i find to be a bonus. Many times i'll take pics with the Holga and do additional shots with my dSLR...sometimes i actually like the character provided by that plastic lens better.

if you perform a search for Square Frog, he has a website dedicated to many of the mods that you can do to the camera.

[LW Dail]

Took the Holga on vacation with us and did a little shooting, curious what happens with Holga at the beach!

We had professional shots on the beach while we were there - pulled out the Holga and the photog like to died!

He played along though and shot a couple of Holga shots!

Can't wait to see what we got out of everything, all film goes in tomorrow!

[mikerault]

Here is a link to purchase your own Holga...

http://www.rugift.com/photocameras/holga_cameras.htm