Question by aslan: How do I convince my Dad to let me buy a Holga camera?
So lately I’ve become really interested in “experimental photography” and in pursuing this I was hoping to purchase a Holga 120CFN, which is a vintage plastic toy camera, featuring extreme vignetting, light leaks, very vibrant colours and quite often has oversaturated results, all part of the character of these photos. My Dad disagrees with my choice, to which his argument is always “You have a digital SLR, make the most of it, it’s very uneconomical when you think of developing costs, you can do these crazy effects on photoshop etc etc” He does not understand the whole concept of the toy camera and the ‘unpredictability’ that comes along with it, or even just owning such a cute camera. Any suggestions for comebacks that might win him over?
Best answer:
Answer by Diverging Point
Actually, some of the effects you described aren’t solely because of the camera. Some of the pictures you described, which have very vibrant, over saturated colors could be because the film was “cross processed” when it was developed. Cross processing is when you deliberately develop film in the wrong chemicals – such as developing color print (C-41) film in chemicals normally used for slide film…or vice versa. This can cause the pictures to have really weird colors with a lot of contrast.
There are a lot of other interesting experiments you can do with film, like “Bleach Bypass.” This is when the lab skips a bleach step that is normally done when developing color film. It gives the pictures a really weird, surreal look with muted colors. They actually use it in movies a lot to create a certain mood. I know they used it in “Terminator: Salvation” and “Minority Report” and I think it was also used in “Saving Private Ryan.” (And YES, most movies are still shot on film!)
If you want to try things like Cross Processing or Bleach Bypass, you’d have to find a lab that can do it. Most 1-hour photo labs won’t do any custom processes like that. You’d have to send your film to a professional lab. There are a lot of professional photo labs though, just do a search on Google and find a lab that develops 120 film and see if they have custom developing.
I will say one thing though…Holgas really are just crappy, overpriced plastic toy cameras. Yeah you can get some interesting and creative pictures with them sometimes, but they’re mostly just a fad right now. They’re a rip-off. If you really want to get into film photography, there are MUCH better film cameras you can get.
Give your answer to this question below!
if you’re totally new to film, you might want to try a real film camera first, before a holga. That’s because your pictures will reflect your knowledge of film photography, and you can’t really get that knowledge from something like a holga.
Holgas are for later when you know what you’re doing and you can use the effects to your advantage, rather then randomly clicking away trying to figure out why all these wierd things are happening. When you’re learning, it probably won’t be coming from the camera itself, but from something you are doing wrong. You need to figure that out first so that you can maneuver and control your Holga efficiently.
120 film is super expensive to get processed. and while learning you will go through SO much film, and likely you will be getting nothing decent from your first few rolls or even your first month or two of shooting. The people at the pro photolab you’ll be taking your film to will probably just be cracking up about it behind the scenes, lol! Yes, your local proffesional photolab, who will be charging you a pretty penny mind you, not walgreens.
If you are really interested in film photography, and don’t just want a Holga cuz its trendy and pretty, find a good old fashioned 35mm film camera, learn to use all the manual settings on it, and convince your dad that this is something you really want to do, and that it’s something you love doing. It’s your new hobby, and its perfectly wholesome. Would he rather have yoou playing video games and watching tv? how can he say no? yey! Get something along the lines of a 35mm film canon rebel to start, and if thats too expensive, really any old manual camera will do.Do some research. And no, your digital camera taught you nothing. In fact you now have to unlearn everything and relearn it all. and its A LOT of unlearning.
See what you can do for free classes, clubs, etc… in your area. Once you do that he will probably let you learn to develop your own film, and whatever class/club you’ve got will help you find a place to do it. Sometimes you can rent by the hour to use one, but schools are best because you don’t have to pay for your time in the lab and someone showing you how is *priceless*. Once you’re there, and shooting comfortably, then get the Holga. And you won’t have to pay to process either, because now you can do it yourself.
The other option is to get one of the 35mm film holgas, which you can develop at any 1 hour photo that does film. But, once again, your shots won’t be coming out because you won’t be able to figure out the difference between what you are doing wrong and what the camera is doing wrong. These cameras do things wrong, thats the point! Also, they don’t really have all the manual options you want to learn.
and a hint on learning a real camera? first: learn to shoot on cheap color film. when you go to the 1 hour photo, find one that might just make negatives for you and just a contact sheet (aka index sheet) without having to pay for a whole roll of prints. Look at it, and then have them only print the pictures you like and that will save you a ton of cash on wasted prints of peoples foreheads and tree stumps and absolutely boring pictures.
good luck!
Unfortunately I have to agree with your dad. His arguments are all very valid. Yours not so much (nothing personal by the way, I’m sure you’re a perfectly nice person).
It’s hard enough to find places that can process 35mm film AND do a good job, both at an economical price. This is even harder to do for medium format film like 120 film (the camera you are interested in probably uses 120 film).
Let me break it down for you:
Argument 1: “I was hoping to purchase a Holga . . .”
Answer: These seem overpriced. Why not just get a regular film camera (like a 35mm compact, or even an SLR? You can find both of these for real cheap on ebay and thrift stores)
Argument 2: “featuring extreme vignetting”
Answer: You can easily do this on a film SLR with a digital lens (since the lens is made for the smaller sensor of the digital camera, you will get vignetting when you use this lens on a film camera or full-frame digital SLR). I know because I’ve done it.
Argument 3: “light leaks”
Answer: Any film camera with bad light seals can do this. Or you can open the back of the camera in completely dark room to expose the film a little. Unfortunately I’ve had to do this.
Argument 4: “very vibrant colours and quite often has oversaturated results”
Answer: You can do this with any film camera by “cross-processing” (using slide film and developing it like negative film).
Argument 5: “toy camera and the ‘unpredictability”
Answer: Any film or digital camera can give unpredictable results. The key is in not looking at your LCD screen after you take the photo to correct mistakes. Just shoot pictures and wait until you get home to see if they came out or not. How’s that for unpredictable!?!?!!
Argument 6: “or even just owning such a cute camera”
Answer: A-Ha! Now we’re getting down to it. You want this camera simply because it’s cute (and not because it’s any good). People fall for that all the time (especially with cars). Bad financial move. Plus, there are tons – I mean TONS of cute film cameras that are not “experimental” and that work better (‘experimental photography’ is just a euphemism for ‘bad photography’). Why not just get a decent camera and purposely ruin the light seals to get leaks? Then, after you are bored with ‘experimental’ photography, you can replace the seals and be left with a good quality film camera.
And don’t forget, you can experiment with weird color casts and vignetting using photoshop – that can also be unpredictable.