Holga: Not the German Wrestler

This camera cost me approximately $20. That is a far cry from the thousands that could be spent on much more advanced camera equipment. It is also, much less complicated and lighter. The Holga is about the image and not the million other details that can be lost in trying to understand a more complex camera. When using an Holga there are really only two settings you would need to worry about; shoot outdoors and ensure the distance focus is correct and your set. The simplicity is something to admire. However, this camera is so simple that it can't be used for much else... or can it?

One shot of Al Gore taken by David Burnett in 2001 won an award but was never run in Newsweek, for which it was shot. Though this shot is nine years old it still emphasizes this one point: "A Chinese-made Holga, a laughably crude toy that, in the right hands, can perform miracles of light and shadow." (source) An Holga is certainly not to be put to use in every situation in the same way that each lens and f/stop (and about a million other details) must be changed to produce a great shot.

One thing is for certain about the Holga, it can create unique shots just the same as any other camera. The small quirks that often come along with the camera and develop over time are something to be cherished whether or not they produce extremely perfect images every time.

David Burnett 2001. Al Gore. Shot for Newsweek.

Varvara Lozenko. Flickr.

My own image. Apple Valley California. July 2009.

Massi Pugliese. Flickr.