Fun + Mental = Fundamental

I wrote early this month about doing a Aussie version of the "Stranger Photos Have Happened" Project... where put simply, I leave disposable cameras in public places and come back later to check out the results its a bit of a test in both human creativity and decency, you know that kind of thing. .. anyway...

This past week I've put two cameras out into the world... the first was taped to my front door and the second to a telegraph pole on "the Esplanade" a concrete strip that crawls along the coast line south of Sydney and is popular among people from all walks of life. There is Shark Island, a world class surf break on one side and a nursing home on the other so I was positive I'd get some varied results....

I sat and watched for half a hour this afternoon... curious about peoples reactions... Some walked past and didn't even take note, too consumed with there own thoughts or rushing to make it home in time for dinner. Most stopped and read and a few took photos but what really surprised me was the amount of people that stopped, read the entire note, then with the camera in hand, looked around sheepishly to see if anyone was watching and at the last moment were overcome with a severe case of embarrassment/shyness / self consciousness in general, dropped the camera and kept walking.

This is just a harmful little photographic project to see what kind of creative compositions people come up with when put on the spot, and as previously mentioned its also a little test in human decency, It just never crossed my mind anyone would react so positively only to be over come with self consciousness to walk swiftly in the opposite direction... of course I know a project like this is not for everyone, but whats happened to us as a human race when concern for what other people think dictates our actions? or more alarmingly - our fun?

Its quite the contrast to camera number 2 that is currently taped to the outside of my front door, where only people coming to specifically visit me will happen upon it. They may not get why I'm doing what I'm doing but they pick up the camera and have a go anyway... They know me and I guess have some kind of trust in that the photos are for a fun cause....

The other thing that surprised me was a few random souls had taped there business cards to the note If you were one of those people thank you for your interest and I hope you had fun, as, after all.... that's what its all about :)

The photo above was taken with my (gasp) digital Cannon G9. 12 mega pixels of absolute brilliance.... not so brilliant perhaps is the fact I'm in a toilet cubicle back stage at last years Falls Music and Arts Festival... but a nice cubicle at that don't you think?