The Holga is a cheap, plastic camera that is produced in China. It is the stepsister of the Diana Camera which was used extensively by photographers in the 1970’s . Poor quality control, a plastic lens and light leaks are the hallmarks of these cameras.
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| After the Crash, Manny Boccini |
Given their shortcomings, “toy cameras” can take some evocative imagery. The image is usually sharper in the center and quickly goes out of focus in the corners of the square image. Sometimes the corners are darker as well, creating a vignette effect.
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| Saugerties Lighthouse |
The gritty, semi-focused look is perfect for our next assignment, The "Less Seen" side of Mahopac. Look for the junk, old cars, run-down buildings etc. This isn't about the lake front homes and tidy shops, it's about the dark underbelly of Mahopac. Look for dumpsters, old pallets, loading docks. There is alot out there if you start to look!
Process:
Shooting a Holga is extremely easy, but you must follow these basic steps. I'll load it and tape it for light leaks. You will take 3 exposures and pass the camera on to the next person in your group. (4 people)
- Try to shoot in Bright Sunshine or Cloudy Bright situations.
- Guess the focus distance and turn the focus ring to the appropriate icon.
- 3. Set the aperture to the Sun (F11) or Partial Sun(F8) setting.
- Frame your image.
- Hold the camera steady and press the shutter release. Do not shake, the shutter speed is only 1/60 of a second.
- Your group will develop it's film. (I’ll load the 120mm film for you.)
- Make an 8x8" enlargement.
- Dry mount your image.
Focus Ring estimated distances.
- Head and Shoulders: about 4-5 feet.
- 3 People holding hands: about 9 feet.
- 7 People: about 18 feet.
- Mountain: 30 feet to infinity.
