Low-fi High Art!

[Colin Corneau]

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...ough-a-cheap-plastic-holga-lens-part-one.aspx

 

[thicktheo]

Not much... the Holga flash is crappy at its best - nice camera for daylight photos, though. Covering a Film Festival with it? well, it's hip, but let's face it, it's nothing more than that.

I covered the Athens International Film Festival one month ago as a photojournalist - a friend of mine, also covering the festival, took some Holga shots of movie directors - the ones that were in broad daylight were fantastic, but the ones with the flash were indifferent.

Would like to see some wireless strobe flash with the holga, though - should be good.

 

[nsurit]

In general on camera flash is pretty dreadful. I do have a Holga like the one pictured that I plan to tape a layer ot two or more of opaque plastic over the flash to use in a situation where a little fill flash would be nice. Anyone doing/have done this? Bill Barber

 

[Silverhead]

I plan to tape a layer ot two or more of opaque plastic over the flash to use in a situation where a little fill flash would be nice. Anyone doing/have done this? Bill Barber

Unless you're talking about using the separate Holga Flash that mounts on a hot shoe, I wouldn't even bother. The Holga's built-in flash is positively anemic AFAIC. It's only good for 400 ISO film, and even then it's so weak that it's only good for close-ups and medium shots. I would get the Holga with no flash built-in, and then get the separate (and quite more powerful) flash, and play around with whatever diffusing techniques you like.

 

[nsurit]

I agree that the Holga flash is a little anemic, however a flash that is anemic and falls off around the edges is not such a bad deal for a camera which vignettes. Guess I just want one that is a little more anemic as I like to work in close and am more interested in fill than primary light. I have an image I recent sent to the "childhood" exhibit/competition at the Texas Photographic Society done with a Holga with built in flash. Not difffused. It will be interesting to see how it does. Bill Barber

 

[Colin Corneau]

I thought the same thing, Theo - it would have been interesting to see someone hook up some Pocket Wizards to it and go that route. Although I also see the Holga as an available light camera.

I don't have a problem with "hipsters" using Holgas and other film cameras. Not because I particularly like hipsters, but rather that image-makers and creative professionals are probably one of the main routes that film can make inroads and hang on, finding a new niche in the world.

It's clear that for the vast majority of "workaday" uses for photography, digital is the medium. But film has a very important place, and going forward it's establishing that place which will be vital. So, let the hipsters play - it can only help analog, IMHO.

 

[Lruw]

I thought the pictures were pretty sub par. Only the second one appealed to me.

I use a Holga and genuinely enjoy it, but it is ironic that an emblem of supposedly not caring about the quality of the tool has become and emblem of the opposite. The vignettes and shitty quality are cool when used properly, but don't make any photo instantly art.

I like Holga, but it is limited. It is a specialized piece of equipment.

The idea of a holgafest in a gallery bothers me as much as a Nikonfest would.

 

[thicktheo]

I thought the same thing, Theo - it would have been interesting to see someone hook up some Pocket Wizards to it and go that route. Although I also see the Holga as an available light camera.

I did try my Holga with studio flashes and the result was nice - I am tempted to do a studio portrait series with it, just for fun - you can have it there sitting next to your main MF camera and take the odd snapshot now and then.

But anyway, the Holga is indeed an outdoors-daylight camera. Let's face it, it's a shame to waste nice studio lights on a camera you can't really focus or frame properly.

 

[Lruw]

I can't find it now, but I remember seeing somebody using strobes with a Holga for stopping motion on flickr. It was actually pretty cool.