Jun
29
Funny thing happened to me yesterday when I picked up my film from the lab. They apologized and said that sadly two of my negatives were blank or just didn’t develop right and therefore they didn’t charge me for the two. Obviously I was disappointed but oh well, this is the risk of the trade, so I just took the negatives home. But before tossing the failed negatives away I placed them over a light table, you know, just to be certain, and sure enough the negatives looked quite weird with light leaks all over the place but I could definitely see a few faint images… So I scanned the negatives and was pleasantly surprised to discover these soft beautiful images of the east side of Hollywood.
The camera these “failed” negatives were taken with was a modified Holga that was adapted to accept 35mm film and make some cool pictures. The best thing about this Holga modification is that the original Holga’s medium format exposure area is larger than a 35mm which means that the entire negative is exposed including the sprockets. Also since the 35mm does not fit tightly the images often come out very soft with lots of light leaks.
Modifying your Holga to accept 35mm is actually quite a simple modification and there are plenty of easy tutorials on how to get it done available on youtube. Check it out.
Posted in Film photography, toy cameras 35mm film holga Hollywood medium format toy camera
Apr
13
In the last few years toy cameras gained popularity among many photographers who enjoy their little imperfections and remarkable effects.
A few years back when I got interested in toy cameras, the Holga was definitely a cheap (i.e. inexpensive) plastic camera.
But shortly after, the Lomographic Society got involved and took over the concept and marketing of toy cameras and the prices went up, way up. Their prized possession is a plastic soviet camera called the Lomo LC-A which they have a monopoly over and currently sell at outrageous prices starting at $250 ($600 for the same camera gilded in 24-carat gold. Seriously!)
But don’t worry; they didn’t forget to price gouge the Holga as well. On their website you can get your Holga wrapped in some sort of a starter kit for a $100 and more.
And a word of caution here: For some unknown reason (called Profit) the Lomographic Society found it necessary to upgrade the original Lubitel 166 to something they call Lubitel 166+ and they sell for a low price of just $350. What a bargain!
Remember? We are still talking about PLASTIC cameras.
Smart people; no doubt, their profit margin calculator is working overtime.
But hey, why not? I mean, it’s a free market and if there are people who are willing to pay high prices for cheap cameras…then go for it.
Myself, I strongly believe photography should not be such an expensive trade/hobby and I constantly look for the most inexpensive solutions. I often buy my cameras at garage sales or second hand stores, I search for good deals on ebay or craigslist, I opt to modify the cameras myself, I look for expired or close-dated film (half priced!) etc.
And if I may, let me quickly recommend Freestyle Photographic Supplies where you can find toy cameras at great prices.
You can too, shop around, find out what’s out there and remember;
you don’t have to buy your cameras overstated and packaged with all sorts of unnecessary accessories.
Just something to think about before you decide to delve into the world of toy cameras.
PS. Feel free to share your suggestions for solutions and places to get toy cameras for bargain prices. (I’m going to include as many of them in my next book.)
You can find this article and many creative photo processes in my new book:
So Much More than Photography – eBook edition is now on sale for $10.
Get it here
Posted in Thoughts about photography, toy cameras buy cheap diana freestyle holga lomographic society Lubitel photographic supplies plastic camera shop toy cameras
Apr
07
MAKE PANORAMAS
Unlike panoramas taken with other cameras, with a Holga there’s no need to stitch the images together on the PC; the whole stitching thing is done directly on the negative.
Holga panoramas are made simply by turning the advance knob only one turn after taking the first picture. By doing so the second picture will overlap the first image, the third will overlap the second and so on.
There are mainly two ways of making Holga panoramas; you can stand in one place and just shift your body between images or you can move sideways between images keeping your camera at the same level. One important thing to remember is to take the panorama images from left to right.
And also don’t forget it’s a Holga! In other words, the panorama doesn’t have to be perfect; actually it’s probably better that it isn’t.
PHOTOGRAPHING AT NIGHT
Since the Holga doesn’t have a light meter or a real shutter speed and F stop settings, you might find yourself at the mercy of your film’s speed if you are shooting at night.
However, the Holga 120FN version has a super advanced feature: it is called the B exposure. But before you jump for joy you might want to know the way it really works is that you need to press the shutter release button for as long as you want your exposure to last. ouch!
Not to mention the pain and suffering your poor finger must go through, it is also impossible to hold your breath or keep steady for long enough to prevent that horrible camera shake (the ugly cousin of the attractive motion blur).
This is where your choice of film can help.
If you don’t mind long exposures, go for the 400ASA film and expose your film in the average lit area for about 30-40 seconds!
800ASA will allow you to cut down your exposure time to a good 10-15 seconds. But at last you will see the light when you use 3200ASA, which tolerates an exposure of somewhere between 1-3 seconds.
Posted in toy cameras holga holga panorama night photography toy camera
Apr
06
QUICK INTRO
For just a few dollars you can get yourself a plastic camera that will truly make it possible for you to break free of the restrictive correctness in photography.
The Holga, often branded as a “toy camera, takes 120mm film type and produces 12 6cmX6cm or 16 4.5cmX6cm medium format exposures per roll and has a large fan base among the photography community.
This toy camera, manufactured in China, was originally produced to offer an inexpensive solution for working-class Chinese to take family portraits, until it was discovered and revived by fine-art photographers in the west.
It is a simple camera with a 60mm fixed plastic lens and a few basic adjustments that quite doubtfully accomplish anything.
There are a number of variations on the original 120S version such as the Holga 120FN which has a flash or the 120GN type that has a glass lens.
The Holga can be modified in a number of ways, for example; it can be adapted to receive 35mm film or even turned into a pinhole camera.
One of the best traits of this innocent looking toy is that there are no focus or f-stop settings to hassle with; therefore it is not only easier to shoot on the move but it also makes the Holga a camera that can liberate the photographer from the obligation to pursue precision and perfection that are often essential in traditional photography.
The Holga produces beautiful, distinctive looking images that are especially soft and are framed with dark and blurry vignette.
TAKE OFF YOUR MASK
If you wish to make the famous 6X6 Holga square format photos make sure to remove the mask insert, otherwise your photos will be 6 X 4.5 format.
Some people tape their Holga all over the place with light-tight black tape in order to prevent the inevitable light leaks that the Holga is proudly famous for. However, some people see the light leaks as part of the Holga’s charm and will refuse to tape their Holga. It very much a matter of preference .
However, it is a good idea to tape the sides of the back cover as it has tendency to come apart exactly at the wrong moment (i.e. when shooting).
SHOOTING 35MM FILM IN YOUR HOLGA
You can modify the Holga to accept 35mm film and make some uniquely cool pictures. Many websites including youtube have good information and instruction videos on this fun adjustment.
When shooting 35mm film in your Holga, you will need to adjust your shooting method and remember you are taking horizontal, panoramic-like images through a square viewfinder.
Another matter to overcome is advancing to the next frame without actually seeing the frame’s number in the red window (which you will need to tape over anyway). The solution is to turn the knob 1 1/2 turns between every exposure.
DOUBLE EXPOSURE
One of the Holga’s most recognized feature is the double exposure. As the Holga does not have an automatic advance mechanism, the double exposure is just bound to happen, especially by the over-excited beginner.
So when you do create a double exposure with a Holga accidentally, don’t despair or view it as a waste. Instead, simply enjoy the unexpected results, which can turn out unique and intriguing.
And of course, if you do like the unpredictability of double exposure you can always purposely double (or even triple) expose for your delight by exposing your film twice (or more) before advancing to the next photo.
Posted in toy cameras 35mm double exposure holga medium format toy camera
Dec
25
With this year coming to a close I decided to re-post a couple of my favorite posts of 2009. Here is the first one, (it was written in February):
don’t be afraid to change
Spring semester at the college had begun this week, and I find myself back in school.
I’m taking a class in Website development. I guess it’s a sign of the times.
The economy being what it is I, like many others, have to consider alternatives and changes in my life. A few years ago I did not think I will be so eager to ever go back into this field of designing websites for clients who never know what exactly it is they want. And here I am. Must be the sign of times.
But soon I realized that not working in web design nor taking too much interest in it in the last few years I’m somewhat out of the loop. Not completely ignorant yet, as I kept learning new things as necessary for my own online presence, but there are undeniably a few areas in need of strengthening and more experience.
So far I’m very much enjoying the class I’m taking which I anticipate is going to add some depth into my “old new career”. I was also lucky enough to get a small job; setting up an online store for someone, which is not too bad of an income considering the amount of work I invested, so it feels like a good start so far.
I know this post is not directly relevant to photography but I wanted to encourage you my dear readers (yes, all three of you) to stand up and not to be afraid to make changes and seek for better alternatives. And if it doesn’t work for you at first, don’t despair, try some more, try something else.
Maybe you haven’t noticed but life has its own rhythm and it tends to drip away quickly.
Posted in Best Photos, toy cameras holga toy camera venice beach
Nov
14
One of my favorite things to do when shooting film is to cross process a slide film.
And just in case you didn’t know cross processing simply means processing your film in the wrong chemicals. For example, if you shoot a slide film and instead of developing it in the standard E6 chemicals you process your film in C41 chemicals which are normally used for processing negative film.
The process of developing slide film in C41 chemicals produces interesting and unexpected colors, a higher level of contrast and lots more grain. (Developing a negative in E6 chemicals is somewhat more difficult but should be quite interesting to try one day)
I think for me, the most attractive feature about x-processing is that I can never imagine what the picture is going to look like.
