Holga first attempts

[rhubarb]

Ok so I know its not high end or even anything near any quality, but I really fancied trying out film, and I've always quite liked the low res slighly grungy images plastic cameras give you. So I went out and got myself a holga and some 120 film.

I've never been able to put my finger on why I like holga images, and even now with mine below I still don't know, but there is something that I quite like about the low tech, out of focus images.

When I started I really did think point and click, and I guess to some extent it is - especially to the proper stuff, but its really not as easy as that as I'm finding out. I've got loads to learn about this stuff, especially if I want to progress from the plastic fantastic.

Some other things that struck me is firstly how excited I'd get going back to the shop to pick up my processed film, I was like a little kid a christmas, and secondly how expensive it is to get things scanned to CD, if I progress I'm going to have to look at a scanner of some kind.

Anyway here's the best and worst of the bunch. All tweaked in CS3 and corners chopped off. C&C very much appreciated

1:

2:

3:

4:

5: Had to process this quite a bit as it was as very flat

6: Only included this one becuase I've no idea what went wrong, I'm assuming that light has got in somehow and the kodak logo reflected or something

C&C welcomed

 

[welly]

There's something I can't quite put my finger on with Holga (and similar) cameras. The images it produces are terrible really but for some reason they're quite endearing and can take a fairly mundane subject and make it look quite interesting. I'm not sure it's a camera I would buy though. I like 3, 4 and 6. Good job on those.

 

[blinkerz]

i think holga's are great, they bring alot of character to a picture with there imperfections which adds to the overal image.. where as digital can be too clean and lifeless at times....

 

[hellogoodbye]

Ohhh, I love my Holgas! Great set!

 

[AB22 Easy Tiger]

Technically terrible images for the most part but I love them.

2, 3 , 5 & 6 are great - I'd be very happy if I'd taken them. Very atmospheric.

 

[MisterE]

Those VWs are perfect subjects for the Holga. A recent photo mag ran an interview with a pro who'd been sent on assignment to Cuba. His photos taken with his 1DS II were rejected but they snapped up his Holga photos taken for his own benefit.

I've got my first roll taken in my Holga being developed at the moment. It's Kodacolor that's over 20 years passed its use by date. Should be interesting.

 

[ZoneV]

What a great set, especially for a first go with the Holga. From what I've heard they can be very hit & miss until you get to know them.

As for the "quality" of the images, well I love them. The images may not be realistic or totally accurate visual representations of the subject but do they have to be? Personally I don't think they do and the imperfections add an artistic quality of their own which I find refreshing.

This is the main reason I'm looking to buy a retro low-tech film camera soon although I haven't yet decided which.