Camera Travel club...

[OldCrow]

of sorts. So I have seen a great number of posts where forum members on many photog forums have sent out one camera and it traveled all over being used by those members who got in on it. So this got me thinking. Hers my idea.

Most of us do not have the means to travel a great deal, even though we would love to. I do not see why one of our cameras can not, without us.

So I purpose we form groups of six members or so per size of camera and send out one camera each to each of the other members. So in turn everyones one camera would travel to five other locations. We then keep the cameras for two weeks and shoot it as we can for the term in which we have it. We then select a photo or two to place in the envelope that is to travel with the camera, along with our contact info. We then ship it to the next person in the rotation according to number on the list. 1 sends to 2 all the way through the count and 6 sends to one. So everyone has the camera of the other member.

No one would be without a camera at any given time. Each member would have the safety of knowing they are all sharing in the shifting cameras so they are assured they will get their camera back in the end. Which I would assume should take about four months or so. Given travel time and such for the shipping.

In the end we would have our original cameras back, along with the photos taken with it on its trip by the other photographers. We will also have the contact info and any other notes or hello's sent along with the camera. We would be then able to share in letters and post cards with the other members if you so choose to in the future. None the less you would end up with some wonderful photo's of places you may never visit.

Here is the basic rule outline.

1. Everyone must send a camera to be included. Do not include lenses. Just the camera, lens board and back. Everyone must shoot the same size lens for the lens board. Lenses cost good money and there is already some level of risk with just the camera. Keep your lenses all too your greedy little selves!

2. Everyone must share their full contact info to be included. Name, address, personal email and working telephone number.

3. Everyone must pay for all shipping costs for each and every camera they get in the rotation. This works out to everyone spending the same amount. Everyone must cover the cost of film and processing and printing for the prints they are sending with the camera.

4. Prints and photos may be of any process that fits the camera. Film of any sort, alternative processes. If using wet plate be very careful to not stain the other cameras with silver!!!! You may stain your own, but others may get very upset over this. Threat the other cameras better then your own!

5. Turn around time can be no longer then 2 weeks per camera. 14 days is a good amount of time to get a shot worth sending. You choose the subject, and please write detailed info on how the shot was obtained. Location, Lens info, Speeds... etc. If you can not keep to these time constraints, then please do not participate. 4 months is a long time to have the cameras on their little holiday, anything more then that may cause issues for some people.

If interested in being involved in this please put your basic info and send me a pm. I am trying to get people on other forums involved as well. Since most of us criss cross forums, this should not be a problem.

We can have as many groups of cameras per size as needed. Just limiting each group to 6 cameras. So there can be 18 4x5s out at a time, but only 3 groups and etc for each size. So everyone gets to see the reward of this fun little experiment.

Please be respectful of the other people included in your group. Understand that everyone is taking a risk with sending out their cameras. If any get lost or damaged during the trip, we must all do whatever we can to make it right for the person.

As a community this can be a wonderful and fun project to be involved in. It could lead to other projects down the line, I am sure of. Its an outstanding chance to learn about other shooters and what they create and how they do it.

[OldCrow]

I am throwing in my camera to this to start it off.

Greg Hopkins
40 Sutton Place
Ny, NY 10022

Ikeda Anba 4x5, copal 0

This is a solid and light weight 4x5 that I have a great deal of fun shooting. I have kept it in very good condition and the movements working very smoothly. You can carry it with ease and you do not need a large and heavy tripod for it. I have used mini tripods with it on tables and chairs with great results.

If you have been curious about using a light weight camera this is a nice one to check out.

[cdholden]

This works a lot better on smaller formats where the lens is dedicated to the camera, postage costs are less, and the possibility of not getting a camera returned is usually a smaller financial exposure. I currently have one of the two going around on APUG now (waiting for the next recipient to respond before I ship). It's fun to watch as they make their way into various parts of the world.
I had mentioned a similar idea of passing around a roll film holder, but there never seems to be a lull in "Let's all shoot one...", as the next one is usually planned before the current ones finish.
I'll probably start a round after the 8's make it home.
If you're offering yours, have fun with it.

[OldCrow]

I know its a different take on the pass it around, but I am willing to give it a go. Since we shoot large format and most of us have a copal 0 lens or two, it should not be too hard at all. Also shipping is not bad at all through the USPS in the standard flat rate box.

