Every Camera has a SOUL (?)

[Honour & Crab]

Good Day Everyone,

We have noticed that one of our recent Camera Auctions on Ebay have been discussed in this forum.
We'd like to take up the opportunity today to discuss one of our main concerns in contemporary Camera Construction.

We have a strong belief at the Honour & Crab Workshop: EVERY CAMERA HAS A SOUL.
Im sure most of you would agree on this.
Some cameras become dear over the years, they are like pets or partners, sharing lifetime and experiences.
The same goes for Photography. We dont see it as a simple outcome of a physical / mechanical / chemical process, its much more a representation of what we see, what we are, how we feel and beyond.

We decided to take this thought one level further and are currently experimenting with a more metaphysical approach.
Therefore I'd like to post the most recent experiment from our workshop, the Tortoise Cam.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6019/6243440492_4bdd3fc78a_b.jpg

As you can see the Body of the Camera was crafted with a real body, the remains of our dear neighbours tortoise that recently deceased and was kindly donated to us by its caretaker.
The tortoise shell was carried around by a living and seeing creature for many years. If transformed into a Camera, we hope it merges memory, or soul, and a newly acquired function. Apart from the technical characteristics, we are aiming at unpredictable and new results in the photographic output.

Has anyone of you made similair experiences or has a special bond to his / her camera, that goes beyond the notions of material possession?

We'd be more than happy to get this discussion started and share thoughts.
This might sound a little strange, but we are looking forward to a serious discussion.

All the best,
Honour & Crab

[cdholden]

I've been known to roll in the dirt and hug a tree from time to time. I get the whole thing with the turtle. Call it art if you like. It's all open to interpretation. At least your tortoise cam has a crude (functional?) film back. I could see this possibly working.
For the life of me, I can't figure out the logic in the bamboo, laptop and duct taped lens in the other auction. Most folks expect something functional when bidding on a "camera" from that section of auction items on Ebay.
I would recommend you to look for the section of holistic items if you're selling zen enlightenment.

Best of luck,
Chris

[Frank Petronio]

Go for the skull-cam next, that will really get attention.

[unixrevolution]

Go for the skull-cam next, that will really get attention.

With the eye sockets each housing a lens for stereo photography.

[Two23]

Needs a Petzval lens, otherwise you can't focus it.


Kent in SD

[Mark Sampson]

Tortoise shell? perfect place for a slow lens.

[sanchi heuser]

Good Day Everyone,

We have noticed that one of our recent Camera Auctions on Ebay have been discussed in this forum.
We'd like to take up the opportunity today to discuss one of our main concerns in contemporary Camera Construction.

We have a strong belief at the Honour & Crab Workshop: EVERY CAMERA HAS A SOUL.
Im sure most of you would agree on this.
Some cameras become dear over the years, they are like pets or partners, sharing lifetime and experiences.
The same goes for Photography. We dont see it as a simple outcome of a physical / mechanical / chemical process, its much more a representation of what we see, what we are, how we feel and beyond.

We decided to take this thought one level further and are currently experimenting with a more metaphysical approach.
Therefore I'd like to post the most recent experiment from our workshop, the Tortoise Cam.
...

As you can see the Body of the Camera was crafted with a real body, the remains of our dear neighbours tortoise that recently deceased and was kindly donated to us by its caretaker.
The tortoise shell was carried around by a living and seeing creature for many years. If transformed into a Camera, we hope it merges memory, or soul, and a newly acquired function. Apart from the technical characteristics, we are aiming at unpredictable and new results in the photographic output.

Has anyone of you made similair experiences or has a special bond to his / her camera, that goes beyond the notions of material possession?

We'd be more than happy to get this discussion started and share thoughts.
This might sound a little strange, but we are looking forward to a serious discussion.

All the best,
Honour & Crab

Hi,

what do you mean with soul?

The term is used by some people to describe the inner being of a human
(sometimes also animals or plants, or even the earth 'the earth soul' ) ,
they give the soul a metaphysical or spiritual meaning - the soul is something different from the material world, a (very little) part of a higher being that is in the centre of a human.

Others describe the soul as emotional center of humans or animals, plants.

[John Kasaian]

I tried to make a pinhole frozen turkey once. I think the turtle cam rocks!

[Jim Michael]

Who would shell out good money for such a hare brained idea?

[Steve Hamley]

The tortoise apparently "shelled out" for it... :D

Cheers, Steve

[Ari]

Yes, that camera has a soul.
Right now it's saying "I used to be a f&%#ing tortoise!"

[E. von Hoegh]

Well, lets see. Mahogany once was alive, as was the sheep the bellows leather came off. Then the textiles in the rest of the bellows, (all those silkworms!), trees the pulp for the pasteboard stiffeners came from...the hide glue came from the hide and hoofs of who-knows-what. I'd say my V8 has many souls bound up in it.

Anyone have contact info for a competent excorcist??

[codex0]

It's an interesting enough camera, but the execution (craftsmanship) leaves something to be desired in my opinion.

The only other cameras I've seen in this vein are here : http://boyofblue.com/cameras.html

[Honour & Crab]

Thank you everyone for a promising start.

cdholden: Most folks expect something functional when bidding on a "camera" from that section of auction items on Ebay.

This is true. Maybe its about time to rethink the general definition of what a "camera" actually is. But obviously ebay is the wrong place for such a discussion. you wouldnt want to know what kind of names we were called by the guy who actually bought the 2 cameras (officially of course).

frank: thank you for the idea with the skull cam, i put someone from the team on research. will keep you uptodate!

sanchi heuser: by using the general word of "soul" i meant the spirit, the energy that (in some beliefs) inhabits everything, be it stone, machine or human being. the source of power that holds everything together, keeps everything in flux . rereading your post, i realize you answered it yourself.
do you know the days when a camera does what it wants? when it wants you to know how it feels?

john: a frozen turkey pinhole? very interesting! also the idea of using a transitional material.

in the meantime, an update on the current test arrangement

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6155/6243403835_01585e76b4_b.jpg.

[Jim Michael]

frank: thank you for the idea with the skull cam, i put someone from the team on research. will keep you uptodate!


Buffalo skull (http://www.ecanyons.com/buffalo-skulls-p-1828.html)

[John Koehrer]

Go for the skull-cam next, that will really get attention.

You asked:

http://boyofblue.com/cameras/yama.html

Now, aren't you sorry?

[northway]

I grew up hearing that carrots were good for vision; now I can see that tortoise soup will help me to see my inner soul...

[E. von Hoegh]

I grew up hearing that carrots were good for vision; now I can see that tortoise soup will help me to see my inner soul...

But only if you put carrots in it.

[Honour & Crab]

Thank you for all your comments!

We'd like to use the opportunity of this post to present our latest model, the BookCam (the Heritage and Technique Edition), specially designed to photograph through 2142 pages of essential Photohistory, Theory and Techniques: Roland Barthes, Susan Sontag, Günther Spitzing, Ansel Adams, Beaumont Newhall, the Hulton Getty Collection and last but not least, Peter Barry.

Also we were welcoming the honest critiques concerning craftmanship. It was handed over to the technical department and we are happy to present a beautifully executed and flawless construction this time.

Further comments are very much appreciated.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6224/6249020465_4b8549f75e_b.jpg

[jb7]

You can't be accused of producing a one-liner this time, I suppose-
or even that your cameras lack focus...
You could add another hefty volume on Macro Photography for the close up version-

[Jim Michael]

I think this signals a new chapter in camera design.

[mortensen]

I'm full of admiration of your work - that goes for the name as well!
utterly fantastic