THE AFGHAN BOX CAMERA PROJECT AND DIY PROJECT
I recently came across this website about Afghan box cameras and I cannot get it out of my mind. These things are AMAZING, so I wanted to share this with you!
“As of June 2011 Afghanistan is one of the last places on earth where photographers continue to use a simple type of instant camera called the kamra-e-faoree for means of making a living. The hand-made wooden camera is both camera and darkroom in one and generations of Afghans have had their portraits taken with it, usually for identity photographs. At one stage it was even outlawed when former rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban, banned photography, forcing photographers to hide or destroy their tools.
The aim of the Afghan Box Camera Project is to provide a record of the kamra-e-faoree which as a living form of photography is on the brink of disappearing in Afghanistan. [...] The information we provide is based on a visit made to Afghanistan between April and June 2011 which focused on the capital Kabul and the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, as well as on previous visits to the country and region over the years, and ongoing research.”
Lukas Birk (photographer) and Sean Foley (anthropologist) are trying to raise money to go back to Afghanistan and learn even more techniques and history behind these amazing box camera creations before they become a lost art. If you would like to donate, they have a Kickstart project open until March 31, 2012. Depending on how much you donate you get little gifts in return. They also share all of their information about these cameras on their website. You can find links to videos, a pdf on how to build your own camera, how to use the camera, techniques, tools, and all sort of photographs taken by these street photographers. Pretty awesome right?!
Above are examples of photos taken with box cameras, as well as some examples of decorated cameras from the streets. The colored photographs on the bottom are all hand painted.
So, if you are feeling ambitious, creative, and looking for yet another project to take on, consider building one of these yourself and testing it out! I am totally into it! I want to make my own, and hopefully recruit my grandpa to help me out this summer. That way we can use his tools and extra parts, because I know he has a whole shop full of stuff and scraps of weirdness laying around. I am bound to find enough to build one of these!! Seriously though, even if you don’t want to build a camera, this project is so inspiring and it proves that you don’t need a fancy camera to make amazing photos!
*All information and images for this post were from the Afghan Box Camera Project Website.
USING THE POLAROID MACRO 5 SLR CAMERA FOR THE FIRST TIME
Overall, using the Polaroid Macro 5 was surprisingly easy and I have a feeling that this camera is going to be used time and time again. Then again, I am really into macro photography, so it fits my needs! This camera is HUGE; it is literally larger than my head (see bottom image)! This is seriously something you would not want to pack around with you for too long, although for its size, it is surprisingly light! It was originally created for the medical field, such as dentistry, used for making records on your visits.
All of the controls are on the back panel. It is an SLR, so what you see in the viewfinder is what you get, and it has automatic exposure. The back panel also has buttons that let you lighten or darken the image by 1/3 f-stop in each direction. It also uses two flashes, one on either side of the lens. You can also choose to turn the flashes off, or only choose one to fire. It has five different settings that allows you to magnify your subject by 20%, 40%, 100%, 200%, or 300%.
When I first received the camera it had batteries and an old film cartridge already loaded. I figured this would be a good time to find out how the camera works without wasting any good film. I turned the camera on and a red light started to flash. This made me excited to see that the camera actually turned on, but every time I pressed the shutter button down, the camera would beep and continue beeping until I released the button. Still no image was ejecting from the bottom. I then put four fresh AA batteries in and waited for the cameras flash to charge. After a few hours it was still not letting me take a photo and it continued to beep and beep! After some research I discovered that each film pack contains batteries on the bottom side of the cartridge that must also be combined with the AA batteries before the camera will “charge”. I only had to wait seconds after inserting new film to start shooting. I knew it was ready when all of the lights on the back turned to green.
I used spectra film from the IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT. I wish I could tell you what kind of film this was exactly, but I bought a grab-bag and the packages were not labeled. If I had to guess I would say it was the PZ 600 SILVER SHADE UV+ BLACK FRAME. Each film pack contains 8 shots.
