I came to Taiwan for exchange and I wanted to make full use of my DSLR to take as many photos as I possibly can in this 6 months. However, when I am in Taiwan, I realize I did not take as many photo as I intended. Furthermore, I am not satisfy with my photographs. Something is missing... I can't pinpoint what is wrong though.
When I'm in Singapore, I took a lot events coverage whether be it for hall or school. I took them all. I begin shooting and shooting. Learn a lot about photography. During a module in NUS; I started to "develop" my "own style", which I term it as "Wong Kar-Wai" (cause I'm a big fan of him!). But I decided that when I come taiwan I must break away from this style of mine in order not be so predictable and boring.
However, when I came to Taiwan, I realize my photos of Taiwan is repeating and boring. That is why I finally decided to break out of the cycle and brought Holga. Holga is using the most primitive way to capture image - no electronic and use film. Holga let me do something which I think I forgot when I use my DSLR - Just Shoot; Don't think. Have Fun. Something I forgot after 2 years of shooting and covering several events. I believe that in the world of photography, there are 2 schools of thoughts:
1. People who want to reproduce almost exactly what the real world is. They are very concern about the sharpness, the color, perspective, lighting, etc.
2. People who view photography as arts. Through photographs, they want people to see what they try to say in the photos (like what artist wants for their paintings). The most important thing is the message, the emotions.
If people were to ask me; which category do I belong to, I think I would say I belong to category 2. I always liked picture that are blur, grainy, monochrome. If some of you have seen my NUS final project, you will know what I am talking about. I always believe that a photo that do not give a message or an emotion, it will become a "color photocopier"; trying to reproduce the real world scenery. I believe that a photo should have a soul. People dance, paint and consider them as an expression; as an art. Same for me. Photography for me is - arts, an expression.
On the other hand, what I'm going to say will contradict myself in the previous paragraph. In this society, photography can be consider as a job if you can reproduce the same picture as what the real world is. Who will want their products to NOT look like the real one? No one I guess. Therefore, most of the time, as a photographer I have to be in the category 1, in order to make a living out of it.
Now, I decided to put my DSLR inside my dry box for a month and use Holga instead. Using Holga so far have make me think different perspectives. No longer do I have the burden of ensuring my photos are good and clear but now I just shoot and hope for the best. I do not know what and how my photos will turn out. As most of you can see, some are good, some are bad, some are simply like shit. Some don't make sense. The thing is: it doesn't need to make sense or looks good. It's about the process: the fun of just shooting random things in your everyday life. No need to be award winning cause most likely you will not have any. I start to love film - the discipline and thinking involved when taking photographs. In digital world, all you need to do to a bad photo is just press the 'delete' button and *woof* it disappear forever. But not film, when you know you shoot a bad photo, you cannot delete it away, it stay on the film. And you have no real-time pictures of what you have taken unlike digital cameras. That is why more thinking, visualization and discipline is needed when using film. However, when I use Holga I also realize that although it is important to think before shooting when using film; but one should not be overly afraid of shooting with film. Cause no matter how hard and how long you tried to visualize and think, there is still a certain degree of uncertain of how the photo might end up. So just shoot and pray hard.
Will I turn to film? No. I still need my DSLR for my events coverage. But I will want to own a film SLR. I might look for something simpler. Back to the basic...
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