# Paris in Holga



## Bee Hedge (Nov 3, 2009)

Haven't posted in this forum for quite a while. Anyway, here are a few photos I've taken in Paris with my Holga camera on my recent trip there...






















More on my Facebook...


----------



## kreuzberg (Nov 3, 2009)

Cool photos, my favourites are the first and last ones.


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 3, 2009)

kreuzberg said:


> Cool photos, my favourites are the first and last ones.



Thanks kreuzberg. I have another series taken last year on my Facebook...


----------



## teneighty23 (Nov 3, 2009)

nice! i have not seen anyone else post Holga pics, nice to see! and nice pics!


----------



## Do'Urden's Eyes (Nov 4, 2009)

I feel like there's very little creativity involved in using a holga camera. They are fun though. But there's no control. Its almost like youre buying a style of photography that you want to see yourself produce.


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 4, 2009)

Do'Urden's Eyes said:


> I feel like there's very little creativity involved in using a holga camera. They are fun though. But there's no control. Its almost like youre buying a style of photography that you want to see yourself produce.



True, you get the fuzzy feel with holgas. True, you get the vignetting with all holgas. Nothing special there. Every Holga has them. But, composition and when you decide to press the camera shutter is still up to you. And the fact that there is no settings for you to play with makes things even more difficult and inflexible for you.


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 4, 2009)

teneighty23 said:


> nice! i have not seen anyone else post Holga pics, nice to see! and nice pics!



Thanks teneighty23


----------



## Do'Urden's Eyes (Nov 5, 2009)

Bee Hedge said:


> True, you get the fuzzy feel with holgas. True, you get the vignetting with all holgas. Nothing special there. Every Holga has them. But, composition and when you decide to press the camera shutter is still up to you. And the fact that there is no settings for you to play with makes things even more difficult and inflexible for you.



There are no controls because the camera doesnt want you to impose your creative opinion on to the photo youre taking. Its artistic dictatorship. And the style im referring to with the holga is generally something you achieve in post processing, whether with film or with digital. With the holga its like youre chosing to use a template in photoshop and using that template with all your photos. I do like holga's style, but im some what anti holga also.


----------



## Derrel (Nov 5, 2009)

I feel like there's very little creativity involved in using a 50mm lens. They are fun though. But there's no control over focal length--every picture is shot at 50mm. Its almost like you're using a lens length that you want to see yourself use for every shot.

Never mind subject matter selection, or lighting direction, or the type of film put into the camera, or how the film is developed or how the film is printed. Never mind if the pictures are rendered in color or moncohrome. It's all the same. Very little creativity involved in using a 50mm lens. It doesn't t matter when the shutter release is pressed either, or how high or low the camera is positioned, or if the shutter is released smoothly, or jerkily, or if the camera is still  or if it is panned with a moving subject. And it doesn't matter if the images are double-exposed. Because as we all know, the intrinsic qualities of the 50mm lens serve to stifle all creativity. All photos made with 50mm lenses look like they were made using a color-by-numbers template.

(sarcasm off now).


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 5, 2009)

Do'Urden's Eyes said:


> Bee Hedge said:
> 
> 
> > True, you get the fuzzy feel with holgas. True, you get the vignetting with all holgas. Nothing special there. Every Holga has them. But, composition and when you decide to press the camera shutter is still up to you. And the fact that there is no settings for you to play with makes things even more difficult and inflexible for you.
> ...



You see....while it may be true that having little to no controls imposes and stifles creativity but if you look at it another way, because the controls are limited, you are made to think in another way. I like Holga for the simplicity, ease of use and how you think of nothing else except for the composition. It many ways, the limitations removes a lot of "mental barrier" and helps you to focus on what is important - composition. In the same measure, I love my SLRs too for the various lenses and attachments that comes with it. In both cases, I believe creativity is used in a different way. Can't say one is better than the other. A lot of it depends on personal preference.


