Making Pictures Pop with a Holga and Infrared Film

As you will see, these are not your typical Holga shots.  High contrast gives the subjects a sharp and eye-catching look that comes from using a Holga with infrared film.  You can use a 120 format or 35mm Holga, but I prefer 120.

Infrared images on film require a 720nm infrared filter to get the full effect of high contrast, dark skies, and white foliage.  There is no filter thread on the Holga lens but you can press firmly and turn, seating either a 46mm filter or, more likely a 46mm step-up adapter to a larger size for an infrared filter that may be more available.  I screwed a 46mm to 49mm step up ring into my Holga and then used a 49mm filter that I already had.  I have found most of the cheaper infrared filters do as good a job as the most expensive ones.

The tape you see on the camera in the picture at the top is all I use to prevent light leaks.  It’s use is mainly to keep the latches from sliding or the back from popping off if I drop the camera.  That’s what I use on my 12 Holga 120 cameras.  I so rarely have a light leak that I enjoy it when I get one.

Unfortunately, the films that are infrared sensitive need lots more light to allow for the almost black filter.  Usually five stops more light are required to get good exposures in the bright sunlight that is needed for infrared images.  At first glance, a Holga does not seem a likely candidate because of the shutter speed of around 1/100 and fixed f/stops that may be f/8 or f/11.  (The two marked stops may even have the same size hole.)  These settings add two stops of light, but you still need three stops more.  You can use the bulb setting for longer exposures but that requires a tripod, and who wants to use a tripod with a Holga?  With the limited settings, the only practical answer is to use fast film with an ISO of 1600.  But the common infrared sensitive films are ISO 200 to 400 so what do you do?  I simply push the all the films to ISO 1600 when developed.  If you send your film out for developing, many labs have an option to push the film 3 stops for a small additional fee.

I have used Ilford SFX 200, JCH Streetpan 400,  Rollei Infrared 400, and CatLABS 320 Pro film as all are infrared sensitive and all will do a good job.  Which do I usually use?  Because of lower cost, great image quality, and frame numbers on the backing paper that show up easily in the red film window, I like Catlabs 320 Pro best.  It is nominally rated at ISO 200 so the  three stops push gives the total of five stops necessary.  I also rate the 400 speed films at 200 for simplicity.  I use FPP HC-110 developer, 10 ml stock developer diluted to 500 ml and developed for at least 45 minutes.  It is a modified type of stand development that needs you to agitate well in the beginning and from time to time during the 45 minute period.  Mixing and total time are not critical and if you let it develop for one hour, it still works fine.

Post processing with an editing program can be whatever you want.  If desired, the simplest adjustment is to vary exposure and compare the appearance.    If you want to go further, you might want to use the sliders for contrast, highlights, shadows, whites and blacks.

Some subjects work better than others.  You can get a good idea by trial and error or search Holga Infrared on your favorite photography site.  I have a Holga Infrared album that includes many of the films mentioned above including some time exposures and hand-held ones as I developed the procedure.

If you have problems with the link, I am Neal Wellons or Neal3K on Flickr.  Go to my albums and scroll to find Holga Infrared.

Have fun and good luck.

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