Camera travels the world -- Part II

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and such ...

 

OK, taxes are done for another year. Much complicated by leftover

foreign tax credits, etc., etc.

 

Here's what I'm thinking. A camera, film and a log book. When the film

runs out, someone goes and buys a roll of b/w and mail me the finished

roll. I'll reimburse these costs via PayPal or send you a money order

or whatever.

 

When I get the film, I'll process, send each person their six and they

can pick one or two. I have bigger ideas regarding using all six as a

mini-contact sheet with the "chosen" one circled.

 

I'd also like to get the address labels and postmarked stamps.

 

I'm thinking six shots per person and then mailing the camera to the

next person. The log book can contain any notes or idle (hopefully,

not murderous) thoughts. Include name, date, state/province and

country plus e-mail address.

 

Possible cameras:

 

-- Agfa Solinette with Solinar lens

 

-- Voigtlander Vito B

 

-- Voigtlander Vito CLR

 

-- Rigid Zeiss Ikon Contina IIa with built-in meter

 

-- Rigid zone-focus Contessa with built-in meter

 

-- Plastic-bodied Zeiss-Ikon Ikonette

 

-- Kodak Signet 40 (little bit scuffed but otherwise OK)

 

I had some others in mind, but I think they would cause some serious

customs headaches for people in Europe.

 

All of these cameras are ones that won't hurt if they somehow get

destroyed. I was thinking of removing the covering from some and

replacing it with gaffer's tape. That should make it unappealing and

keep customs duties down.

 

If enough people are still interested, let me know, and we can get

going next week, if you want.

This is an awesome idea! I'm in. I'm in Eugene, OR, USA. I don't know anything about any of those cameras. however, the ones with the meters sounds good to me. I assume these are all 35mm? Sounds like a very cool idea.

Mike Perrault

Sounds like a great idea. Would you put together a website, chronicalling the progress of the camera? I'm in Vancouver, Canada (not to far from Eugene)

About European customs : if the int'l standardized CN-22 green customs sticker is used on the parcel (on first flight, many CN-22s can be put in the box with the camera, for the forthcoming use) is affixed on the packet, with the box "gift" marked, and a value put at $0.00, and the content described to be "old & used film camera" I see no reason to get into some trouble.

Also note that the camera can also be sent flat rate mode, if not too big.

Let us go march with this nice project !

would the log book be a web based form or a actual book?

 

would the contact sheet be web based too?

 

 

The Vito's and the Ikon's might be good choices

whew, good to know i'm not the only insomnian/finals week university student p'netting. Whats the story with some of those cameras?

Sounds like a nifty upgrade to the traveling cameras project on photo.net a year or so ago. I think they were using one-time-use cameras. I don't recall whether the cameras ever finished the round trip - periodically one would report in but then vanish like a spy.

 

Regarding customs, it might be worth including in the package a letter stated that this is part of a global artistic project and the camera is not being sold or transferred to any individual for any pecuniary interest. That might smooth things out.

 

Maybe some multilingual folks could translate it to a few common languages. If my Olympus digicam instruction manual is a clue, English, French, Spanish (or Italian?), German, Japanese (I'm so ignorant, is that the correct term for the standard language in Japan?), whatever the most common Chinese dialect or language is, and Korean.

 

And guessing from what I see of photo.net participation, there are folks from India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries, Russia and its neighbors...

 

Whew. Better be a short letter.

 

We Americans are lucky there are so many multilingual people in other countries. It's easy to get complacent when you forget that English isn't the only language in the world - it's just that so many other folks have learned it while even after living in Texas for most of my life I can barely understand Spanish.

I'd like to be counted in too, please. I live in the Canary Islands, a Spanish (and thus European Union) territory off the coast of northern Africa.

Hello friends,

 

<p>I'd like to participate in this enterprise :-)</p>

<p>So, if you'd like to get the pictures of Red Square or Kremlin in Moscow, just include me in the list of participants.

The only restriction is that the Russian customs doesn't allow to send the old (more than 50 y.o.) cameras abroad.

Also it'll take a bit more time for shipping: approx. 3 weeks by Airmail from/to USA. The shipping costs will be approx $10.

