The Holga is a cheapo made-in-China plastic toy camera that shoots medium format film. It has achieved cult status among alternative photography buffs because of the dreamy retro effects it imposes upon its shots. It's a shoot-n-pray camera -- although it has a knob with a cloudy/sunny icon that one would think controls the aperture or shutter speed, it doesn't really do anything, and you can't focus. You can, however, hold the shutter down for extended periods. Each Holga has its unique set of quirks including light leaks and vignetting, which can be adjusted with modifications to the camera. Not a difficult do-it-yourself project, but a service also offered by Randy at holgamods.com for a reasonable price.

More info on Holgas and Holga Galleries at plasticfantasticonline.com and toycamera.com.

And by the way, the little blue thing in the center-right is a fascinating sea creature with a poetic name: Velella Velella (or the "By-the-Wind Sailor"). I kid you not. This was photographed at McClure's Beach at Pt. Reyes National Seashore during a period when tens of thousands had been blown ashore along the Pacific coast and were beached (an uncommon occurence).

Velella velella is a pelagic colonial hydroid. The deep blue float is an oval disc and short tentacles hang down into the water from it. The sail propels the creature across vast expanses of ocean. In this image, I handcolored the little jelly. Click here for more information on the By-the-Wind Sailor.