Plastic Viewfinders - Experimenting with Disposable Cameras

PLASTIC VIEWFINDERS

Experimenting with Disposable Cameras

The first and last time I used a disposable camera was back in primary school when I ventured on my first overnight excursion. We went to Birrigai at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, a beautiful protected area showcasing some of the beautiful outback sceneries you get in Australian landscape. Some of my most fond childhood memories were spent here. I can fondly recall when we followed a walking trail that led to a famous mushroom-shaped rock formation with Aboriginal paintings still visible. We also role-played living in the area during the Gold Rush – and what happened if you tried to steal gold. I had my backpack and a disposable camera with me, and it was a truly empowering solo trip of mine.

In retrospect, I wish I had taken more photos of my friends instead of exposed landscapes and views where you can barely glimpse a group of kangaroos in the plain. It was a good learning curve for me as I discovered what constituted a good photo versus a not-so-good photo. Most importantly, they were photos I took of my trip so I rather enjoyed retrospectively thinking about what it was I was really keen on capturing.

Fast-forward to 2019 and we are here, reimagining the past and redefining the future. Using a disposable camera was a great idea suggested by one of my friends working at a video games studio. While I mulled things over with the Contax G1 camera, a disposable camera was the perfect alternative. Different medium, same outcome. It’s easy to get caught up in the technical functions, quality, and condition of the camera, reviews and status in the community, when you realise a simple point-and-shoot can render the same outcome.