Death, by Toys
Images of death, decay and obsolescence, shot through the lens of toy cameras (and other vintage image makers)
By most standard definitions, a “toy” camera is the kind of cheap plastic pinhole camera that was originally produced as a novelty in the U.S., or as an inexpensive consumer option in places like the Soviet Union or China. In 2013, I embarked on this project, seeking to explore a singular subject matter using only these kinds of photo makers, which to my delight, were readily available for quite cheap all over the internet.
For the project, I quickly realized that I wanted to expand the definition of a toy to include anything that was once used to create images but is no longer in the everyday arsenal of most contemporary photographers. These include vintage models, simple box cameras from the 50’s and 60’s, and a selection of instant cameras.
Likewise, I expanded the definition of death to encompass not only the obvious signifiers of the mortality of living organisms, but the decay and disuse of objects, ideas and concepts. While I tried to tread minimally on the clichéd visual impacts of hurricane damage or urban blight, New Orleans is, in essence, a city of decay, a place of throwback charm and everyday anachronisms…in short, a city of death.