I’m finally sharing all the photos from last year’s disposable camera project, and here’s why I intend to try it again at Shambhala this year!
It’s been a whole year since Shambhala last occurred, and I’m clearly overdue on posting the remaining photos from last year’s disposable camera experiment. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to finally share the photos. But, I also want to encourage festival goers to do something similar; to find an interesting way to engage others at a festival beyond ordinary means.
Last year this project had a much more profound result than I could have imagined. But at its core, it had a positive result in the sense that it catalyzed interactions between strangers that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred. Despite the fact that a year has passed and I’m still woefully unprepared to do it right this time, I want to try sending disposable cameras into the crowd again for 2018.
This particular activity was also an interesting way to get a peek into others’ experiences at this festival, and this event, if any, is a great setting for something like this. There’s always the risk that someone will just steal the cameras, but there aren’t many festivals out there where I have such a solid degree of trust that the community will pull through.
Beyond just Shambhala, I think everyone should try to find some way to engage every festival they attend outside of the norm.
I’ve chosen this activity for a variety of reasons, but there are so many others to explore. It’s always awesome to see the interesting things people devise to make a festival atmosphere more saturated with connection and intrigue. Whether that be through gift-giving, trading kandi, making business cards, building an awesome totem, or leaving items for people to find, there are so many ways to add to the festival atmosphere.
A personal favorite and one of the cheapest ways to please literally everyone are bubbles. Everyone loves bubbles! And if you vape, blowing smoke into bubbles makes them even more magical. When they pop, a small tuft of smoke crawls out and everyone loses their minds.
Every year I find something new at Shambhala. It’s the perfect place to wander around and discover something you had no idea was there.
Take advantage of the trading post! It’s a great place to leave gifts and take an object that will later mean more than its original value. You can also hide things for people to find throughout the festival, just make sure they’re in places where they’ll actually find them so you’re not just littering.
Regardless of what it may be, there’s something special about contributing to a festival beyond the norm. Something that allows people to connect with each other, beyond just being physically present at the event, creates lasting memories.
At long last, here are the photos that were developed from last year’s Shambhala disposable camera project.
Some of them didn’t turn out since the photographer forgot to turn on the flash, but that’s the nature of the experience. This year, if you’re handed a disposable camera attached to a mailing envelope, be sure to remember the flash!
I can’t wait to see the fun and creative ways that people will illuminate Shambhala in 2018. See you all on the farm!
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