As you know, I’m a fan of simple cameras - after all my pinhole cameras are about as simple as it gets! A couple of weeks ago I decided to use a different sort of machine, but almost as basic, when I made a couple of journeys west. My Holga camera is made of plastic (including the lens) and cost me the princely sum of £21 from eBay - undoubtedly one of my best photographic bargains! It has a single shutter speed and a fixed lens so the only setting you have to remember to adjust is the focus distance, although occasionally I forget to do that!
Holga photos have a recognisable look. If you get the focusing right the simple lens is remarkably sharp in the centre, but this clarity drops off at the edges, creating a dreamy effect. This simplicity makes you think about your compositions but it also brings the ability to make multiple exposures. During my wait at Paddington Station I had a play with this, creating multiple layers with the station’s architectural lines.
A few days later I found myself travelling through London again, with some time to kill before my train home from Liverpool Street. As I walked out of the tube station the sun emerged so I took a stroll with my Holga, seeking out interesting combinations of lines and light.
A shaft of sunlight on the pavement
Photos taken February 2023