Holga Book Review: Tricks With A Plastic Wonder by Lorraine Healy

Title: Tricks with a Plastic Wonder
Author: Lorraine Healy
Genre: Photography
Price: $6.25 on Kindle at Amazon

An in-depth exploration of the Holga plastic camera, this comprehensive guide by long-time analog photographer Lorraine Healy cuts down on anyone's learning curve on mastering the secrets of "toy" camera photography. For the digital photographer wanting to discover the magic of film as well as for "plastic wonder" fanatics looking for detailed techniques to produce experimental, wacky or ethereal masterpieces.

Biography

Lorraine Healy is an award-winning Argentinean poet who has been published extensively. Nominated for a Pushcart in 2004, she has a M.F.A from the New England College and a post-MFA from Antioch University Los Angeles. She is the first poet to have received a green card solely on the merits of her work. The 2009 winner of the Patricia Libby First Book Award, her book "The Habit of Buenos Aires" was published by Tebot Bach in 2010. Her new collection, "Mostly Luck", is forthcoming from Tebot Bach in 2014. "Abraham's Voices," her newest chapbook has just been published by WorldEnoughWriters.

As a photographer, she has been shooting plastic cameras, primarily the traditional Holgas S and N, since 2002. She describes these cheap, idiosyncratic cameras as the perfect vehicle for her way of seeing the world. Lorraine was the winner of the Street Photography 1st Prize of the Holgapalooza 2009 contest, and has been featured in the Krappy Kamera, Holga Out of the Box, Plastic Fantastic, Somerville Toy Show, and Toyed With Plastic contests and shows.

She has long made her home in an island on Puget Sound, Washington.

www.Lorrainehealy.com

© Lorraine Healy

My Thoughts 

If you are reading this, you probably love the Holga.  Maybe you've used one for years, like myself, or maybe you just bought one and you are trying to educate yourself as best you can on the subject! Education is definitely worth the investment, as it can spare you wasted rolls of film which are getting expensive to develop these days!

I recently had the opportunity to read Tricks with a Plastic Wonder and I found it to be a very good summation of the Holga camera, from deciding which model to use, what film to use, and how all of the various tricks, techniques and accessories affect your final image.

© Lorraine Healy

Even though I've been using the Holga for over 10 years, there are still some techniques I have not yet tried.  I really enjoyed reading the sections on the various ways to make panoramas, and also the tricks that can be used in post developing to maximize your images.

Lorraine uses many comparison images to show examples of how one scene will look when using various lenses and filters.  There are also examples of other artists work to further enhance the lessons!  I feel like these sections are great for someone who is just starting out and may not be able to buy all of the lenses or accessories all at once.  This helps you decide what look you are going for and what you want to experiment with first.

© Lorraine Healy

The bibliography and resources section at the end of the book is very thorough and provides you with lots of extra reading and links to look at.

If this all sounds like something you are interested in then go check out Lorraine's book and let me know what you think in the comments section.  Holga-On!

© Lorraine Healy

"I love everything about it: the square format, the heavy vignetting, the lack of pristine focus, and its general lack of perfection.  Its sheer imperfection opens doors to be free and play."

© Lorraine Healy

© Lorraine Healy

The Holga 2013 Year in Review

Here is my brief summary of some notable Holga products and events from the past year.  Please feel free to share your own in the comments section.

Special thanks to Holga Inspire for all they do to keep our favourite camera alive!

Also, check out my Resources page (which I've recently updated) for links to Stores, Websites, Blogs and more!

New Products

DALT-IP5 - Detachable Auxiliary Lens Turret

Easily switch between Holga lenses on your iPhone 5!

HC-IP5 - Holga Camera Case for iPhone5 (Accessories include: 3D Lens for Smartphone, Fisheye Lens for Smartphone and Wide Lens for Smartphone)

These look pretty nice!  They attach to your phone via a magnet in the phone case.  If you are an avid iPhone shooter and Holga lover this might be the set for you!

Check out my sponsor HolgaCamera.com for more information and to purchase these beauties.

