>> |
Anonymous
Oh, wow. Massive tl;dr incoming.
I started using a Holga before it was cool. From a teaching perspective, it's a good starter-camera for individuals -- especially students -- who want to try medium format at a low (low) cost. From an artistic perspective, the Holga (and Diana, and similar cameras) creates a very interesting aesthetic, as each camera has its own, unique imperfections and nuances. And from a general perspective, the popularity of the Holga has brought more people into the traditional, film-photography market.
That said, it's unfortunate that places like Urban Outfitters and Lomo are turning this camera into overpriced, customized hipster trash. It's also unfortunate that many Holga users think that anything and everything they take pictures of will automatically be art.
However, before anyone criticizes the camera, they really need to use it. The Holga is no replacement for quality medium format cameras -- case in point, I use both a Holga (and Diana), alongside my Hasselblad. A lot of photographers I know don't WANT to use "quality" medium format -- or well-made cameras of any film size -- and stick to "toy" cameras instead. It's all about the unpredictability and frankly that's a really appealing factor to a lot of people.
|