Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures
February 5, 2008 10:40 AM Subscribe
"I found your camera at Lollapalooza this Summer. I finally got the pictures developed & I'd love to give them to you." [via PostSecret]
I suppose it's a public service of sorts, but yeah other peoples photos are usually really really boring (unless it nudies or evidence of a crime or something)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:08 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:08 AM on February 5, 2008
Attention people of the internet: If you ever find my camera, please return it to the nearest Lost & Found because that’s where I’m most likely to go looking for it. I probably won’t be looking for my camera on blogspot as it would never occur to me in a million years that some dingleberry would turn it into some sort of silly art school project.
Until now, that is.
posted by bondcliff at 11:12 AM on February 5, 2008 [6 favorites]
Until now, that is.
posted by bondcliff at 11:12 AM on February 5, 2008 [6 favorites]
Found photos are fascinating for those who find them because there you are holding a picture....THAT YOU DIDN'T TAKE! *thunder crash* Who are these people? What strange journey did the photo take to find unique, snowflake you?
But the same thing that makes is fascinating for the person who found it is what makes it boring for other people. We already don't know who those people are. Just because it's of people you don't know either...who cares? I don't even know YOU.
posted by DU at 11:17 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
But the same thing that makes is fascinating for the person who found it is what makes it boring for other people. We already don't know who those people are. Just because it's of people you don't know either...who cares? I don't even know YOU.
posted by DU at 11:17 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
This reminds of me of a project a friend of mine has been doing for a little while: The Anonymous Photo Project. He leaves packages that contain disposable cameras and an addressed stamped envelope in public places. People take cool photos and mail them back to him. It's neat. A little more interesting than this project because the photographers know their results will be posted online afterward.
posted by PercussivePaul at 11:27 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by PercussivePaul at 11:27 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
I knew I was an arteest and not just a packrat when I found a stack of photos in a cleared-out office space and I only kept the one where the guy's nuts were hanging out of his shorts.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:28 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:28 AM on February 5, 2008
He leaves packages ... in public places.
Hopefully not in Boston.
posted by DMan at 11:29 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
Hopefully not in Boston.
posted by DMan at 11:29 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
I lost a camera in midtown Manhattan in 2003. Plz return asap, kthxbye!
posted by mattbucher at 11:32 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by mattbucher at 11:32 AM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
Well, the blog's only been around for two days; give it time and I'm sure someone will post something of interest to you personally.
What I found interesting wasn't the photos (though I'm of the minority that enjoys looking at random snapshots of people I don't know), but I was intrigued by the ideas of (a) personal items lost and recovered, and (b) that finders (not just of photos, but of any info) try to assign meaning and narrative to those things, and how they do it. Also, I liked the snapshots of places I recognized. There's something in that that makes me feel like I've shared an experience with someone I don't even know. (looking at DU)
If this post is a fail, I think it's because there aren't enough found cameras yet, and there weren't enough "really boring pictures."
posted by not_on_display at 11:39 AM on February 5, 2008
What I found interesting wasn't the photos (though I'm of the minority that enjoys looking at random snapshots of people I don't know), but I was intrigued by the ideas of (a) personal items lost and recovered, and (b) that finders (not just of photos, but of any info) try to assign meaning and narrative to those things, and how they do it. Also, I liked the snapshots of places I recognized. There's something in that that makes me feel like I've shared an experience with someone I don't even know. (looking at DU)
If this post is a fail, I think it's because there aren't enough found cameras yet, and there weren't enough "really boring pictures."
posted by not_on_display at 11:39 AM on February 5, 2008
I think you're right, not_on_display-- pretty cool project, but might not be Best of Web until they get a nice archive going. I like the sentiment of the site, though.
posted by NolanRyanHatesMatches at 11:50 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by NolanRyanHatesMatches at 11:50 AM on February 5, 2008
Sheesh. Did it ever occur to you that I tossed that camera on purpose, and that the last thing I want is for you to post those goddamn pictures on the Internet??
posted by monospace at 12:12 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by monospace at 12:12 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
There's still Lollapalooza?
posted by anazgnos at 12:18 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by anazgnos at 12:18 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
I was wandering around an abandoned K-Mart years ago and came upon a bunch of piles of boxes, all full of theft reports, complete with pictures of offenders and what they attempted to shoplift. This was probably 10 years ago, but if I found them now I wonder if I'd be tempted to put them online in some censored fashion. Probably would have gotten into a lot of trouble for that.
That building is a police substation now.
posted by puke & cry at 12:22 PM on February 5, 2008
That building is a police substation now.
posted by puke & cry at 12:22 PM on February 5, 2008
That’s like a Haiku:
I found your camera
At the Lollapalooza
this Summer - want it?
posted by Smedleyman at 12:26 PM on February 5, 2008
I found your camera
At the Lollapalooza
this Summer - want it?
posted by Smedleyman at 12:26 PM on February 5, 2008
Burhanistan, are you thinking of foundphotos (previously)?
posted by ikalliom at 1:01 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by ikalliom at 1:01 PM on February 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
I love the trend of voyeuristic (without being adult) sites on the Internet that let you take a peek into a totally real, unscripted moment in somebody's life. Postsecret, IFoundyourcamera, etc. It all has the feel of being AUTHENTIC, instead of the manufactured media we've all grown accustomed to. It's freshing.
posted by thedevildancedlightly at 1:40 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by thedevildancedlightly at 1:40 PM on February 5, 2008
I pick freshing.
posted by not_on_display at 2:00 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by not_on_display at 2:00 PM on February 5, 2008
^I saw this blog and felt unripe.
That sounds about right.
posted by not_on_display at 6:56 PM on February 5, 2008
That sounds about right.
posted by not_on_display at 6:56 PM on February 5, 2008
Sheesh. Did it ever occur to you that I tossed that camera on purpose, and that the last thing I want is for you to post those goddamn pictures on the Internet??
Damn straight. What a silly, tired idea.
"Oh look at me. I'm so altruistic and fulfilled. I can't wait until the internet hears about this!"
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:01 PM on February 5, 2008
Damn straight. What a silly, tired idea.
"Oh look at me. I'm so altruistic and fulfilled. I can't wait until the internet hears about this!"
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:01 PM on February 5, 2008
Latest post: Success!
In yo' FACE! Altruism 1, snark NUTHIN'!
posted by not_on_display at 10:12 PM on February 5, 2008
In yo' FACE! Altruism 1, snark NUTHIN'!
posted by not_on_display at 10:12 PM on February 5, 2008
thedevildancedlightly: I love the trend of voyeuristic (without being adult) sites on the Internet that let you take a peek into a totally real, unscripted moment in somebody's life. Postsecret, IFoundyourcamera, etc. It all has the feel of being AUTHENTIC, instead of the manufactured media we've all grown accustomed to. It's freshing.
I tend to think it just contributes to the notion that the blogosphere holds that every banal moment or uninspired thought one experiences is going to be utterly fascinating to the(ir) public. Yuck. Sometimes I just hate the Internet.
posted by loiseau at 2:49 AM on February 6, 2008
I tend to think it just contributes to the notion that the blogosphere holds that every banal moment or uninspired thought one experiences is going to be utterly fascinating to the(ir) public. Yuck. Sometimes I just hate the Internet.
posted by loiseau at 2:49 AM on February 6, 2008
semi self link: here's what happened when I found someone's photos...
as someone else in the thread says.. "things which make you go......"
posted by chrisbucks at 7:44 AM on February 6, 2008
as someone else in the thread says.. "things which make you go......"
posted by chrisbucks at 7:44 AM on February 6, 2008
^...the blogosphere holds that every banal moment or uninspired thought one experiences is going to be utterly fascinating to the(ir) public. Yuck. Sometimes I just hate the Internet.^
Well, each blog's public is limited to those who are interested enough to read whatever they write on their blog. I wouldn't say that every blogger fills their blog with every detail of their thoughts -- those, agreed, are the tedious ones, the ones that smack of pretension or mental illness. But the "blogosphere" is a varied sphere, so I'd get a smaller brush for those strokes you're painting.
(Metafilter is my only real web "presence." I throw up in my mouf a li'l when I think to myself, "Geez, I should start a blog.")
Chrisbucks: good work, man.
posted by not_on_display at 9:54 AM on February 6, 2008
Well, each blog's public is limited to those who are interested enough to read whatever they write on their blog. I wouldn't say that every blogger fills their blog with every detail of their thoughts -- those, agreed, are the tedious ones, the ones that smack of pretension or mental illness. But the "blogosphere" is a varied sphere, so I'd get a smaller brush for those strokes you're painting.
(Metafilter is my only real web "presence." I throw up in my mouf a li'l when I think to myself, "Geez, I should start a blog.")
Chrisbucks: good work, man.
posted by not_on_display at 9:54 AM on February 6, 2008
From foundphotos.net -- who'da thunk I'd have found RMS before naughty bits?
posted by Ogre Lawless at 4:53 PM on February 6, 2008
posted by Ogre Lawless at 4:53 PM on February 6, 2008
RMS wants to be found. The fun part is after you take his picture, try and pay him. It's a great reaction.
posted by not_on_display at 4:43 AM on February 7, 2008
posted by not_on_display at 4:43 AM on February 7, 2008
This wasn't started to be an art project. I'm not even an art student lol.
This is a project I'm working on with Frank Warren of PostSecret. We want to focus on the stories of people who lose their cameras and are reunited with them.
We've gotten a lot of positive response, and a lot of comments from people who are distraught because they have lost cameras that had photos from monumental chapters in their life - weddings, graduations, honeymoons, etc. - and would do anything to get them back.
And we're trying to help those people, and everyone who has lost a camera and would like it back.
I appreciate all your feedback positive and negative. It helps to give us a better sense of how we can change the blog as it evolves hopefully into something more global.
- Matt
posted by mpreprost at 12:03 PM on February 7, 2008
This is a project I'm working on with Frank Warren of PostSecret. We want to focus on the stories of people who lose their cameras and are reunited with them.
We've gotten a lot of positive response, and a lot of comments from people who are distraught because they have lost cameras that had photos from monumental chapters in their life - weddings, graduations, honeymoons, etc. - and would do anything to get them back.
And we're trying to help those people, and everyone who has lost a camera and would like it back.
I appreciate all your feedback positive and negative. It helps to give us a better sense of how we can change the blog as it evolves hopefully into something more global.
- Matt
posted by mpreprost at 12:03 PM on February 7, 2008
Best of luck with this, Matt! I look forward to more success stories. And welcome to MeFi!
posted by not_on_display at 2:51 PM on February 7, 2008
posted by not_on_display at 2:51 PM on February 7, 2008
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posted by Horace Rumpole at 10:46 AM on February 5, 2008