Thursday, March 5, 2009

So you want to buy a Holga: Where to start.

In recent months I have come across more and more people that want to purchase and shoot with a Holga. For the aesthetic purposes/looks and creativity that you can be obtained with these cameras, people are still demanding them. Now, some people are making the mistake of purchasing them from the wrong sources. Retailers such as Urban Outfitters are selling these cameras for a price gouging effect. Now, dont get me wrong, Urban Outfitters is a great store, but come on now, everything photography they sell is grossly over priced. Consumers are unaware of this outrageous pricing due to lack of knowledge on where they can purchase Holga cameras. Currently, not to many stores in the U.S carry them in stock. A few of the Nations photography retailers such as Hunts Photo do carry them though. If you are a local Western Masser though, you can head over to Iris Photo in Noho (Northampton, MA) and pick one up there. They also have a wide variety of Holga accessories to match up to your sweet and sexy new meduim format camera. Iris will also process your color 120 or black and white 120 film. Yes that is right, Holga is a medium format camera. Holgas use 120 film as their primary source of film. However, there is a 35mm adapter for them. Or you could outright purcahse the 35mm Holga.

If you are serious about purcahsing the Holga, there are a few things you will need to know. The Holga is a sensitve piece of equipment. It is not just a camera you drop your film into and your on your way to making outstanding photographs. No, not even close. The Holga takes some work, dedication, passion, and the love you would have for a woman. Well, maybe not that much attention. But there are a few things you need to do prior to shooting with your Holga. Here is a great site that shows you everything you need to know on how to Modify your Holga. In addition to that site there is also this site. Holga Mods site 2

Holga cameras are classifyed and typically labeled under Lomography. For me I take using a Holga very seriously. If I was to be shooting with a Mamiya or Hasselblad, my Holga sits in the same class as these cameras. But, though my opinion is my opinion, not always shared by the vast majority of people who shoot with Holgas, none the less, you can find them being sold through here, Lomographic Society International Dont be scared that this site is infact internatnional. You can make a purchase and it will ship from within the U.S. I have confirmed this with Lomo Society International.

Make friends with the Holga. Be its friend. Be its lover, and it will love you back.

Here are just a few of the many Holgas that exsist.

Holga Pinhole-PinHolga
Holga with a Polaroid back
Holga 120 s
Holga 120 n
Holga 35mm
Holga 35mm PinHole

How to load film into your Holga.



How to remove film from your Holga



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