Kodak Instamatic 400

I picked this gem up in a charity shop in Nottingham! It only set me back a couple of pounds, it seems to work fine, I just need some 126mm film and a place to develop it! I foresee some sort of project emerging from this steadily building camera collection i seem to be hoarding... ??? Hmmm. We'll see, for now I'm just happy for it to sit on my shelf  and look at it!

A bit of background: 

"The Kodak Instamatic 400 was an early model of Kodak's Instamatic camera series for Kodak's easy-to-use cartridge 126 film. It was made from 1963 to 1966 in Rochester. It has a film advance system with spring motor, a built-in pop-up flashbulb holder, and a built-in electric eye for automatic exposure control. The essential parts are the f8 41mm 3-element lens and the two speed shutter with speeds of 1/40 and 1/60 sec."

(www.camerapedia.com)

Kodak

I think these images are more or less ironic... maybe? Photographs of cameras? maybe? Anyway, I quite liked these images which are nothing special I know, (Just faffing about on photoshop to be honest) but the series of 4 have a real 1970's America feel to them I think! Quite crisp, almost over exposed ... 'esk. You get me?!?

Kingston Double Lens Reflex (Box Set Camera)

I found this camera along with the one above in a charity shop just outside Nottingham Town Centre. 

Although I know very little about 'Double lens Cameras', It only cost £2, although from what i can tell, the viewing lens is damaged. However, I think with a little imagination and some photosensitive paper (thats right, it takes photos onto a spool of photographic paper I think?), and a dark room, and a bunch of chemicals I have no idea  how to use, I'll be churning out photographs on this bad boy in no time!

Joking aside, it's a very beautiful camera in my opinion, expertly crafted in Hong Kong (!) but still very charming! 

A bit of background on:

"Double-lens cameras were around from about 1870, when someone realised that having a second viewing lens alongside the taking lens meant that one could focus without having to keep swapping a ground glass screen for the plate afterwards, reducing the time delay in actually taking the shot."

(wikibooks.org)

Interesting ay!

3 Year Memory Mapping

(Photoshop preparation for premier pro animation)

A series of images representing the creation and destruction of space through memories forming and being forgotten.

This series will be added to a selection of 5 others, forming a collective of different memories and existence's of Nottingham from 5 different perspectives.

This will draw the line under a very interesting experimentation with these images, and it's subsequent animations will feed into our group video.

Workshop 1: A box within a box

( Syzergey model constructed from found items)

The first workshop was a 7 hour project to produce a box within a box from found items. 

We chose to take the idea of existence into this project, developing our ideas of memory and triggers. The box contained what appeared to be a random collection of fragments. However, when a light was shone through the box, at the correct alignment and position; a moment of clarity, the fragments aligned and formed a negative box of light on the surface behind the box. 

The technique is known as 'Syzergey',  creating a desired form at a certain point of alignment. This links back to the idea of a 'moment of clarity', the triggering of a memory and creating form and space from it. The piece was a great success and we were very happy with the results. 

The question this piece evokes is quite interesting: "does the box exist within the box, as it is only realised outside of the box? 

I believe the fact that the box is formed from within the box, it does in fact exist from within it, only to be realised outside it once a certain moment of clarity is triggered.

My Nottingham

(Layer taken from google maps, Finished in photoshop)

The above image represents my memories of Nottingham, or what exists of Nottingham in my mind. My memories form Nottingham's existence, forming what I understand and comprehend as Nottingham. Therefore the areas illuminated on the map are the areas that I am familiar with, the areas I remember and have formed strong memories of. 

The areas cast in darkness however do not exist in my memories of Nottingham, and consequently do not exist to me until a memory is formed. 

Project 1 - Boundaries, Borders, Thresholds

My Line of Enquiry :

- If something is no longer a memory, does it cease to exist in our lives?

if something isn’t noticed, it doesn't exist in our minds

if something is forgotton, it ceases to exist in our minds

however, once it is removed, one recognises, triggering existence once more

mind triggers existence

memories form space

memories form existence

do memories exist?

(Paris Peasant) what proves something exists? Physics? Does physics exist?

Pg 16  (Invisible Cities)

I too am returning from zirma> my memory…

… Memory is redundant: it repeats signs so that the city can begin to exist

Pg 29  (Invisible Cities)

Zoe is the place of indivisible existence. But why, then, does the city exist? What line seperates the inside from the outside, the rumble of wheels from the howl of wolves?

Pg 39 (Invisible Cities)

They dreamed of persuing  her, after the dream….

… thety decided to build a city like the one in the dream

Pg 68 (Paris Peasant)

housewife awakens furniture thsat was asleep! through polishing with fragrant wax.