Book of Interest

This almost cannot fail to be interesting. Turns out that Michael Kenna, known since forever for his exquisite work with a Hasselblad on a tripod, has been photographing on the side for many years with...Holgas. The yin of the yang, the other end of the stick, the lo-fi to his usual hi-fi. And he's finally putting out a book of his best Holga images from over the years.

At the very least, the man is the master of the square composition, which should be fully on display in his Holga work. And his work is all about mysterious, impressionistic simplicity, and I don't see how a Holga would be in conflict with that, either.

This will be a must-see for all Michael Kenna fans, I would guess, as well as fans of toy camera work.

Mike
(Thanks to Ken Tanaka)

Original contents copyright 2018 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Nigel: "I bought this wonderful monograph today as a matter of coincidence. On a first viewing I was knocked out by this wonderful poetic series of pictures. I love the work of Michel Kenna. He took a series of landscape pictures up in the hills above my town, in a place I know well and have photographed many times. Seeing his pictures of Canossa made me realise, unfortunately, the mediocrity of my own photography. He recently held an exhibition here in Reggio Emilia of a series of photographs he took of 'confessionals' in a series of local churches. Despite the offbeat subject, the exhibition was most engaging. The camera might be primitive, but the darkroom skills used to create these photographs are definitely not. This is one of those books like my tattered Kertesz 50 years monograph that I will reach for when I need to cheer myself up."

TC: "I was visiting Luang Prabang, Laos, several years back, and I went up to the small hill with a temple on top of at the center of town. It was crowded with tourists wanting to take photos on the sunset, while I, to their apparent dismay, took pictures of the tourists. After the sun slipped below the horizon, everyone left, but I stuck around. After everyone else had left, a photographer showed up with a tripod and began setting it up facing the temple. It was Michael Kenna. He looked at me, the sole remaining person on the hill, grinned, and said, 'Wait for the light. It's about to get really nice.' And it was. Not my type of shot, personally, but really nice."

Michelle Bates: "This is so exciting! I met Michael at an opening in Seattle years ago and noticed one of the images in his calendar looked familiar. I asked (tentatively) if it was a Holga photo and he said (with mock horror) 'Would I use a Holga?!' 'I don't know, would you?' 'Yes—I love Holgas!' Such a fun moment! I convinced him to be part of my book, and featured his Holga images in the second edition of Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity. I was always hoping he would do an exhibition of the images, and I'm thrilled that he's doing a book—I can't wait to add it to my toy camera library!"

Mike replies: Great to hear from you Michelle—it's been quite a while since we featured the first edition of your book.

Comments

[James Weekes]

I have pre-ordered this book, I had to. I used Holgas, Dianas and a Rollei SL66 in my film days. I have set all of my cameras other than the a6000 to square. The Sony will not shoot square, one of its very few flaws. I see square. Put on top of that the fact that I love Michael Kenna’s work and you have a sure sale. Can’t wait.

[Herman Krieger]

For even more simplicity, you could try a square format pinhole camera.

[Rob de Loe]

If you like Michael Kenna and you want to learn more about the story behind this book, there's a nice interview of Kenna by Graeme Green in the current issue of On Landscape magazine. Here's the link, but it is a pay site so you may only see a teaser: https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2018/01/michael-kenna-interview/

[Bob Johnston]

I saw a Kenna exhibition at Banbury Museum and Art Gallery a few years ago. His prints are small,I think about eight inches square, but absolutely exquisite.

I have just seen Tim Rudman's exhibition "Iceland, an Uneasy Calm at the same venue. Different but equally impressive. Both photographers use film. When not using a Holga Kenna uses a Hasselblad and Rudman uses a Mamiya 645. Both make darkroom prints. I think I may have to clear out the darkroom and buy another film camera.

[Richard G]

Wonderful idea. Looking forward to seeing this book. This video with him visiting a particular tree year after year got me hooked on Michael Kenna to the point of finally trying out the Hasselblad 500cm. Exceedingly naive and presumptuous of me but I have to do it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sBmaxdB7QWk I recently bought the Italian production Immagini del settimo giorno (Images of the seventh day). That book includes some of the Reggio Emilia photographs, and some night shots in Venice and many others. One shot of trees in a garden at night with the only light that which reflects off a pond is out of this world. He does his own printing still.

[Gary Wilson]

For those M43 users who would like to try their hand at a digitally similar focal length, the Olympus 15mm ƒ8.0 Body Lens Cap at around $50.00 would offer a similar experience to the 60mm Holga 120N medium format film camera. The 60mm Holga lens would actually be equivalent to a 14mm lens on the M43 camera set to 1:1.Just something to consider.

[Stan B.]

Low tech, Holga, whatever... It still ain't stopping him from getting his usually exquisite
photos.

[GUY PERKINS]

The photography book that has made the most impact on me in the last 12 months is "Veterans: Faces of World War II" by Sasha Maslov. Superb photos and moving interviews, a melding of art and history that I think many TOP readers would appreciate.

[Brian Taylor]

In the On Landscape article (linked above) Michael Kenna says: "For me, approaching subject matter to photograph is a bit like meeting a person and beginning a conversation." As an intuitive animist that's very much how I feel. I also like his idea of 'visual haiku', though my attempts always seem to need more words of one kind or another.

[James Weekes]

I should add that I have Holga lenses for all of my cameras. The Micro 4\3 one’s are beautifully similar to my old Holga/Diana work. The one on the a6000 is basically square as the edges go black.

[Peter Wright]

Yet another proof (if one were needed!) that working within the limits of the equipment, whatever those limits may be, and even embracing them, does not inhibit artistic expression, but perhaps enables it.

[Patrick Medd]

I've recently accessioned two Michael Kenna volumes to my collection - this was one of them and is excellent. The frontispiece image in this book 'Staflyer' is worth the price of admission alone. The other volume is 'Huangshan - The Yellow Mountain' is Kenna at his most sublime and my candidate for photobook of the year already.

[David O'Bryan]

Where are y'all buying the book? Amazon says it is not available yet.