I’m still getting to grips with the Holga 120 and recently tried a couple of rolls of Ilford XP2 in the 6x6cm square format.
Square has been a favourite aspect ratio of mine for a while, particularly for birds and wildlife. I find that a square crop helps to focus attention on the animal, and minimises the usual clutter which nature provides. I’ve also liked adding a simple frame to give the image a cleaner edge.
Anyway, back to the Holga. As I said the square crop suits me fine, and once I get a better handle on the focus scale and how to shoot for the highlights, I’ll really start to enjoy this simple camera. The biggest frustrations so far have come from external sources – the cost of developing and scanning the film (about $35/roll in Sydney) and the crappy scans which eventuate. I plan to solve the poor scan quality soon with the purchase of an Epson V700 scanner. Then I just need to find a cheaper lab for the film developing, and I’m away.