As for shipping costs to the next participant and costs for film, I don't care and can carry these expenses by myself.</p>

<p>BTW, as for the camera, I can submit this ugly piece of plastic: Smena 8M, which is light, really dirty cheap (approx $7) and easily can be replaced in the case of loss (there were more than 15 mil. issued). But the main disadvantage of it is the quality of pictures. See descriptions and examples of pictures here:

<a href="http://www.lumieresenboite.com/collection2.php?l=2&c=Lomo_Smena_8M">Smena 8M</a></p>

 

 

 

Regards, Evgeny (aka EJStark).

I'd be in for this too.

 

We should stick to a simple camera that is fairly reliable but not too heavy (if possible). I don't think we need be too concerned about using a top-notch camera.

 

Another cheap camera ($5-10) that is capable, common on ebay and easy to use is the Ilford Sportsman. Zone focus, entirely manual and not too heavy.

 

Paul.

Great idea. But what about using a medium format folder? Some of these 6x6 camera weight only just a little more than a pound. I would be nice to have a large negative so we can see all the details where the camera has been. Or if 35mm is the only option, the lens should be as good as possible.<p>

Everyone who a shoots a series of six pictures should use one frame for a self-portrait with the camera in a mirror. By the way, six is a nice number, even I should get one or two shots right.

<p>

All participants should use the same film at the same speed. Mailing the unprocessed film to you is also good idea.<p>

I think that using this artist's letter and declaring the camera as gift with zero value is a much better idea than using a forged feeBa* invoice. Even if we have to pay customs and spend a little more on postage, so be it.<p>

What happened to the book option you mentioned in your first posting? Of course a nice website for this project would be fine. I hope you let us decide whether you publish our names.

Hey Miguel! I want to go to the Canary Islands and take my photos there! We went to Tenerife (Garachico & all the wild parts, not the beaches) and can't wait to get to some of the other islands like Gomera.

 

Someone should make a custom, easy open, reusable box for the camera. Some cut foam, better than average cardboard or lightweight wood (luan). Styrofoam. Something easy to open and close, re-label and ship without too much fuss.

If you need someone from the southeast U.S. (Georgia) then you can count be in. I think it's a fantastic idea. This will not only show views of different parts of the world, but also give us some insight about the photographers.

 

Jay

Jorn, all 7 islands are very different from each other, and beautiful in their own distinct way. La Gomera has the added appeal of little tourism and its cultural peculiarities, such as the whistling language its shepherds originally used to communicate with each other across mountains and valleys, and which is now part of the state schools' syllabus.

Sounds like fun. I'd play if you would be interested of pictures in the Golden Colorado area..

Mike,

excellent idea. I share your enthusiasm. I'm in Ontario, Canada and would like to participate. I can take care of my expenses and will go by whatever rules work better.

Sounds like fun. Count Sleepy Hollow, New York in.

 

I'm sure any of those cameras would work well, Mike. I suggest you just choose the one you consider the best combination of optics and ergonomics.

 

During the shoot, it would be fun to post on the web the current location of the camera, and who's due to get it next. It might even be possible to choose a single worldwide shipping service that issues tracking numbers; you could plot very precisely when and where the camera travelled.

 

How about standardizing film ISO (it might not be possible to standardize the film itself)?

Well, as I said befor, please count me in.

Also, if someone writes a draft for that letter for customs, I could translate it into German...

oooh man i'm excited guys. This is gonna be groovy.

Count me in!

 

I will either be in Linkoping (Sweden) or Istanbul (Turkey) depending on when the project takes place.

 

An easy to use rangefinder like Canonet is a great idea. It should function well but the uglier it looks the better it is for the customs and the less sad the owner will be if it gets lost in mail.

 

I think a 400-speed film like Tri-X or HP5 would be great of we are doing this in B/W

Hi,

 

Great idea, please count me in. I'm in the UK. Once it gets to one EU country it can be passed around all other EU countries without any customs problems.

 

Roger

I'd like you to count me in. I'm in Britain and any of those cameras would be fine.

 

This sounds a great project !

I would really like to be part of this project. I live in Philadelphia, PA, and will be also traveling to Italy this coming summer. Great idea, can't wait.

Max M

Everyone who wants to take part should send me e-mail by clicking my name. Make sure you put "camera project" into the subject.

 

We/I will map out a trip planner for the camera, and then we're good to go. If nothing else, it should be fun.

 

I'll pick a fairly simple, yet durable camera that won't require batteries and will be easy enough for anyone to use.

This idea has already been done by the Argus Group. I believe they are now on their second or third Argus World Tour. Its not an original idea.