Tomorrow is my first day teaching, ever. Through the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning program, I am putting on a 6 week workshop on toy cameras, focusing on Holgas. It will be taught every Tuesday from 6:30-8:30pm. I have a few seats left so if you’re in the area and can hold off watching the last 2 episodes of LOST to online the next day, it should be a lot of fun! My flickr account shows all of what I’ve done personally so far. The above photo is from 2 Saturdays ago at the Salt Lake Temple. This was my first experience at the temple and I could not believe how many brides and grooms were popping out the door every 5 minutes. There were people every where, so it was hard to get a shot with just these two and it was overwhelming. But I love how most of them turned out.

Teaching, although temporary, is currently my 5th job right now. I am still at Fluid Studio designing, I recently started at Signed & Numbered underneath the oh so talented Leia Bell (her partner Phil Sherburne is an excellent woods craftsman as well) working in their shop full of fantastic limited edition prints, building frames and soon working in the gallery which will be located at music venue, Kilby Court. I’ve been modeling for various artists and university classes and I didn’t want to say anything yet but I can’t contain it any longer: I blog for Boxcar Press as well. I get to interview letterpress artists and companies from all over and help create a resource center of all things letterpress on their website. How stinkin cool is that? Pretty stinky stinkin, if you ask me. I have been waiting to post my first interview, however Boxcar Press is super busy with the National Stationery Show currently going on. I am there in spirit. Sigh. But once their blog becomes more ritual, I’ll be sure to post here too.

I suddenly have become swamped and I love it.

I had no idea there was black and white film in this. No idea. But these are the most frames in 1 roll that I’ve liked. I got 10 great photos out of 12 frames. Not so bad, right?

It’s official. And crazy. I’m teaching Holga Photography via the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning program, this summer. The catalog and web information won’t be official until all the details are in order so stayed tuned for links to sign up, if you’re interested. I’m looking forward to it!

I took these 3 images above when I was scared of 120 film. Scared of the size, scared of the price, scared of what to do with it. I adapted my Holga to hold 35mm film before I even put 120 film inside it. As much fun as it was, it’s so much simpler just to use 120 film, now that I know what I’m doing with it.

- – - – - 

Last night I got to see documentary, Wasteland. Let me just say, wow. Brazilin artist Vik Muniz creates a project based in his home country, where lays one of the largest landfills in the world. He recreates photographs of natives by using found materials/trash. He even involves workers from the landfills to help, which give them a bigger perspective on their life outside of trash. Really inspiring. I was able to find a photo from the film:

Just got these lovelies back. I’m starting to think I should start experimenting with cross processing. I love how these turned out, but I love the wild colors Holgas can capture.

This last one is the one I had mentioned I couldn’t wait to see how it turned out. I just love it. She totally wasn’t keen to get her picture taken, and I’m so glad for it. Hah!

Come to think of it, I’m diggin black and white film… but I did get lucky with a lot of rainy days.

With the short time I had between getting back from San Francisco and dinner with the family for Christmas Eve, I painted a new holga camera to give to my cousin Britnee. With the first stroke of purple paint, I immediately regretted this decision. Her boyfriend Mark had been secretly helping me decide which holga to get her. He said anything purple or pink. I could’ve made things easier on myself and just bought a purple or a pink one but I just couldn’t do it. I hate color and even though it wouldn’t be mine, I just couldn’t stand the thought of it. So I decided to just add some purple. With the black and silver, I felt like it was toned down enough to not look crazy. I didn’t put a finishing on it, didn’t really think about it and it’s already chipping. Maybe for her birthday I’ll repaint it. Maybe.

Sorry Britnee.

Yessssssssssss.

Just on time before I head out to San Francisco, my new Holga 120N. I sold my old one to my old roommate Di. I have high hopes she has patience to not only fix the built-in flash, but to grow to love the process like I have. She hasn’t picked it up yet, so it might come along and some how have black and white film in it. I’m really excited to experiment with a stronger flash! Holgas are my only source of documenting my trip. Photos to come soon.

Class is over. Dang, those 4 weeks went by fast. But all worthwhile for I have a second love. Letterpress shouldn’t mind since Holga is more of a hobby than a way of life. Here are my favorites from the last assignments:

Eva taught me a lot. Where to get film developed the cheapest, always experiment, make sure you know if you’re on the Bulb or Normal setting, have fun, and reminded me of some basic photo knowledge. I am going to start carrying my holga around with me everywhere I go. I think I want to sell my CFN (the flash doesn’t even work) and get the basic N so I can attach my own, stronger, flash. Yeah, that’s what I’m going to do.

Before I said goodbye to Eva and reminded her that I would drive all the way to Heber to rack if she needed help, she told me her and her husband are taking Sycamore Street Press on the road for about a month and hitting up craft fairs along the west coast. One that struck me was, The Renegade Craft Fair. One of the biggest all hand made craft fairs that I know of  traveling from Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco about twice a year. They’re headquarters are in Chicago. I’m in awe. But I can’t just sit here and be in awe. In fact, I’m due for another vacation. And San Francisco ain’t that far.

I’m going. Obviously not as a vendor. But as a customer, spectator, and someone who has ambition to one day be apart of it as well.

It’s a plan Stan.

Guys. Guess what. During my first Holga class we all had to introduce ourselves and the teacher said, “My name is Eva. My husband and I own a little letterpress shop in Heber County (UT),”

“Sycamore Street Press??” I interrupted. So rude. But she nodded with surprise that I knew. I’m a creep and have been reading her blog. I even went back to her very first post to see how she developed such success. Her online shop is very popular in the etsy community. My favorite card of theirs is:

Eva is very inspiring to me in many ways  - she started as a photo major, just like myself. She discovered the world of printmaking and stuck to it. She got her Master’s in it at the University of Utah and now she’s making a career off of it with a Vandercook 3. Her husband, Kirk, was in my letterpress class this semester to learn how to use a Clamshell and set type. I was sure to tell her he wasn’t in class earlier that day.

Here are the top 3 photos I like from our first assignments. We had to do landscape, portrait and experiment with the Bulb setting and light.

I’m learning a lot so far. I feel like I am gaining more confidence with the Holga. Two more assignments left! More photos to come…

Today is my first class in the 4 week long workshop on Holgas. I love Lifelong Learning. This program through the University of Utah gives anyone the opportunity to take brief classes on a variety of subjects. I took Spanish as well as Beginning Harmonica through them.

Holgas, although a simple camera, really intimidate me. I don’t know why. It’s just plastic. I feel like there are tricks to learn and I don’t mind being forced to actually use it more to get assignments done. I’m excited to see what I learn out of this. Pictures to come soon.

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.