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 5, 2009)

Derrel said:


> I feel like there's very little creativity involved in using a 50mm lens. They are fun though. But there's no control over focal length--every picture is shot at 50mm. Its almost like you're using a lens length that you want to see yourself use for every shot.
> 
> Never mind subject matter selection, or lighting direction, or the type of film put into the camera, or how the film is developed or how the film is printed. Never mind if the pictures are rendered in color or moncohrome. It's all the same. Very little creativity involved in using a 50mm lens. It doesn't t matter when the shutter release is pressed either, or how high or low the camera is positioned, or if the shutter is released smoothly, or jerkily, or if the camera is still  or if it is panned with a moving subject. And it doesn't matter if the images are double-exposed. Because as we all know, the intrinsic qualities of the 50mm lens serve to stifle all creativity. All photos made with 50mm lenses look like they were made using a color-by-numbers template.
> 
> (sarcasm off now).



Hmmm....interesting thoughts. But I've seen very good photography work taken ONLY with a 50mm lens. If I'm not wrong, legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson shoots primarily with a 50mm lens. Again, this is really a question of how you make use of the 50mm lens. In the same measure, are we to say a 35mm or 85mm lens is a more creative lens? Again, it really depends on how one makes use of these lenses. And since we are on this subject matter, does it mean that a photographer that has a full array of lenses is more creative than a photographer who only has a 35mm lens? Again, not necessarily so. We can certainly say that the photographer with the full arsenal of gears has more options but that does not make him/her creative.


----------



## Do'Urden's Eyes (Nov 7, 2009)

Derrel said:


> I feel like there's very little creativity involved in using a 50mm lens. They are fun though. But there's no control over focal length--every picture is shot at 50mm. Its almost like you're using a lens length that you want to see yourself use for every shot.
> 
> Never mind subject matter selection, or lighting direction, or the type of film put into the camera, or how the film is developed or how the film is printed. Never mind if the pictures are rendered in color or moncohrome. It's all the same. Very little creativity involved in using a 50mm lens. It doesn't t matter when the shutter release is pressed either, or how high or low the camera is positioned, or if the shutter is released smoothly, or jerkily, or if the camera is still  or if it is panned with a moving subject. And it doesn't matter if the images are double-exposed. Because as we all know, the intrinsic qualities of the 50mm lens serve to stifle all creativity. All photos made with 50mm lenses look like they were made using a color-by-numbers template.
> 
> (sarcasm off now).




Like i said, i was referring to the processing style. Its defined. That's all.


----------



## Derrel (Nov 7, 2009)

Both of you guys *entirely* missed the sarcasm. I'm astounded.

Nothing is "defined" in photography. The comment is asinine. Again, both of you guys missed the entire substitution of "50mm lens" for "Holga"--that is called a literary device. And I even put the words "sarcasm off now" at the end of my post,and yet....well, you get it now, right???


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 9, 2009)

Derrel said:


> Both of you guys *entirely* missed the sarcasm. I'm astounded.
> 
> Nothing is "defined" in photography. The comment is asinine. Again, both of you guys missed the entire substitution of "50mm lens" for "Holga"--that is called a literary device. And I even put the words "sarcasm off now" at the end of my post,and yet....well, you get it now, right???


 
I'm sorry I don't quite get you. I clearly understood the "50mm lens" comment although it may or may not be relevent to your earlier response. Perhaps, you could be kind enough to enlighten both of us....or me at least.


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 9, 2009)

Do'Urden's Eyes said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > I feel like there's very little creativity involved in using a 50mm lens. They are fun though. But there's no control over focal length--every picture is shot at 50mm. Its almost like you're using a lens length that you want to see yourself use for every shot.
> ...


 
Yes, I understand you. But I'm sure you'll agree with me the processing is just an aspect of photography. Just like angles and color treatment is another.


----------



## Diana Rui (Nov 9, 2009)

I love this kind of photograhy, I also checked the photos on your facebook. Nice work you've got there.


----------



## gian133 (Nov 10, 2009)

I really like these pics as well as the facebook one. Everytime i see Holga pictures it make me want one even more. I just can help but think about the film developing costs. I think i need to start developing myself.

Great stuff
Gian


----------



## Yemme (Nov 11, 2009)

For some reason your images remind me of Eugene Atget... Especially the first one.


----------



## Goontz (Nov 12, 2009)

Derrel, don't worry; I caught the sarcasm and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

To the OP, nice shots, holga's are a blast.


----------



## Bee Hedge (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks to everyone for your comments


----------

