Using the Viewfinder

If you have already shot a roll or two, you may realise that the Holga's viewfinder ranges from fairly to completely useless. This, my friend, is due to something called parallax. Unlike fancy SLR cameras, what you see is not necessarily what you get. This is a result of the viewfinder being offset from the cameras lens. The effect this has on your pictures is relative to how close you are to your subject - the close you are the more offset it becomes. Not only is your image offset, the viewfinder can only display 60-70% of what the Holga lens captures.

So why have a viewfinder?

Sometimes it is useful - mainly if your subject is quite some distance away. When it gets to about 9ft or less, just aim the camera roughly at the subject. After all this isn't a lesson in perfect composition, this is Holgagraphy! Just point and click and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Composing without the viewfinder

I believe the only real solution is to avoid using your viewfinder. This may feel strange at first, but the more you use your Holga, the more you just get used to pointing and hoping for the best. There are, however, a couple of tips you can use to compose your images:

• Get in close. Real close. The Holga's lens is wide angle which means you get more in your image than you'd think.
• Point the camera roughly at your subject, and check it's pointing in the right direction by looking at the lens from the side.
• Ask your subject if the lens is pointing towards them.

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