Cheapness has it's charm

I was very excited to receive a Holga this Christmas. In case you aren't familiar with Holgas, they are basically just incredibly cheap, plastic "toy" cameras (although I challenge you to find even a toy camera as cheap as this)whose unique charm comes from light leaks and other defects. It actually reminds me a little of my first camera ever which was a Kodak Brownie type castoff of my mother's.

Keith's cousin, Renee, has a great photoblog and I'm pretty sure that's where I first saw Holga shots. They do have a certain charm.

I've become so dependent on digital cameras and the instant feedback of the LCD screen, it was a little scary to have to wait for the results. I like the way it forces me to put more thought into the process.

Holgas seem to be made for tampering. Some modifications are necessary to fix defects, others just fun to do if you know how. My first job is to fix the latch mechanism which slides right off when you attach the camera strap. Good thing I have help from the series of tubes known as the internet.

My first roll is pretty blah actually. But you get the idea: