Cameras of natural materials?

vpwphoto · Apr 29, 2011

Check out my manifesto!
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

michaelbsc · Apr 29, 2011

I suspect that if you could accurately assess the true environmental impact of the materials in a camera you will find that "modern" materials like MDF are better than traditional materials.

bryanphoto · Apr 30, 2011

Thanks for the link to the book on making the monorail large format camera. That is an interesting idea. I imagine, like you mention, that it would be possible to use steel for the rail, or even wood. The camera looks quite nice overall. Sounds like a fun idea.

John Kasaian · May 4, 2011

I once made a pinhole camera out of a frozen turkey.
I'm not doing that again.

Kirk Keyes · May 4, 2011

I think you'll find that despite copper being a micronutrient, it is actually much more toxic than aluminum.

Only in recent years has the lead content of brass been reduced. It is often above 2% lead especially for older brass alloys.

Leather tanning most certainly has a very poor record of environmentalism. Especially older than several decades ago.

This seems to be a slight variation on the vegetarian photographic film issue.

By the way, I've seen beach sand (silica) labelled as being considered a carcinogen in the State of California? The funny thing is I've only seen it labelled that way on laboratory grade beach sand, and not actually at the beaches in California...

Newt_on_Swings · May 4, 2011

Ann Hamilton used her mouth as a pinhole camera. other options are egg shells, cupped hands, other body orifices, etc.

http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/hamilton/#

check out the slideshow

Poisson Du Jour · May 4, 2011

Synethic polymers on wood would be quite necessary as protective agents for the benefit of the wood, if not the user. Tanned leather bellows are repulsive from an environmental perspective: old tanning works polluted topsoils, rivers, creeks and even seascapes many years ago where I now live. For an all-natural camera, you might as well sit down with AutoCad and bang up an all-titantium camera with lathe-turned brass knobs. It'll cost you a mint, but it will be as natural as the sand between your toes!

pgomena · May 5, 2011

Titanium may be a natural material, but refining it is no small matter and energy intensive. It must be cast in a vacuum furnace and machining it is difficult. It isn't cheap, either! How far do you need to go to be "natural?" Is it practical?

Peter Gomena

Kirk Keyes · May 6, 2011

Aluminum is easier to refine than titanium. And the source material for aluminum is essentially sand.

k_jupiter · May 6, 2011

Kirk Keyes said:
Aluminum is easier to refine than titanium. And the source material for aluminum is essentially sand.

WHAT?

Aluminum is aluminum, sand is essentially silicon oxide.

tim in san jose

billbretz · May 6, 2011

I don't think this has been mentioned in this thread:

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

Newt_on_Swings · May 6, 2011

WOW the Yama skull blew me away, just amazing

Kirk Keyes · May 7, 2011

k_jupiter said:
WHAT?

Aluminum is aluminum, sand is essentially silicon oxide.

tim in san jose

Depends where you're getting your sand. Some is predominantly silica, and some has a lot of corundum, a mineral oxide of aluminum.

Because of its hardness and resistance to weathering, corundum commonly occurs as a detrital mineral in stream and beach sands. In some places it can be mined and it looks like sand.

So I guess I'm broadening the use of the term sand over perhaps what you are used to.

keithwms · May 7, 2011

Most aluminum comes from bauxite.

Anyway, to me, 'natural' ultimately implies that if you set the item out in the environment, it would readily biodegrade and be fully reclaimed and leave no toxic waste behind (such as batteries would, e.g.). You could certainly make a biodegradable camera of that sort, but again... the film is a petrochemical product and a lot of research and development went into making it something that doesn't degrade. Biodegradable is the antithesis of archival.... and certain of us are a bit obsessed with making timeless images that will keep record of our brilliant thoughts forever...

Kirk Keyes · May 8, 2011

Synthetic chemicals make up only a small part of film. By weight, the top three components are probably gelatin, water, and silver halides. After that, the remaining components are a small part of the film. The part of the film that you want to last the longest is the most biodegradable part of the film.

Poisson Du Jour · May 8, 2011

keithwms said:
Most aluminum comes from bauxite.

and certain of us are a bit obsessed with making timeless images that will keep record of our brilliant thoughts forever...

You bet we are, Keith! Skitch 'em! Now we're really banging identical wavelengths!

Colin Corneau · May 8, 2011

Photo Engineer said:
Umm, is glass natural?

PE

Yes, from lightning strikes upon sand. I've heard anecdotes that a sort of glass spike is beneath the sand, following (roughly) the contours of the bolt of electricity.

Anyway, the impulse or intention of the OP is commendable, I suppose. Logically, as has been noted, the best approach is to find a second-hand camera, since its impact has already been made and absorbed by Mother Earth, and in some infinitesimal way will reduce demand for further manufacture.

But I do hope any images made with whatever is decided upon will focus upon the natural world with the aim of preserving the environment..?

Cameras of natural materials?

bryanphoto

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