I’ve been having a tough time getting inspired again. Loads of stuff online has been inspirational but not a lot in my own life. It’s cold and wet here lately and when we do have a warm days it’s raining. A few days ago it was predicted to be sunny but chilly. A group of my coworkers and I decided to go for a walk with some toy cameras.

I utilized the Kodak Charmera and the G6 Thumb Camera. Silly little cameras that people assume aren’t really cameras. They take, like most toy cameras, spectacularly bad images when compared to my cell phone or most modern cameras. But they do offer a few things- fun, fit into a pocket, and they really teach you how to frame up an image and hold still.

My coworkers used some instant thermal print cameras.

We had a blast.

It’s something I realize I need to do more regularly. Get a nice cup of coffee, grab a toy camera, go for a walk and snap some pics.

The images remind me of early 2000s cell phone cameras and iPod touch cameras. They do an ok  job at capturing light and shadow, though with super bright light highs are blown out and shadows have no details. All of that is okay for me.

For reference photos I don’t want all the details. I want to be reminded of the vibe, the colors, the light, and the shape of the place.

Some sketches and their photos: