I decided to write a little post about my Holga camera. It is a camera that I’ve used throughout college and in practical workshops with secondary school kids, and now I’m bringing it into my wedding photography. Enter Holga wedding photography!
There she is
One of the first photos I took with the Holga
Two examples of students work with the Holga
No matter how great digital SLRs for their convenience, quality and instant playback of images, if I had to choose between digital and film I would always choose film. For me no amount of photoshopping can match the colours, the grain and the tangible nature that is film. I learned my craft through film, its what made me fall in love with photography in the first place, eagerly awaiting both my triumphs and failures of my developed rolls from the lab and still to this day I feel a sense of excitement of what each roll will look like. This is why I wanted to incorporate my love for film into my wedding packages….Enter the Holga!
If you have never heard of the Holga it is a plastic len and body camera. The first Holga camera was designed by T. M. Lee in 1981, and first appeared in 1982. The concept of Holga is simple – a minimal and inexpensive camera using medium format 120 film (which is the one I use) and later 35mm format. The Holga had no true aperture selection and one shutter speed; the focus dial was marked with figures in place of numbers.
I first discovered it in college while researching film manipulation for a project. I loved it instantly! I loved the unpredictability of it, (I know its not a word most photographers or clients would like associated with images that come out of a camera), but to be honest its worth the risk. Also the stunningly strange effects, the Light Leaks, the vignetting, the blur.
This simplicity of the Holga allows you not to be distracted by technology and focus on the subject or meaning of the image being taken.
And most importantly its fun which is probably the most important reason that Holga’s have attained their cult status today is because they are Fun!
Incorporating the Holga into your wedding package is a unique creative way of recording aspects of your wedding day, with the fun, day-dream quality of film and in the right hands the results from this camera are truly beautiful. Here’s just a few examples of what this mighty little camera can do.
Lou xx
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