lomography

The Diana Mini is the younger sister of the Diana F+. And it’s freakin’ adorable.

Diana cameras are often mentioned in the same breath as Holga cameras. I’ve loved my Holga 135 BC since 2011 when I found it in an Urban Outfitters as a newlywed strolling in Savannah, GA. Based on my undying affection for my Holga, it was a pretty safe bet that I’d love a Diana as well. I finally decided to take the bait when a new edition was released in mint green, my signature color.

Like a Holga, the Diana Mini is a plastic ‘toy’ camera. And, also like a Holga, the Diana was originally produced in Hong Kong in the 1960s. The original Diana was made by Great Wall Plastic Company. It was made so cheaply that it could be used as a promotional giveaway, the kind of thing you might win as a prize at the fair or find emblazoned with the logo of your local pizza shop. It also made an excellent little “intro camera” for photography students, the kind that never planned to take more than one class.

The newer versions of the Diana (including the Mini and the F+) are made by Lomography, a company that specializes in somewhat quirky gear and lo-fi results.

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Film: Ilford HP5 Plus 400 ISO 35mm in a Holga 135 camera (these photos are completely unedited, this is how they came out of the developer).

What is a Holga?
The name comes from a Cantonese phrase, “ho gwong,” which means “very bright.” It is a plastic camera from the early 80s that takes far from perfect pictures — the appeal is the artistic nature of the unpredictable photos and the lightweight “toy” feel of the camera. It was designed to be a cheap camera for non-professionals (tourists, mostly). Images commonly display vignetting, blur, light leaks, and other distortions. Some argue that Holga cameras influenced the style development of Instagram because looks such as altered colors and light leaks were hallmarks of a Holga photo. The original camera also utilized the square photo format on 120 film (which might have helped to inspire the Insta square), although mine is a little army-green Holga 135 that uses 35mm and shoots rectangular images.

This style of photography is sometimes referred to as “lomography” [an experimental form of photography using film and old-fashioned, analogue cameras]. A Holga is not the camera you want to use when it’s very important to you that your shot come out a particular way, but if you’re looking for something fun and unpredictable that captures images in a unique and artsy way, you’d probably love a Holga.

Cheers to keeping film alive one roll at a time!

Unbidden Grace

Grace, unbidden, appeared on the scene, became its center, transformed the scene.

My Diana Mini

Hogwarts on Holga