Human sized camera

[tiphaine]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here quite a few times in the past, looking for insights about ULF. I'm really interested in ULF projects like Ian Ruther a or Kurt Moser did. I'm a french professional photographer, I also teach in a school of photography. Here is my website : www.tiphainebuccino.com

My project
No electricity, no photography. No oil, no photography. No plastic, no photography. One night, as I was looking for sleep, I wondered why there isn't it already a "green" photography. I mean, today all is rebranded with an ecological bias. There will be a day soon that some big brand come to you with a greenwhashed camera and our conscience will be happy.

I started wondering: "what a real ecologic way to make photography ?" Short answer, there is none. You can just be careful, use less.

I then began to imagine a photography that can work autonomously. I wanted to be autonomous (Photographic paper is one big question but we come to it later); not depends on a manufacturer, a brand, an energy.

Large prints were always on the table. It always as. I mean, it is not really bound with the ethical and autonomous approach I dream of. It is just the way I like to see and show my work. And all that times I teach the concept of camera obscura to people, I would have liked for us to be in the camera, so much easier to understand; So powerful !

Camera
Building a human sized camera. Lightweight and that can be taken to pieces (like Abelardo Morell's one). I'm thinking of a tent like structure made of wooden bars.

Lens
After many searches on internet, I found the APO NIKKOR 1210mm seems to suit my project. The image diagonal/price ratio is my priority. It has to make the biggest image, for the less money.

What for
Landscapes mainly. Would love to try long exposures of farm animals also.

Technology
I am really into color photography and I want my setup to be mobile. Direct positive (Type-R) was my first choice, but sadly, Cibachrome is over. Then I found about the Harmann Direct Positive Paper wich develops in cafenol. This is the option I take for now.

I would like to use this thread to asks you all for advices, show you the progress of this project I'm starting and may be long to achieve.

Questions

- Is the 1210mm a good option ? The diagonal is around 1,20m isn't it ? Does it exists other affordable lenses in that kind of ranges ?
- Is there a better place than eBay to buy lenses ?
- Would it work with a simple hole ? What would be the cons and pros of a pin hole ? Is it just about sharpness ?
- For the tent, I'm looking for something lightweight, fully opaque, without plastic or oil in it. Any ideas ?

I'm open for any kind of tips, ideas, artists to discover, so feel free to share, I look forward to read you !