Right, where to start, this empty entry has sat here for weeks waiting to be filled in, figured I better get round to it.
First introductions: Hi, my name is Andrew, and I’m a photoholic (PA: Hello Andrew). I’ve been photo-sober for 2 days, and it’s annoying(it’s sunny outside and I’m stuck at work..gah!). I live in the wildlands of Scotland (that’s a bit of a lie, I live in a city in Scotland, but don’t want to break the romantic Mel Gibson vision here), and I am the creator of this website.
Why another blog/site about the holga? This site is a bit different, it is generally more of a blog about anything photography-related, it just so happens that holgablog.com was available to buy, and it sounded snappy and memorable. It is a blessing and a hindrance: holga users are in love with their camera and will visit the site, but ’serious’ photographers hate the holga and won’t visit the site, even if it offers some interesting articles about all-things-photography. No point changing the name though, just need to get the message out it’s not just about holgas! Anyway, I’m slightly digressing here, this post is meant to be personal.
Let’s start with what led me to photography as a hobby. I’m a geek, a certified dork (I’ve got certificates and everything!). Ever since I was a youngster coding basic on my Amstrad CPC, I’ve been a geek. Where’s this heading you may ask, well being a computer nerd (I’m a web dev for a living, I better add though, I’m one of those geeks with social skills!), I like objectivity, 1’s and 0’s. I like that photography is one of the more ‘objective’ art forms. Woooaaahhh now, photography isn’t objective I hear you cry. Photographs can be taken out of context, can be staged, can be doctored. I know this, but it contains this ‘core’ objectivity: photography aims to capture a single moment in time, a moment that will never be repeated. HCB probably put it better:
Above all, I craved to seize the whole essence, in the confines of one single photograph, of some situation that was in the process of unrolling itself before my eyes.
So after all that spiel, why don’t I use a digital camera? There’s plenty of 1’s and 0’s in digital photography, surely that perfectly captures the moment. It does and it doesn’t. There is something too abstract about the digital (huh?!), something that leans towards the cgi and that is not a capture but a manipulation. Of course film can be transferred onto cd and doctored, but the negative retains that indelible imprint. Some solid proof of a moment not just fleeting pixels. the happy accidents that happen in film are organic, in digital they seem static. This isn’t some digi.vs.analogue debate, so I won’t go into the whole colours thing, or grain, or the ‘limited-frames-so-be-thoughtful’ ethos, or b&w, ok maybe just b&w…a photo shot on b&w film looks a gazillion times better than a b&w digi shot. There, i’ve said it. That’s it over. Let’s move on.
I decided on a holga, liking the simplicity of the camera and larger negative of the medium format. I’ve taken hundreds of photos with holgas, and never get tired of trying to work within the restraints set by a fixed aperture and shutter speed. It’s concurrently liberating and thoughtful. I still use my holga a lot, but also love experimenting with all types of cameras, from 1930’s folders through to 35mm SLR’s. I don’t really have a favourite, but my Praktica 35mm SLR is lovely to use, and a fantastic weapon if you get mugged. The great thing is, upto a week ago(when I splurged £49 on a Yashica Mat 124), I had never spent over £20 on a camera, yet have all sorts of engineering wonders to use. I never get bored of taking photos, the only problem I have is I can never decide which cameras to take with me!
I’m by no means a good photographer, but I am learning every day how to become better and I hope you all enjoy the blog as much as we all enjoy writing for it.
Any comments or questions are welcome, abuse, is of course, always welcome too.
A few more of my favourite photos:
Comments
Really interesting distinction between film and digital – I particularly liked the photo essay linked from “taken out of context”. You’ve got to be careful when your cropping!! Black and white on film does indeed rock! Digital black and white seems washed out, but perhaps if they were printed from the screen the contrast would become more fixed…who knows…
So, are you saying the Praktica is a great mugging defensive maneuver from personal experience?
Not personal experience in the mugging department, but I did drop it on my bare foot once. I couldnt walk for a few days properly, it was all swollen and bruised
I would imagine swinging it a few times around the head would work a treat at maiming someone, however.
*disclaimer, I am not condoning camera violence. it’s bad and wrong.
An interesting view on digital vs chemical photography but finally the photo ends up on a digtal blog site. The shots have been well selected and show real skill (massively improved from the early Holgablog entries). Keep them coming!
So, I finally got round to checking this out. Rather enjoyable! Pretty excited about getting some home development on. Gonna jump in feet first with the colour i think… maybe I could post some thoughts/pics?
Hey,
My name is Conor Brewster. I apologize for posting here but I was unsure how to contact you more formally.
I’m a long time fan of HolgaBlog (I love the monthly Flickr choices and the POTM.) I am also a photographer and the runner of the Flickr Group Holga Techniques.
I was wondering how you chose the Photographer of the Month? I would really love the chance to be a part of your website.
Let me know what I can do
Conorb13@hotmail.com
check out my site at CBrewsterArt.com
Anyway, great job keeping us strange plastic loving photographers linked at this great meeting point! Thanks for everything you’ve done and continue to do. It really does mean a lot to people like me.
Hi Andrew! I wanted to get in touch with you. My email is lisbetho@gmail.com. Thanks!