Tuesday 1 March 2011

Disposable Memory Project

http://disposablememoryproject.org/
I have recently come across a website which I hold in esteem. The website has been built on behalf of the ‘Disposable Memory Project’ and it’s fantastic. What’s basically happening is, people all over the world are dropping off disposable cameras just in public places in hope of some random person picking up the camera and reading the paper inside.

The above image is showing what is actually being left behind, a camera in a zip lock bag with a piece of paper. The paper asks the stranger to take a couple of photos then drop the camera off in some public place again for someone new to get their hands on it. All of this is done in hope of the camera being returned to the marked address and the images being posted online. So far a total of 308 cameras have been released of which 27 have been returned. The idea is fascinating, with it we read the stories of the photographers, we see people from all over the world and are able to witness their cultures from a more amateur and astute perspective. The mediocre quality works and though the subjects are strangers I feel as though I can relate to the images, because they’re just some random people who picked up a camera and had fun with it capturing their surroundings. And at the risk of sounding passionate and sentimental to a hilarious extent, the pictures have a universal quality to them as a result of reflecting the people of the world, echoing the fact that we're all the same and connected regardless of where we’re from or what we look like, rather discrimination’s just some boring ignorant act and mentality that is for one reason or another is still running. Moving on, below I’ve posted (quite) a few images off the website, I’m not going to be commenting on every images because there’s hardly any need. The images for the most part are fun, light hearted and thats why I like looking at them so much.   






What can I say about the image above aside from pointing out how cool that guy looks.
The photo above is fantastic. The heads cut off and its technically a terrible shot, however the focus lays on her clothing which is different to western clothing, we notice the darkness of her skin and recognise the diversity in culture.









 (Above) What I like about this photo is its so personal, because I can see their clothes and underwear hanging yet I have no idea who they belong to. It's also amusing that the photographer decided to take such an image for this project, and it respects the different minds, creativities and interests of these random strangers.

 Again just a personal space, which means nothing to us as viewers yet clearly a part of someones home. An seemingly average home, with a bit of clutter.



























 The above image is with out a doubt my favourite one. I love how the subject is sitting for the image in her bath robe with a towel wrapped round her head. There is a maternal quality about it which isn't soppy and cliche, it isn't photoshoped or taken with an expensive camera and lighting equipment its very 'true'.