Holga Love
You may look upon this camera as something similar to a child’s plastic toy, yet when you experience the true playfulness of it it does exactly what it says on the tin. It will make you fall in love with photography again.
….A plastic shell which memories are made of.
For me it brought out the playfulness within and stripped those limitations put upon me from studying, magazines and other peoples beliefs in what photography should be.
My Holga reunites me with the reason why I fell in love with photography. I believe that you should only follow something you love, which can then make it all the more painful when you feel like you have lost it.
I personally experienced this after finishing university. It took a two year period without taking a single shot before I purchased a Nikon d70 (with a little influence). My love was reunited. In a similar way the Holga has done this for me. As in life things can get a bit too serious, so much so that you stop seeing and appreciating the beauty and freedom around you.
Now this camera is basic to the point that there is no viewing screen, menus or batteries needed. You use film, wind it on yourself and have a dial at the front where you can choose the distance of the shot you are shooting. It is up to you how long you make the exposure and multiple exposures can be carried out at ease by not winding the film on and taking another shot.
Special thanks to the friend who bought me this gift.
Journeys
A personal self portrait.
I have always been fascinated with reflections, abstraction and a different way to view the world.
In February 2009 we were leaving the port at Fort Lauderdale, USA, on a turnaround day. I had just finished shooting the new passengers boarding the ship and decided to take a walk out on deck. I loved how you could still make out the skyscrapers in the distance. I was even more delighted to take a shot where I could incorporate myself in this landscape. Taken on board the Ruby Princess.
There is a big rush on the cruise ships to see the first sail away. In January 2009 I experienced my first one in Los Angeles, U.S.A on the Sapphire Princess.
I noticed how the sun was casting shadows of the guests over the deck. I chose to shoot at a low angle and expose for the shadows, which created the silhouette of the people and kept the shadows.