Holga – Plastic Pinhole Medium Format
Discovering Squares
Having had access to a couple truly beautiful medium format cameras while in school – a Hasselblad and Mamiya – I'd became enamored with 120 film, particularly in 6x6cm (2.25".)
Creating square compositions was a welcome departure – a lovely break from the rather worn out choice between 'portrait' and 'landscape'. As one who very much appreciates symmetry, working with squares was a whole new kind of satisfying.
Combined with a return to black and white analog, I found myself inspired by limitation – by the deep engagement and attention required when one has just 12, precious frames per roll of actual film.
Unable to afford a proper medium format, I settled for the next best thing; a simple, plastic, pinhole 'toy camera' called a Holga, known for its distinctive blur, light-leaks and vignetting.
In 2011, a friend and I ventured to Southern California to photograph Slab City and The Salton Sea. It was the perfect opportunity to play with my Holga.
While the scans of that film are not the best representations, they give a good sense of what this camera produces.
I really liked the part about the photographs.
Thanks, friend! :)
You're welcome, buddy!
But I need to know the story behind the mannequin with the chain around its neck. That's just something you stumbled across while wandering the wild lands? Is it a grave? A shrine? Were there any worshipers?
I wish I could answer these reasonable questions! I came across it in Slab City – one of the largest, most infamous squats in the States. That place is full of strange and interesting things...the mannequin wasn't at all out of place!
Slab City, California
Slab City, also called The Slabs, is largely a snowbird community in the Sonoran Desert located in Imperial County, California, 100 miles (161 km) northeast of San Diego and 169 miles (272 km) southeast of Los Angeles within the California Badlands, and used by recreational vehicle owners and squatters from across North America. It took its name from concrete slabs that remained from the abandoned World War II Marine Corps barracks of Camp Dunlap.
Several thousand campers, many of them retired, use the site during the winter months. The "snowbirds" stay only for the winter before migrating north in spring to cooler climates.
I had first heard of that place while watching the movie Into the Wild. Saw it in more photos and videos later on. I'd probably enjoy seeing all of these oddities in their natural habitat. The only problem is, I'm Canadian, so I'd probably melt.
These are awesome. I need to bust out my Holga again. There is always something so cool about the pictures that it makes.
You have one, too! Awesome. :) They really are so much fun, aren't they?
Awesome photographs!
Slab city is really falling apart, isn't it...
I like that wall made with bottles and cob. :-)
It certainly was a fascinating place! I was there for their annual 'prom'. Such a trip! The bottle wall was awesome, full of green and blue glass. :)
So beautiful as always <3
Thank you, dear! Much appreciated...
These are really beautiful. A friend of mine in the UK got into making pinhole cameras with old camera bodies and wooden boxes - really cool objects of art in themselves. He did a great exhibition that was inspired by a Jim Jarmusch film and used quotes from that alongside photographs of the British rural landscape - very kinda gothic and beautiful. My husband bought me one of those cardboard pinhole cameras - I'm not sure they're even in business anymore - which you glue together, but I haven't had time nor courage to play with it. Perhaps next year, when I have time. Pinhole photography really captures my imagination!
You should totally play with it! I'd love to see the results of such exploration. hint, hint
Sorry I missed this generous comment until it was too late to upvote it. I'll try to make it up to ya somehow! ;)
Great images. I love them. There is something so satisfying about medium format photography. Film is not dead.
It's true – the satisfaction is far different than with digital. Indeed – film is most definitely not dead.
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Lovely and unique photos I like the back and white effect of the photo bravo ✌@zipporah
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Very cool photos... and this film come out cool. Last photo is very good 😋👌🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🎥📷
Glad you appreciate this set. :) I've been meaning to post these for a while.
I try soon come look more what you post 😋👌🌟
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These are sweet!
Thank you! Glad you enjoy them. :)
Apologies for missing this until now – got pulled away from the interwebs for a few days.
No worries! Life happens :)
truly amazing captures. thanks a lot for sharing these beautiful babies. personally, I gravitate to squares a lot too (tho I dont have access to said cameras...only 3x4, heh)
Right? There's just something about squares. It's part of what I originally loved about Instagram...
These pictures are absolutely amazing!
What a nice location, great "colors", love the motives and the flair, ...
It is a bit of life and death. I love abandoned places and objects.
very nice work, great shots!
have a great time, all the best!
...cant wait to see some more of your works :)
-edga NOWARGraffitis
The Salton Sea is such an eerie place – both beautiful and disturbing. Some might find it an odd choice of subject matter, but I was drawn in by that contrast.
Hi Zippy.
You got some MARLIANS stake. Also a small community whereupon you are overseer on 'https://www.marlians.com/created/dsound' or '#dsound on marlians.com'. Somehow we can grow together.
Other '#dsound authors' can add in '#marlians' to their posts for their post to appear on marlians.com or they can post to steem directly via marlians.com, signing in with their steem 'posting key' and earn some MARLIANS (a steem-based token) along with steem. There are 4 'certified' uloggers (overseers) so far overseeing 'https://www.marlians.com/created/dsound' and each got some stake to curate with; a 'good collective stake' (around 6k additional stake) start at least. Stay awesome. You have a home on marlians.com
Read more about marlians.com here
I am on discord @surpassinggoogle#1660. Kindly complete the 4 simple steps for getting 'certified' here. That will be so appreciated. Our ecosystem is built around 'certified' uloggers. Everyone is a ulogger and everyone can get 'certified'.
How fascinating! Thanks for thinking of me. :) I'll try to make use of this unexpected distinction.
Mad Max - Fury Road... Logan... Blade Runner 2049... And Zippy! "Post apocalyptic exquisiteness" is what races through my mind right now :-) Thanks so much for sharing these low-fidelity art-pieces... You keep amazing me ;-)
Winston!! How I've missed you, my dear twin soul. <3 This set is quite 'mad max' – let's call it eloquent decay. Hugs! xo
oooohhh... thanks for sharing on #pypt... this is glorious!
I love square formats and junky equipment makes for the best pics sometimes!
Thanks, Fraenk! :)
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nice captured, you made it prettier when the colour wasn't there. Sometimes colour's not the reason that the photo turn so pretty.
found it in #pypt
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It's true – the lack of color often allows us to notice other things, such as contrast and depth. Glad you enjoy!
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Thank you! Much appreciated. :)
Miss KittyG – I can always count on you for thoughtful responses. I wish I'd seen that site – I'm quite sure I'd have become an addict. I suspect 'lo-fi' will never go out of fashion. :)
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