Holga LED Video Light

Exhibitions

Rayko Photo 6th Annual Juried Plastic Camera Show
March 6, 2013 - April 22, 2013
Click here to read more

Soho Photo Krappy Kamera 2013
March 2013
Click here to read more

Lightbox Photographic Gallery Plastic Fantastic Show IV
June 8, 2013 - July 6, 2013
Click here to read more

Nave Gallery Somerville Toy Camera Festival
September 7 - 28, 2013
Click here to read more

TCC Photo Gallery 3rd Annual International Holga Out of the Box Photography Competition
October 3, 2013 - November 32, 2013
Click here to read more

One of my Holga self portraits "Washed Away" was included in the Somerville Toy Camera Festival, which was an honor!

New Toy Camera Magazine

(Cover image by Dena Robles)

Did you know there was a new toy camera magazine?!  The lovely Stacie Turner has undertaken this great task.  Check out the Fall 2013 issue, and don't forget to submit to the upcoming spring issue.  Deadline is March 31, 2014. Click here to go to the website and learn more!


Did I miss anything?  What were some of your favorite Holga moments of 2013?  Share your thoughts in the comments section - feel free to link to your favourite Holga photo that you took as well!

5 Good Holga Habits to Start Doing Today

Today, I wanted to share with you a few tips to maybe make your life easier when shooting with your Holga.  I hope you find these helpful!

1.  Take Your Holga With You Everywhere

By doing this and aiming to take at least one photo a day, you will never miss that golden opportunity. You know the one where you're passing by a place and think "if only I had my Holga with me!".

2.  Take Notes

With film photography especially, its easy to lose track of what you did with each shot. It always pays to experiment since Holgas are so wonderfully unpredictable. Write down the numbers 1-12 and record each shot you take and what you did - especially if you are doing long exposures or using filters or some other tools. Write your film type and speed at the top of the page too, and date it. Then when you get your negatives back you can look through your photos and see what works and what doesn't.

I really like this cute little Fieldnotes book from Four Corner Store.

You can also use your note book to write down ideas, inspiration, or places to return to later for photos.

3.  Organize your Negatives

I'm really bad for this. I have a great filing system, but I let things pile up for much longer than I should. I like to organize my negatives into film preservers, label each roll with the date and subject, and file them chronologically in binders. I like these negative preservers and binders from Print File.

I usually get my negatives scanned as well and keep the CDs in a separate storage box.

4.  Look at Holga Photos

Find photographers who you admire, and study their work. Look around online for new inspiration and ideas. A great place to start is my Feature Photographer Series! Each Holga photographer shares a bit about themselves, their work and some tips you may not have thought of!

5.  Check the Basics

Film is expensive these days. It pays to make sure you've got your Holga just the way you want it before you take a shot.

• Did you wind the film from your previous shot?
• Is the lens cap off?
• Is it on B or N mode?
• Sunny/cloudy switch (if you have a new Holga where this applies)
• Are you close enough to your subject? Remember, Holgas tend to take photos a bit farther away than what you see through the viewfinder, so get a bit closer than you think you should and check your surroundings for things that can creep into the shot.

Well, those are some things that come to my mind when I think about ways to maximize my Holga experience. Click here to find some of my other articles and Holga tips.

What are some of your Holga Habits that work for you?

The Holga 2011 Recap

Re-cap tr.v. re·capped, re·cap·ping, re·capsverb - To recapitulate, summarize briefly; "Let's recapitulate the main ideas"
noun - A recapitulation - a summary at the end that repeats the substance of a longer discussion

Re-cap (Photography) - something most toy camera photographers never do to their lenses.

Ok so maybe I made up that last definition… but it's true! The first rule of using your new Holga is to throw away the lens cap. If you don't, you will inevitably forget, leave it on, and shoot a whole roll of blank film. It's happened to us all.

Here is my summary of some notable Holga happenings from the past year.  Please feel free to share your own in the comments section.

Special thanks to Holga Inspire for all they do to keep our favorite camera alive!

Also, check out my Resources page (which I've recently updated) for links to Stores, Websites, Blogs and more!

Cameras

Holga 120 PAN

This camera features the signature Holga qualities along with the ability to capture great panoramas. It is a lightweight camera that allows you to explore the world easily and capture expansiveness, greater detail and the authenticity that you wish to express through panoramic photography. There is no need to stitch multiple images, just click the shutter and you can catch your world in one shot!

(There is also a 135 PAN that you should see popping up in stores soon!)

