Holga?

I don't have one, but I'm seriously thinking about buying it. (Actually I was hoping to get one for Christmas...oh well.) I'm not much of a gearhead and the technical complexities of "serious" photography are rather overwhelming to me; plus I love the aesthetic of imperfection that I've seen in Holga photographs that makes them feel dreamlike rather than realistic.

I've also just built a matchbox pinhole camera and am looking forward to taking that out for a test drive. Perhaps it's just a quirk of my personality, but I love the low-tech and primitive as opposed to the new and perfect. Ancient photographs, grainy and soft focus, are much more interesting to me than the typical National Geographic digital photo.

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"It was night. I could tell because it was getting dark."

Update: bought a Holga a few months ago, shot two rolls with it. My favorite photo from that excursion (http://www.lomography.com/homes/maarow/albums/1739609-stalking-the-nei ghborhood/photos/13950284 was, ironically, the very first one I took.

So even if you have no talent like me, you can still luck your way into a decent photograph.

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"It was night. I could tell because it was getting dark."

What is it about that photograph that you like?

The texture. The almost tactile quality of light and shadow. The hazy dreamlike substance enveloping the image. I love imperfections; old photographs have always displayed more character for me than new, perfect, digital photographs. And the Holga really captures that aesthetic.

I take it it does nothing for you, though?

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"It was night. I could tell because it was getting dark."

Sorry but no, it doesn't do anything for me. I find the composition cluttered and it's too dark. The darkness wouldn't be an issue without the bright light top right taking the eye up there. I do like the atmosphere, and in similar conditions with a different composition I think you could be onto something good. You said you "lucked into a good picture": this only happens very rarely and I don't think you have an example of it here. I think you could build on this idea and work towards something that would be very good indeed, but you have a way to go yet. I am a photographer, btw.

Well, I was posting it more as an example of what the Holga does than as an example of what a great photographer I am. I'm very slowly getting into photography as a hobby but I don't really intend to ever sell anything or call myself anything grander than an amateur.

But thanks for the, erm...encouragement?

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"It was night. I could tell because it was getting dark."

Great shots are made, they almost never happen by accident. Keep pursuing your ideas and you'll keep improving.