Holga Blog

As reported a few weeks ago, the manufacturers of the Holga (Universal Electronics) have finally given themselves a public face, in the form of Holga Inspire.

We have managed to grab an interview with Christine So, Public Relations Co-ordinator at Holga Inspire to find out the background to the new venture, and finally lift the mask on a company that has kept out of the limelight for so long…

For a long time Holga Ltd were happy to take a step back and let the product speak for itself (or let other companies license and market it). What made you guys decide to create a larger public face now?

Mutual inspiration. Thanks to the internet, we can see many impressive works online and we have learned that there are so many people who are devoted to Holga. We feel an obligation to document and showcase inspiring Holga artwork from around the world. We are deeply grateful to all the people who have supported and been dedicated to our camera for a long time. In return for their continued support, we have decided to gather the Holga devotees and to help introduce their impressive work into the wider public domain.

A second reason we have decided to take charge of our public image is a desire to revive classic photography. We aspire to make it known that there is a very real alternative outlet for creative energy in this overwhelmingly digital age. We want to provide a new vision of creative expression that includes  Holga.

Holga Inspire aims to ’support creative artists and professional photographers who use the Holga as their medium of creative expression’. Do you think it’s important for direct discourse between the manufacturer and the artist?

Yes. We value creative artists and professional photographers. Needless to say, it is their aesthetic genius and artistic pictures that best demonstrate Holga’s full possibilities. Holga liberates their creativity and artistic potential and we hope that their impressive pictures will in turn inspire a whole new generation of photographers as well as those who simply appreciate good photography.
In a deeper sense, we realize that every image begins with the inspiration of the photographer. We admire the courage of Holga artists and photographers who go against the prevalent mainstream of digital imaging.  As the manufacturers of Holga, we are dedicated to a similar core belief that honours original creativity and classical skills. This common belief and mission leads to a natural partnership between Holga’s creators and those who create with it.

How do you think the Holga is placed in this ever-increasing digital world?

It’s true that we live in an era of extraordinary technological change—an era where computers and digital cameras become obsolete within months. However, we have no desire to engage in any digital technology race. We believe Holga has and can continue to withstand the trials of time. Holga symbolizes classic skill and creativity. It has more than proven that its simple design remains timeless and eternal.  Holga transcends the divisions between vintage and contemporary photography; it is simultaneously a revival of classic photography and a new tool of postmodern expression. We don’t feel any disadvantage in this increasingly digital world.

Holgas are incredibly popular. If you look on flickr, the Holga group has over 11,000 members alone. What do you attribute the popularity of the holga to?

We believe what makes Holga so popular is its raw energy and ability to touch people with inspiration. Our camera provokes the imagination. it is difficult to remain indifferent when using a Holga to take pictures from loading the film roll, applying your senses to capture the moment, pressing the shutter, winding the film for the next shot, printing, and finally sharing the results with others, every step with a Holga requires physical and creative energy. When using a Holga, all of your senses, energy and inspiration will be uplifted and expanded. Flickr and other similar online communities are a great platform to circulate and exert this energy. I would say it is this mysterious energy of Holga that explains our growing popularity.

Regarding your deal with LSI, do you think LSI have played a large part in the popularity of the holga? Are you glad you went into partnership with LSI?

LSI (The Lomographic Society International) is one of our major distributors, and, with their wide-ranging network of outlets worldwide and their large footprint on the web they have done much to establish the profile of the Holga, and toy cameras in general, in the public eye. At the same time, we have  noticed a growing following for the Holga at the professional end of the  photographic spectrum: artists, photo journalists, galleries, academics, the media. There are quite a few professional wedding photographers out there, for example, who do a fantastic job creating stunning wedding pictures with a Holga! Now, Holga Inspire is our initiative to connect with this segment, and to help establish it as a further source of inspiration for Holga lovers everywhere.

Do you have any sales figures or production figures for the Holga line of cameras?

I can’t give you any figures, but thanks to you – all our loyal Holga devotees – Holgas are still selling well, even at this time of worldwide economic downturn. Thank you!

You have slowly broadened your range of cameras over the last few years, including a stereo camera and a pinhole camera plus many accessories. Are all these products created by yourselves (i.e genuine Holga products), or are they ‘copies’ carrying the Holga badge? what is your favourite Holga product?

All our Holga cameras are created and produced by us at every step of the line, from design and engineering, to manufacturing. Holgas come to you through a variety of different distribution channels, and depending on where you bought yours, the packaging, the colours, and sometimes even some details of the logo, may differ. (Have you seen the Holgas with a cute little monkey face mark on it? That’s how they are often sold in China, and there’s a story behind it that we may tell some other time…). It may be a bit confusing at times, but all our Holgas are the real thing!   A favourite? They are all our babies, and like a good parent, we don’t have a favourite. But I’m sure every Holga photographer has a favourite, and we’d love to hear which one is yours!

Can you fill us in on any new products you have in the pipeline? Any sneak peeks?

Yes, there’s always something new in the pipeline, and when it’s ready to be unveiled you’ll see it on www.holgainspire.com.

The 120N and the 120CFN are the most popular cameras in your range, do you have any plans to upgrade anything on the camera? Are there any plans to fix the aperture switch that, by default, doesn’t work?

TM Lee, our co-founder and inventor of the Holga, is constantly working to develop and improve our cameras. But we also realize that people have come to love the Holga for what it is, with all its quirks and idiosyncrasies, which are part of its charm and its appeal. So we try not to be too radical, and we try to preserve some of that which people have grown accustomed to and feel familiar with. But we do want to be responsive to our artists’ needs and listen to what they tell us. We are grateful to you, holgablog, and all the many other Holga sites and forums for helping us do that job.

Holga ‘duplication’ in the digital world is an ever-increasing trend. Do you have any plans to release Holga lenses for digital cameras, or even a Holga digital camera?

Holga is irreplaceable. Holga duplication is a poor imitation and Holga-like images produced by digital technology never look genuine.  We are committed to improving our products, but we are also committed to defending our core values. We simply believe in the excellence and craftsmanship of film photography. We don’t want to deprive our loyal customers of their creativity by simply catering to market trends. We have no desire to participate in a technology race.
We are devoted to creating the best film cameras. We will continue to innovate and introduce new products to challenge artistic skills, provoke people’s imagination, and uphold our common artistic ideals.

Finally, do you have any photographs of the Holga manufacturing facility? Many people in the past have asked to see where the holga is made!

Actually, there has been a picture of the Universal Electronics factory (which makes Holgas as well as other products for the group) out on the web for some time, and it’s not that hard to find. But to save you all the trouble of looking for it, here it is:

So, there you have it, aperture switch staying the same, new products in the pipeline, and no digital stuff.

Many thanks to Christine, who took the time out to answer our questions during such a busy time at Holga Inspire.

You can also download the interview PDF from here.

If anyone has any follow-up questions, feel free to leave them as a comment below, and I will pass them on to Christine.