Accessories

Holga Lenses for Various Branded Cameras

Lenses are available for the following:
Canon
Nikon
Olympus
Olympus Pen
Panasonic Lumix G
Pentax
Samsung NX
Sony
Sony Nex

Phones

Special Lens & Filter Turret for iPhone 4
Special Lens & Filter Turret for Samsung Galaxy S II


Books

Play! Toy Camera Photographers for Tots

In 2011, there were 552 tornado-related deaths in the United States—tied with 1936 for second as the most deadly in US history (the highest being 794 in 1925). 100% of the proceeds from sales of Play! will be donated to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to benefit children in areas ravaged by those tornadoes.

Get your copy here!

Exhibitions


Some of the big shows this year:
2011 Krappy Kamera XIII INTERnational Juried Competition - Soho Photo Gallery
Check out the Winners Gallery here
Click here for information about this year's show (Deadline is December 31 at midnight!)


4th Annual International Juried Plastic Camera Show - Rayko Photo Center
(This year's show is coming up quickly!  It opens January 18, 2012. Click here for a sneak peak.)


Toyed With - Open Shutter Gallery
Plastic Fantastic Show II - Lightbox Photographic Gallery
3rd Annual Curious Camera - Photographic Works/ArtsEye

Click here for the winner's gallery.
Personal

My favorite photo of the year... I did not shoot as much as I would have liked to in 2011.  However, one of the reasons for that is also the subject of my favorite photo - so, it all worked out :)



What was your favorite shot of the year?  Post a link to your photo in the comments section!  And also feel free to share any other Holga happenings that I missed!

Once again, thank you so much for reading and I will see you next year!

Holga Tips - Think First, Then Shoot

"The photographer should suffer, not the audience." - Daniel Rubinstein

"Don't Think, Just shoot" is the motto of Lomography.  While I think this can be a fun, freeing tactic on certain shoots, it can also cause a lot of disappointment.  Here are some situations that I've come across in my years of shooting a Holga where it pays to think first:

Check your Holga Out
Flip your Holga over and do a quick check.  Are you on "Bulb" mode?  Check at the beginning of each shoot, or multiple times if you are switching back and forth.  This common error can result in a whole roll of wasted film!

Film speed
Is your film speed ideal for the conditions you are in?  If you have loaded 100 speed film and are indoors, or in a low light area, you might want to reconsider your shots.  Or think about actually using the "B" mode.

"Images are farther than they appear" 
Are you close enough?  Remember, that the Holga's viewfinder shows things closer than they actually are.  Think before you click the shutter, you might want to move in a couple more feet.

Winding
It's easy to lose track of what frame you are on, if you do not remember to wind it right away. Unless you are looking for double exposures, think about winding right after each shot.

Look up!
This one sort of ties in with the second point.  Be conscious of your surroundings.  Some things can creep into the edges of your photos, that you might not see in the viewfinder.  Take a quick look around before you click.

The Sun
The location of the sun can make a big difference in your photos.  If you shoot into the sun, be prepared for flare.  If you are not looking for flare in that particular shot, then you might want to adjust your position accordingly.

Put Away your Shoes
Holgas LOVE shoes.

(I have a puppy.... my mind wanders sometimes)


Share your experiences in the comments below!  Do you think before you shoot?  Why or why not?

Your Holga Questions, Answered!

I thought I would round up a few questions from my Formspring account and post them here to share with you all.  If you have any questions for me, head over to my Formspring and ask away!

Why should I use analogue toy cameras instead of something a lot more modern?

It's all about your personal preference really, I have nothing against modern cameras or photography. For me, there is something about the look and feel of film, as well as the fun and quirkiness of the Holga that suit my personality just right! It fits with my creative vision and I always feel inspired when I am shooting with it. That is the most important thing!!



Why a holga and not another camera?

When I first discovered what a Holga photo looked like, there were many things that instantly appealed to me: the square format, the vignette, the dreamy blur, the offbeat colors (in the case of xprocessing) the classic feel (in the case of black and white) and it's simplicity. I am in love with it's uniqueness, the photos that can be created, and the community surrounding it!



Do you use a changing bag when unloading film from the Holga?

No I don't. I've never had an issue with changing the film as long as it's wound all the way to the end - just make sure to not be in direct sunlight and there shouldn't be a problem.

How long have you been shooting with Holgas and were you into photography before that or was that what sucked you in? I guess that's two questions. : )

I was mildly interested in photography before I knew what a Holga was... but something was missing. When I saw my first example of a Holga photograph I knew that it was what I had been searching for. The photos I can create with my Holga match my internal vision and creative need. I've been shooting with Holgas for about 6 years.

