Holga: The World through a Plastic Lens

by Lomography

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 2 inches ; 13 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000JFE7OQ
• Item model number: 745
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 5, 2006

Product Description

For many years, the Holga has held us in an unyielding grasp. In honor of this obsession, we've created the greatest and only book dedicated to the global pursuit of Holga mastery. Edited by Adam Scott, "The World Through A Plastic Lens" contains 308 pages stuffed with over 500 images - submitted by the Lomographic community and edited into a dazzling stream of soft-focus, x-pro, light-leaked, multiple-exposed, and pseudo-panoramic dreamscapes. And sprinkle on top of that a full list of tips and tricks, Holga addict profiles, and a beautiful hardcover binding that directly recalls the Holga?s faux-leather wrapping.


FEATURES

• 308 shining pages, bound within a Holga-skin hardcover
• Edited by Adam Scott, one of the world's grandmasters of all things Holga
• Over 500 slamming Holga images from over 150 amazing Lomographers
• A hand-selection of the greatest & strangest Holga tips n' tricks
• Filled with every Holga style: colorflashed, 35mm, fake panoramas, multiple exposures, x-pro, and more!
• A gaggle of Holga addict profiles - complete with revealing portraits

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, June 13, 2008

By 

Gordon Ray (Atlanta GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Holga: The World through a Plastic Lens (Hardcover)

With over 500 pictures culled from thousands of Holga enthusiasts they could have come up with a much better selection of pictures than this. There are some great holga photogs out there but they aren't in this book. If you like looking a loads of pictures of people with their tongues sticking out you will love this book. If you think that something is art just because its blurred and has light leaks all over it you'll be in heaven. If you expect more than this you'll be disappointed.

There are only a few black and white pictures, probably 95% are in color.

There's a whole section full of tips, most of which involve taking a picture and then turning the camera and re-exposing the same piece of film.Or putting a pice of colored gel over the lens to use as a filter.
I can figure this stuff out on my own.

Then there's a whole biography section of anyone who contributed to the book, mostly filled with the above mentioned portraits of the contributors. Why not show their work instead? No offense, but I don't really care what they look like, I'd much rather see their work.

I gave it 2 stars because there are a few good pictures in it. Also, It wasn't that expensive. But it could have been a really good book. Less fluff/padding, better tips and better pictures. This is a book better suited for the self obsessed "me" generation rather than a book for photography enthusiasts.

Instead I recommend Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity. , a much better book about plastic cameras. The photos that will make you want to pick up your camera and it also has useful fixes and hacks for your holga that will improve its function. In other words, great pictures and real tips. And when they do showcase photographers work, they show the work, not pictures of the people who took it.

I'm not connected in any way with the recommended book, except as a satisfied buyer.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars One way or another, it is inspiring, August 2, 2008

By 

R. Bullock (Phila, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holga: The World through a Plastic Lens (Hardcover)

This book inspires me because the photographs included are a bit on the mundane side (or at least as mundane as Holga photographs could be). I thumbed through it right after I got it and was inspired - to take better pictures than half of the ones included in the book. I think it's an excellent source of information for the ultimate beginner who knows absolutely nothing about medium format or toycam photography, but the problem with this is that as their skills grow, this will not remain a handy reference.

Some of the tips are helpful and intriguing...but only if you know nothing about what Holgas are capable of. If you know you can expose the same shot as many times as you want, then you most likely have already figured out the concept of exposing a roll, rewinding it, and trading with a fellow Holga snapper.

Some of the tips were new to me, and I did utilize them - namely the spooling of two rolls of 35mm film onto two empty 120 spools. (I keep thinking there was another, but for the life of me, right now I cannot think of what it was.)

Overall, it's a good source for the very uninitiated. It's inspiring, whether you are inspired because you like the included photographs or you don't. Some of them are wonderful, and positively inspired me to load up my Holga. It's nice to have lying around, and there has to be a tip for everyone, no matter how experienced they may or may not be. I do think the price is a little hefty for what is included, but it's up to the reader to find their own deal.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book of ideas, October 21, 2007

By 

Stephen Lachuta (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Holga: The World through a Plastic Lens (Hardcover)

If you are an experienced holga user or it's the first time you ever picked on up, this is a great book showing you a ton of wonderful things you can do with your holga. I love my holga and this book has given me a few ideas to play with and it makes a great coffee table book that everyone loves to grab and flip through.
~Dr. Steve Photography