A New Normal

The holga has a mind of its own. Within the camera itself, you are restricted in the ways you are able to construct an image. The holga allows you to simply determine what you are taking a photo of. It determines what’s in focus or out of focus, the exposure, how long the shutter remains open…You get no say. I chose the holga because I was intrigued by the spontaneity of shooting and the challenge in having limited control over how the images turned out. 

Much like when COVID began, we were all forced out of normal routines and placed directly into our own little bubble of isolation. Some more isolated than others, being affected more than others. The days and times blur together as we are inside for what seems to be an unnumbered amount of days. I found the holga to be a great way to communicate these ideas with its hazy, dream-like effects on the film. Within these images, I want to tell of the unique perspectives of living in a pandemic dealing with loneliness, separation, and even peace, and how we all are experiencing the same pandemic, each in our own way.