I think I have a new favorite camera.

It's funny, I've invested thousands of dollars into all the amazing equipment that I own, the equipment that helps me to nail shot after shot exactly how I've envisioned it.

But the camera that is making my heart sing these days is nothing like that gear. It cost me $30 and is made entirely of plastic. This camera is a holga.

Holgas are funny cameras. They were made to be a cheap option for a consumer camera back in the film days. Optically, they are one of the worst cameras ever made. Yet they are loved by film photographers around the world.

Why? Well they have a very distinctive look. They are known for light leaks and blurry edges, and not being very sharp, all the things that are technically terrible in a photograph. But they create really interesting photographs.

Holgas are very basic, which means the photographer has very little control. There are three settings for light, and three settings for focus. All you can really do with a holga is to pick up a roll of 120 film and go shoot.

And that's exactly what I did. There is definitely some trial and error in learning how to shoot a Holga, so I've mostly been practicing on my son. Here's a bit of what I've done so far:

I've been having a lot of fun with this little camera. I can't wait to try it out for some more serious uses!