It would be 10.95 for any 4x5 field camera. Monorails would cost more.

Sending around a roll back would be fun as well.

Since this is a large format forum, it made sense to me to try and get this going. With everyone involved having there camera in the loop there for the most part is no worries. If someone does not return a camera they would not be able to hide it, nor would they be able to show their face on any photo forum again. Also I would hope that there are enough decent people out there that are willing to trust other humans enough to send a camera around. If we cant do that, then our world is in a real shitty place!

[Brian C. Miller]

The first thing that comes to my mind is, "the ground glass! The [insert dreaded carrier here]!" Sometimes these guys bang stuff around just to be jerks, sometimes the box drops six feet from an "oops" even if it is marked "fragile" and you paid extra to send it. There is a risk here.

Another problem is the lens board. Most of my lenses are Copal 1. Cardboard and tape would then have to be the favored lens mount when I received your camera. It's not that cardboard and tape isn't effective, it's just what I would do.

If we were exchanging 4x5 pinhole cameras, I'd feel better about it. (not that I have a 4x5 pinhole camera.)

[OldCrow]

I have shipped a bunch of 4x5 cameras and have had no problems. I make form padded pouches for all my cameras and I also make foam slip covers that slide in where the film holder sits and folds over the camera, and fastens with velcro.

Well I will just see if anyone gets interested in this or not. Just thought it would be a cool little thing to be able to shoot different cameras and swap work with other shooters.

Oh well.

[OldCrow]

okay guess not...

I made up my mind to sell my 4x5 and focus on wet plate.

[kev curry]

Hey Old Crow, instead of sending our cameras around the world why dont we each send out a pair of old shoe's? Wow...when we finally get them back with detailed note's and pictures we could all pretend that we've actually been shooting in all the places where our old shoe's have been! If anyone receives a pair of old shoe's that doesn't fit their own feet they could always try their best to find a willing friend or family member that they do fit, and then go out walking and shooting with them while they're wearing the old shoe's! If your unable to find someone with the right size feet that's willing to wear the old shoe's, you could just pop them into your camera bag and take them out shooting to all the wonderful and exotic places that you visit, like your back yard or your mother in-laws. Think of all the super places that you could pretend to have visited? Remember you'll even have all the notes and pictures too, it will all be so believable that you'll believe you've actually been to all these wonderful places!
Just a little idea for a sort of old shoe travelling club.

[OldCrow]

Hey Old Crow, instead of sending our cameras around the world why dont we each send out a pair of old shoe's? Wow...when we finally get them back with detailed note's and pictures we could all pretend that we've actually been shooting in all the places where our old shoe's have been! If anyone receives a pair of old shoe's that doesn't fit their own feet they could always try their best to find a willing friend or family member that they do fit, and then go out walking and shooting with them! If your unable to find someone with the right size feet that's willing to wear the old shoe's, you could just pop them into your camera bag and take them out shooting to all the wonderful and exotic places that you visit, like your back yard or your mother in-laws.

Looking into most of the posts you have made on this forum, you have had nothing of value you add to any thread you have quoted on. Mark this up as another one. Clearly no one is interested in taking part in something like this for lack of trust in other people.

I am glad you have a wonderful imagination and the time and energy to waste it on a post of zero worth. Maybe someday when you grow up you will figure out how to take part in social forums in a helpful and informative way. Until then maybe you should just stick to facebook and other worthless websites to splash your useless banter on.

Like I said, this idea missed its mark, which is unfortunate but given that there is a large number of people that are not trustworthy or reliable in the world it makes sense that not many people are willing to give this a go. Oh well, life goes on.

[kev curry]

I think the old shoe idea is just as valid as your idea. In fact I think its better because of the trust issues that you mentioned. Old shoe's might be considered to be less valuable than cameras, at least to some, and they travel much better than cameras, therefore it makes more sense to me that people might be more comfortable sending off their old shoe's rather than their cameras. You would still get all the same pictures and you would still be able to pretend that you had travelled to all those nice places secure in the knowledge that your old shoe's had really been there and experienced those very sights and places that you see in the photographs. What does it matter whether the camera or the shoe's were there...answer me that then? Really what is the problem here Old Crow?