Holga Afternoon: a celebration of the imperfect camera

The Holga is a plastic medium format camera that doesn’t focus, doesn’t meter the light and forgives no mistake. And that is precisely why it is one of the best loved cameras in analogue photography.

Every year, from 1 to 7 October, photographers all over the world take to the streets with the same camera to celebrate Holga Week. We celebrate it the next day, on Thursday 8 October, with a free afternoon at Nau Bostik.

A meet-up, not a course

It isn’t a class: it’s an informal gathering to shoot, share tricks and have a good time. We start at 6:00 pm with a quick intro to the camera —how to load it, why people tape up the seams, what “sun” and “cloud” mean— and at 6:20 pm we head out to shoot around Nau Bostik and the surrounding streets, making the most of the last light. We wrap up at 7:30 pm by sharing what we shot and what we hope to see when it’s developed.

If you have a Holga, bring it. If not, bring any toy or analogue camera; we’ll have a few to lend. And if you shot during the week, bring your rolls: the competition opens on the 8th and closes on 8 November.

Rolls and development

If you don’t bring film, we’ll have 120 and 35 mm black-and-white rolls at 10 €. And if you want to develop what you shot, you can do it yourself or join the B&W film development workshop and, if you want to go all the way, follow it with darkroom printing. Both are optional and have their usual price.

Sign-up

The event is free, but places for loan cameras are limited. Fill in the contact form with your name and whether you need a camera, and we’ll save you a spot. You’ll find all the information on the Holga Afternoon page.

Gallery

Below is a selection of photos shot with a Holga. Each has its own imperfection: vignetting, light leaks, approximate focus. That’s what makes them unique.