As far as the actual subject matter of the images, I was really trying to show the similarities of the dead leaf and the deceased butterfly. I loved how the edges of both were tattered, worn, and/or rotted away. I also loved that each one had their own unique markings and patterns. They shared similar curves, as well as light and dark markings throughout. Overall, I am really satisfied with the way these images turned out and the black border really holds the images in place and makes the subjects pop!
I shot all of these images on automatic, except for this one below. I decided I wanted to see what it would look like if I made one image a little darker. The setting did indeed make it darker. The photo came out kind of creepy looking actually, resembling a tintype photo or something?? Next to this is a size reference as to how large this camera really is!
SHOPPING TIPS FOR PURCHASING A USED CAMERA
One of the many things I love doing is shopping at second-hand stores and yard sales. You can find some amazing things for a very low cost. One of the things I am always on the lookout for is camera gear. When a camera catches my eye my heart starts pounding and I get crazy excited over what I just found!
But what do you look for when you spot a vintage/used camera that you want to take photos with?
Here are some of the things I consider before purchasing a used camera:
FUNCTIONALITY:
- Hold, open, and inspect the camera to see if it functions properly.
- Open the back of the camera and look through the lens as you press the shutter button. Did you see the shutter open and close? Did it seem to stick or have issues?
- Check all of the aperture settings by repeating the steps above.
- Does the camera’s rewind and advance knobs work properly?
- Do all the parts seem to be there? I always check for spools in vintage medium format cameras! Check the surrounding area where you found the camera. People often move things and takes things out and leave it sitting. There could also be accessories for you camera nearby!
- Does the camera seem to be “light tight” when it is closed?
- Is the film size of the camera available and/or affordable for your budget?
- Does the camera run on batteries? If so, are they standard size or will you need to purchase specialized ones, or can it be converted?
CONDITION:
- Take an overall assecment of the camera.
- Is there battery corrosion?
- Are there visible scratches or clouding on the lens? If so, this will affect your photographs.
- As a general rule, at least for me, if a camera looks like it is in pretty rough shape with large scratches and dents, then chances are this camera was not well taken care of by its previous owner and it is more of a risky purchase. Use your best judgement.
CLEANLINESS:
- How clean/dirty is the camera?
- If it is dirty, sticky, and icky do you have the cleaner to take care of the problem without causing damage? ie lens cleaner, goo remover ect.
- Is it a piece worth taking the time to clean?
- Does the camera look easy enough for you to take apart and put back together again?
PRICE:
- Is the price resonable for what you will be getting?
- Is the price still reasonable if you have to put in some extra efforts with cleaning, or maybe going in search of a missing part?
- Consider costs of film also. As mentioned above, is your film readily available, or will it need to be special ordered?
LAST WORDS
- Don’t let your emotions take over and purchase something that may not be usable (unless you are just a collector and could care less if the camera actually takes a good photograph)! Take your time inspecting before you purchase the camera. The last thing you want is to use up a roll of film in a camera that did not work.
- DO SOME RESEARCH! Learn about how cameras actually work and the realm of possibilities will be endless. The great thing about older film cameras are they function by basic mechanics, not digital technology. This makes the camera easier to clean, change, and alter yourself WITHOUT BATTERIES! Also learning about different film sizes and which are still on the market is helpful.
- You can usually find manuals for many cameras on the internet, but if you know how cameras work, I doubt you will need one!
Some people may be skeptical about buying used photo equipment from a place that does not specialize in camera gear, but if you take your time and pay attention to the little things, you may find a great deal!
USING THE DIANA F+ FOR THE FIRST TIME / PART 2
I wanted to save my favorite images for the part 2 post! I especially love the last two of the sky reflecting in the water! Not only did these turn out, but I feel that they fit with my personal aesthetics as a photographer.
For those of you who want to learn more about the Diana F+ camera, the best thing to do is read the camera’s manual. It will tell you exactly what features the camera has, diagrams of where all of the parts are located and how to work them, and possibly what extras you might need to make the camera right for you such as lens options, interchangeable backs, etc. Here is a link to the Diana F+ manual.
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