And when we say low, we mean the coolest, plastic film camera you’ve ever seen: The Holga!
The folks at Nokia contracted with the mastermind behind HolgaMods, a site dedicated to tweaking these plastic wonders into a (slightly) more sophisticated camera. The modified N95’s are here.

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And what brought this meeting of the minds ? At the Cannes Lions, Nokia gave young creatives the modified N95 camera phones which could accept screw-in lenses to give a bit more versatility to this “swiss army knife” of a gadget. It took the skills of a man who works with a comparative toy, and transforms it into a new photographers tool.

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I think you can see how Nokia picked this company to partner with.

You can check out some of the results by clicking here: Nokia At Cannes

But we’re hoping that Nokia will let us check out these HolgaMod units, from a strictly photographic viewpoint.
Heck, how often does a company that brings out the latest technology, work hand-in-hand with a company that specializes in low tech, and I mean ALL PLASTIC, camera modifier?
Just goes to show you…it’s still all about the image.

Make sure you read some of the stories and reviews at the HolgaMod site.

Here is a vid explaining what they did:

And one of the competition’s best in our opinion.

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I’m no technophobe. In fact, I’m quite the opposite. I know my way around a computer quite well. I’ve edited many a movie on digital systems, gracefully and gleefully transitioning from film, trim bins, and splicing tape to computer monitors and files and all the terms of the electronic era.

But when it came to relegating my Canon F-1’s to second-class status and stashing them away in the closet, I was slow to concede. In fact, it’s only been a yearsince I acquired a digital SLR. Before that, I had played with a hand-me-down 3.2 megapixel Canon Powershot, but that was just so I could see what downloading and digital files were all about and in order to not feel like a dinosaur. Even with the ease of digital in hand, my heart still belonged to film, especially black and white.

Part of my reluctance to move into the digital photo age was certainly rooted in snobbery. Back in my photojournalist days, photographers were a unique breed. No auto-focus. Mostly manual cameras. When we traveled the streets our long lenses stood out labeling us as pros. My camera became a prop to hide behind, an identity I could put on whenever I felt a little uncertain.

But once digital was born, everyone Continue Reading »

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Recently we told you about the reprinting of this visual journey through the United States by Robert Frank in the 50’s.
It was such a departure from the photographic styles of the time, that he couldn’t find a publisher in the states. In Paris, there was a company that took a shot and brought to the world this darker view of the US. With a black and white unvarnished look at a people coming out of a war, and dealing with a promised life that was based on a pollyanna-esque reality.
This book, The Americans, has been reprinted before and every time Robert Frank has overseen the new reproductions, thankfully. This edition by Steidl, retains the quality you expect from the new printing technologies.
You can read this article for more details.

So this week, one of you will add this book to your collection, with compliments, from photoinduced.com

To be eligible for a free copy:
Continue Reading »

[photopress:DSC00594.JPG,full,centered] As the week of the Cannes lions fest draws to a close and the beaches prepare to return to some sense of normalcy, the time of celebrating the work in the advertising business gets ready to leave the south of France.
The awards, the parties, the dinners,the parties, the dancing , the parties, the concerts, the…well, you know where this is going.
There is real business going on here though. You just have to know where to look . And step away from the Rose
So we have been getting some news for you from one of the biggest stock photo agencies that should peak your interest.
Continue Reading »

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And the folks at Nokia are very smart for putting this multi-use tool in the hands of the attendees of the Cannes Lions Ad festival.

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As I was walking around the festival, there was a new camera in a lot of hands. The first thing to notice was the incredibly thin body. Then the big honking piece of glass on the front of it.
Finally , I stopped a couple of young creatives carrying 2 of these, who explained the deal; Continue Reading »