So here is my bastardized version. Below is the iPhone’s Hipstamatic version.

Faking holga with Photoshop actions

The Hipstamatic version is a bit more of a cross processed finished with a different frame/print edge.

Hipstamatic version

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This photograph is pretty dang close to a digital version of a Holga camera. I used the Lensbaby Muse with their plastic lens accessory. I put in the f/8 aperture ring and I had the lens straight forward rather than try and tilt the plane of focus. I didn’t try to up the contrast – because the plastic lens is supposed to be less contrasty and just soft at the edges. The one thing I couldn’t fake too much is that the Holga shoots in a square format. This will work perfectly when I upgrade to a full frame 35mm DSLR. Until then I am stuck with the cropped version.

Digital Holga style photograph with a lensbaby

But I am still a fan of Holgas. But to have digital and the Lensbaby really does lead to some creativity that film can’t achieve. And of course with digital you know exactly what you shot without waiting to finish the whole roll of film and then wait to get it processed.

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Hippie meets Holga

For those that care – I work in Provo, Utah for my day job. And it is the most conservative county in the United States. These people bleed Republican red – even though they bleed blue for BYU. So it was a bit strange when some traveling hippies wanted to dance and spread their blessing on the park in the heart of Provo.

I grabbed my Nikon D90 and my Canon SX200 to go take some photos. And I decided on this photograph – and I also decided to make the photograph look like it was taken with a Holga/Plastic camera. There is an underground cult that love to photograph with old plastic film cameras. I have been tempted to join them – I have never really shot film. So at times I am tempted to see what it is all about. There is this whole war of film vs. digital photography.

Film lends a lot of character to a photograph. Film and prints have color and texture and grain that make photographs look unique. Digital can be so “pure” in the photograph that they lose charm and appeal that film would offer. However, with digital you can imitate film. Is it perfect no. But you have a lot more control.

Maybe someday I will buy a holga camera or maybe even a large format camera. Or maybe just buy a Polaroid camera. In the meantime I will work my special effects to make the digital look like film.

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