What photographers or artists work do you study for inspiration?

On my blog I have been interviewing Holga artists that I find very inspiring. I love looking at and finding inspiration in the current work of the holga community. I will be interviewing more artists in the near future who I've found very inspiring. I also find alot of my inspiration in music and I study lyrics and melodies and the feelings they invoke.

And, of course, my favorite:

How'd you get so cute?

From using a Holga of course! ;) It takes a lot of practice, too.

8 Tips for Holga "Newbies"

Today I wanted to share with you some of the things I learned when I first started shooting with a Holga... sometimes it's better to learn the hard way. But why do that when you can just learn from my mistakes!


1.  What the N-B switch does
Yes, I admit it. I was clueless. So one day just for the heck of it, I switched it over to B to see what it was for. All of my photos came back blurry and strange looking... I think at that point I googled and tried to figure out what was going on.


(an example of a shot from the roll... kinda cool but they didn't all turn out this way!)

"B" stands for bulb mode, and if you are already knowledgeable in the field of photography then you probably already know what this does. But if you're new to both photography AND Holga (like I was) then it helps to know what this little switch does. This allows you to do long exposures. If you set your Holga to "B" your shutter will stay open for as long as you hold down the switch. If you find it is loose, put some tape on it so you don't accidentally get switched to B without your permission.

2. Shooting in low light conditions - don't do it. 
Unless you have:

• a flash
• a tripod and "B" exposure (see #1)
• superspeed film (1600 or higher)

Even on an overcast day your photos will probably turn out kind of 'blah' unless you have minimum 400 speed film. Make sure you plan your film ahead of time as much as possible to save yourself some moolah (and frustration).


(An example from my early days... a little too dark for my liking)

3. Tape it up. And then tape some more.
Light leaks are cool sometimes, but other times they kind of steal the show. I don't mind the little corner 'light peeks' because sometimes they can look pretty sweet. Tape up all your seams and if you arent sure if its sufficient, tape it up some more. Tape up the film counter window, and create a little flap you can lift up when you wind the film ahead.



I found that especially when using slide film and cross processing, light leaks are very prominent. This might not be such a problem in the newer model Holgas. The older ones though, definitely need some tape. The shot above was taken with a Holga 120S, taped up, with slide film (Velvia 100)

4. Filters are cool

'nuff said. I don't use them nearly enough. More about types of filters in another post.



5. You can change your film in day light.
Don't believe the change bag hype. Try to avoid the direct sunlight though, unless you have sunscreen on.
(do NOT put sunscreen on your film)

6. Long exposures are not as hard as they sound.
Even if you just randomly count in your head and only know the very basics about them. Give it a try. If you are scared, hide in your bathroom with a candle.



7. Winding....winding....winding.... where are the numbers?? *panic*
Don't worry, you loaded the film right (well, probably). On medium format film, you need to wind for quite a while to get to that first magic number 1. Don't give up you're almost there...and so is your carpal tunnel.

8. My flash isn't firing *panic*

• Check your batteries
• It might be broken. The flashes don't seem to last long around these here Holga parts. I have a theory that the "B" switch scares them off. Maybe "B" stands for Bully. My flash on my CFN died in under a year. RIP flash - you gave me a really cute (freaky) red chihuahua.

I'm sure there is more... but this is all that I could think of from my early shooting days.  Do you have any other newbie tips to share?  Please leave them in the comments, or do a post of your own and leave the link here.

There is one day left to vote in my poll! I really do want to hear from all of you so please vote if you haven't already. Thanks!!

Holga Cable Release

This is just a quick post on some basic (maybe common) knowledge about the Holga Cable Release. I had an issue with mine, and have heard of a few others having this same problem so I thought I'd just do a quick recap.

How it works is pretty straight forward, but it seems to have an 'auto lock' feature to it so that when you depress the button, it will stick there.

The issue I had with mine, first of all was that the little round portion on the top fell off.  I didn't realize it at the time, so when I went to use it, this is what it looked like.  It was very uncomfortable on my finger! And I also was a bit confused to what was going on, and thought it was broken or not working correctly.

After some examination, I realized maybe I was missing a part.  Later on, luckily I found it on the stairs!

Great! So I put it back together.  I still do not like the auto lock feature though (maybe it doesn't do that on all of them, but I've heard of at least a few that auto lock).  In order to release the cable, you need to press the circular metal piece that is in the middle.

(please excuse my dry Canadian winterized skin and nails)

It releases a bit harsly for my taste, almost like a jolt.  I thought I'd try using a different cable release that I used to use on an old Minolta film camera, which was smoother and didn't stick.  Only after I got back my film with a bunch of blank photos did I realize that they are not the same length.

Lesson - if you decide to use a different cable release, make sure the end that you push in and out is the same length as the one specifically made for the Holga.

Here is a comparison, the Holga Cable Release is the one on top:

The rest of it is pretty easy to use.  You place the square plastic mount over the lens of the camera, and screw in the cable release.  Set your Holga to "B" and you're ready to go.

Now, I'm wondering for all of you out there who have one of these - does yours do the 'auto lock' thing?  If so, does it bother you?  Has it given any sort of camera shake when it releases?

Please share with me your experiences, thoughts, additional tips, or if you have any questions please post them in the comments!

And don't forget to vote in the poll at the top of the page! Thank you to everyone so far who has voted!!

Photograph What You Don't Know

This post was inspired by an article I read on Steven Pressfield's Blog "Writing what you Don't Know".  Everything I read here could easily relate to photography and I wanted to share my thoughts with you on this.

Photograph What You Don't Know

I do this all of the time.  In fact, the majority of my self portraits were taken with no premeditated thought or planning.  Sure, I have ideas in my head of what I'd like to do - but I find when I actually go to shoot, they all fly out the window and are replaced by "the moment".  I do random things like balancing my camera on things other than a tripod, taking long exposures but not counting the time - I just hold the shutter open for as long as it 'feels right' to in that moment.  It feels a bit haphazard and I'm sure if someone were to observe me doing this they would think that I don't know what I'm doing.

Everyone should do this.  Let your subconscious take over when you're shooting sometime and see what happens.  Whatever you are shooting, whether it's self portraits, landscapes, or something else that moves you - just do it.  Photograph something in a way you've never tried before - experiment!  You will be surprised at what will happen, and you might even end up with some great results.  Who knows, you might even find yourself inspired.

After all, that's why we choose to shoot with Holgas, and other toy cameras.  For the unpredictability, the limited controls, the freedom.  Take it one step further and forget everything you 'should' do, or what you usually do.  Do something different.



This is just one way of getting out of a rut and feeling inspired, one that works for me.  What do you feel is important for creating inspiration to take photographs? 

If you try this out, and have some photos or a story you'd like to share from the process, email them to me at holgajen@hotmail.com  I would love to hear from you!

Holga WPC - Take 1

I have wanted a Holga WPC (Wide Pinhole Camera) for a while now, ever since it first came out actually.  Finally a couple of months ago, I broke down and ordered one.  It's a very different looking Holga, I've heard it described as a stretch limo Holga, which is very fitting.  It takes two medium format frames per shot, so you get 6 photos per roll if you use the 6x12 mask.

I took it to the shores of Lake Huron in early December to test it out for the first time.   This was also my first time using a pinhole of any sort.  I wasn't expecting great things,  but was hoping that I at least had everything working properly so that I could get some images.  I loaded it with some Ilford FP4 100 speed black and white film, and followed the guide on the back for exposure times.  We got to the beach just as the sun was setting, it was dusk and there was just barely enough light to work with.  Very pretty though, aside from the freezing cold windchill.

I discovered at the end of the shoot, that the shutter that covers the pinhole was sticking open (it's operated by a cable release), I was hoping it was just a one time thing and that I didn't end up with a defective camera.  I figured that I probably didn't get any worthwhile shots if the shutter was stuck open the whole time.  (I later on determined that it does this in the cold - once it warms up it works just fine again).

Well, by some miracle they turned out.  They are a little bleak looking due to the low light and my first time-ness - but all in all I am very happy with them, and excited to shoot some more!

The beach is now covered in ice and snow and its impossible to even get to the shore line, so I suppose I will have to wait until spring to do anymore shoots here.

For more information on the Holga WPC

C. Gary Moyer wrote a review on it which appears in the current issue of Light Leaks Magazine (The Pinhole Issue)

Holga Blog wrote a review on it as well

Now that I'm snowed in, I'm off to do some indoor tests!