But even better, combining cross-processing with a Holga always produces something totally weird and unexpected. Great!
Posted in Film photography, cross-processed, toy cameras cross-processing holga kodak E100
Oct
03
In my last post I mentioned I prefer traveling with a digital camera rather than film, but this is not entirely true; I do in fact always make sure to pack at least one film camera.
Tomorrow, as I’m traveling to the East Coast, along with my D60 I’m taking my Holga as well.
I think for some places the Holga will simply be a better choice.
Now the question is where to get the film? Usually I buy my film in small quantities from Samy’s Camera or get it online if I come across an attractive deal.
But now as I needed a somewhat larger quantity of a variety 120 film, trying to save some money so I can actually eat while I travel, I decided to go out of my way, wrestle the L.A traffic and go visit Freestyle on Sunset.
What I like about Freestyle photo store is that they have a greater selection of film from around the world, some very attractive prices and they are also really big on Holgas and other toy cameras.
I mean they have a “wide angle pinhole panoramic Holga” a “twin lens Holga” and even a “3D stereo Holga”, whatever that is.
Btw, you can find Freestyle online at: www.freestylephoto.biz/
So I got myself a bunch of mostly black & white film, but also a couple of color and a couple of slide film just for fun.
I think I’m ready.
Posted in Best Photos, Film photography, toy cameras film holga San Francisco toy camera
Aug
24
Layering a negative of an image over its positive often produces some interesting colors and adds a new dimension to any photo.
Luckily (for you) this technique is quite easy to do:
1) You can scan a negative version of your image or even create the negative in your photo editor.
2) Place the negative in a new layer above the original image.
3) Now play around with the transparency settings until you like the appearance of the final image.
A black and white photo will generate a cast of silver-like tone. Color images will tend to produce bluish-greenish quality. And a cross-processed image (such as the one here) will tend to appear quite a lovely green.
Posted in cross-processed, techniques, toy cameras Bevery Hills cross-processed holga negative positive toy camera
Jul
25
Yesterday after dropping off film at the lab I noticed they are promoting a 35mm Holga for $42.00. Isn’t it yet another trap by the Lomography group? Probably so.
A quick inquiry on Flickr when I arrive home reveals the pictures taken with this camera are OK (I definitely like the extra grain) but doesn’t have the famous Holga quirky effects and so its quite deceiving selling this camera under the Holga name .
I think if you wish to shoot 35mm in your Holga you’ll be better off if you modify your old Holga to accept 35mm.
There are a few good online tutorials which explain how this can be done, especially take a look at this youbube video, so as you can see, not only you get cool looking negatives you also get to have fun reassembling your beloved camera.
A few years ago, one of my Holgas was adapted to accept 35mm by my friend, David, and to be honest after taking just a few rolls back in 2006, I completely forgot about this camera until now when I saw the Holga 135 promotion.
So now I’m quite eager about finding this camera again and taking a few rolls, maybe using some expired or damaged film. Cool!
Now, where on earth did I put this camera???
Posted in Best Photos, Film photography, toy cameras film holga Holga 135 Holga 35 modification toy camera tweak
Jun
16
I read an article in one web design magazine declaring twitter is going to kill the blogs. In fact, the article argued, many bloggers already shut down their operations and twitted over to a better place such as facebook and twitter.
The article pointed out, with some satisfaction, the new rising culture of “140 characters or less”.
So, I had no idea, but it turns out the people of the net, I mean you, my dear readers, are apparently awfully shallow, cannot sit through a few paragraphs of text and allegedly suffer from the familiar 21st century symptom of short attention span.
Well, OK, nice observation, but I don’t buy it for a moment.
As I see it, there are 3 types of blogs: personal (I decided to die my hair pink today after I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me… etc.), professional and the good ones.
The daily-routine personal blogs did move to twitter heaven and better so. It is just the perfect place for them.
The professional blogs, which are traffic-driven and typically exist to enhance sales of ideas, services and products, they will adapt to where the traffic is.
And as they are the marketing savvy ones who know best where to find their crowd, I can only assume they are now twitting (or is it twittering?) fast-paced clever brief ideas, maybe some are still keeping the blog around but only to complement their 140 characters reality on twitter.
And then there are the good blogs. These self-driven blogs are the ones that present rich, educational and informative substance. They often focus on a topic or a theme and provide their visitors with a wealth of content that usually originates from personal learning experience. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t see these types of blogs dying any time soon, simply because twitter and facebook cannot replace the same type of web presence.
Bottom line, these fine blogs are safe, well, at least for now, until the next craze.
Now, let me know, in 140 characters or less, what is your take on this new wave of fast-paced short-burst twitting (or is it twittering?)
Posted in Thoughts about photography, street photos, toy cameras black and white blogs holga kodak tx new york city social networking twitter
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