Christopher John Ball Fine Arts Photographer and Writer

Toy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras by Kevin Meredith

Published by Rotovision. 2011. ISBN:978-2888931188

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Toy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras by Kevin Meredith - Review by Christopher John BallBorn in 1978, Brighton based British photographer Kevin Meredith has become a well known 'Lomographer'. His work, often using a Lomo-LCA, hasToy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras by Kevin Meredith - Review by Christopher John Ball been widely exhibited and published and has won awards. He is the author of the books 'Hot Shots' and '52 Photographic Projects' and Meredith runs a photography course in Brighton based around his books. Toy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras is his latest offering and its title is largely self explanatory. The book opens with a short introduction that questions 'What is a Toy Camera?' and how does it differ from a 'serious camera'? What follows next is a look at the 40 individual Toy Cameras that the books title promised. These include the usual suspects - Holga's in their many flavours, the Diana and her various clones and the variations on the Lomo-LCA. These have been covered many times but what makes this book of interest are the other cameras that Meredith looks at. Such as the Action Sampler, Time Camera, Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim, Golden Half, Fisher-Price Kid-Tough, Blackbird Fly, Lensbaby Composer, Robot 3 and many more; he even finds time to include a No.2 Portrait Brownie. Each camera get a chapter to itself. Meredith discusses what aperture/shutter speed combinations are available, film stock used and focal length of its lens. In addition, we are treated to several pages of examples of photographs made by each model. This serves to give the reader a good impression of what they can expect from each camera in way of focus (or lack of), vignetting, colour, light leaks making it easier to pick a model that best reflects your aesthetic interests. The final sections of the book look at 'Film Formats and Processing' and 'Toy Camera Basics'.

Toy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras is published in a soft cover and its 176 pages are printed on a high quality, matt paper that, at 1.5 x 20.5 x 20.9 cm, make for a pleasurable reading and viewing experience.

Toy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras by Kevin Meredith - Review by Christopher John BallAs a fine arts photographer, I have long been attracted to the aesthetics afforded by 'Toy cameras', having used them in my work practice longToy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras by Kevin Meredith - Review by Christopher John Ball before the Lomography craze, and have really enjoyed the many books that have recently been published evangelising their use. Sadly, I feel that, though they may have brought them to a wider audience, the Lomography company repackage many cameras and sell them at over inflated prices. For example, take the Holga. These can be purchased far cheaper via the likes of EBay. Ok, they don't come with the fancy Lomography box and book but I have never felt that these additional items justify the price hike. Sadly Lomography do have something of a monopoly on the Diana and Lomo-LCA, but other cameras they sell can often be purchased cheaper elsewhere so it pays to investigate other options.

What I enjoyed most about Toy Cameras, Creative Photos: Unique Stylistic Results From 40 Plastic Cameras is that Meredith, though a user of Lomography cameras, has looked beyond that particular companies catalogue to include many other little camera gems. Doing so has made for a far more enjoyable book and has broadened the choice. Indeed many readers may actually have one of the cameras featured, gathering dust in the loft, just begging to be taken out, fed a film and shown some love.

 

 

Review by Christopher John Ball

**** Rating

I have long favoured the use of 'Toy Cameras' in my own working practice and examples can be found here.

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If you have a photography related book you would like reviewing, including self-published material, email details to chris@cjballphotography.co.uk and I will happily consider doing so. The review will be hosted, free of charge, on this website and posted via Twitter and Facebook. All I ask in return is that a link be placed on your own site to the review on this website and, if used in any promotional material , I am credited as Christopher John Ball.


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