> experience capturing

I recently had a discussion with a good friend about the topic of "experience capturing" as he had just returned from travelling. We both came to the conclusion that we didn't like travelling with cameras because the instant that you put a camera in front of you you suddenly become an observer rather than a participant in an "experience"... The other problem with travelling with a camera is that whatever experience it conveys to the friends back home is somewhat artificial in the sense that the moment of capture is controlled by the person travelling and not by the viewer. The fact is that the person viewing your photos may care about the canals of Venice but they are, more than likely, more interested in getting a sense of what YOU (the traveller) experienced (as they are then experiencing it through you vicariously). In this regard a photo that provokes a story is imminently better than one that is technically beautiful. So here's a kernel of an idea to build an experience machine:

1) high tech version: a device that you wear at all times that is programmed to randomly activate during a journey. When activated the device would capture one image and one minute of sound (and when technology allows... a smell). The device would automatically email this experience packet to the recipient back home. The traveller may or may not be aware that it is happening. (this of course has discretionary/privacy issues but they could be ironed out...e.g. shut the device off).

2) medium tech version: when travelling carry 3 things: a small cassette recorder, a disposable camera and a timer. The timer would be set by your loved one back home to chime at a certain time (which he/she would not reveal to you). when it chimes you must take a picture and press record on the audio. mail the cassette and camera immediately.

3) low tech version: pick a word or action or visual "trigger". whenever the traveller experiences the trigger they must write a page to the recipient on what they are feeling/experiencing and send it out ASAP.

I guess the essense of this idea is that the process of capturing an experience, be it a city, an evening or a strange person that you have met (e.g. DAN!), must prevent (as much as possible) experience 'filtering' by the traveller.

cha cha cha

greg fowler
posted by [d] at 00:16

>torontohelsinki< prt2
the conclusions from the discussions in toronto
were that we wanted to have one of the smaller
projects running in August and everyone seemed
interested in the postcard theme sooo...

From the tentative dates of August 6th until the
19th :: idgrid team will be sending city recipes.

A few things we need:
- discuss content
- create mailing list (should be direct toronto-><-helsinki)
- discuss how to combine info. after two week sending period.
- also: how to summarize results and finalize the _project.




this is an old one from [jm]
In the case of Nuevo Helsinki (i'm using Helsinki because I'm here)
we couldmcontinue the fiction - discussing what the new city would
include what would its magazine be like, its cultural atmosphere - what else?

For instance my recipe could be made as a map cutting and
pasting from other maps onto the Helsinki map - and it would
be good to attempt to keep things in scale thus creating an
actual map of a fictional city.

[jm]

posted by [j] at 07:15

--> I sent my Mom something I cut out of a newspaper then folded into a magazine onto which I wrote the letter. I also intended on experimenting creating messages using newspaper clippings and sending on postcards or sthng else (this would also include cutting up postcards to emphasise details), but didn't yet send anything... Must experiment. But let me know what was discussed in toronto.
posted by [jm.] at 11:14

>torontohelsinki<
based on the discussion from the idgrid meeting in
toronto, it looks like we're going to go make a push
for the postcard _project. The goal is to create a new
tool/system for describing a city or experience within
a city. This is how it could go:

Starting in August: send out "new" postcards from
toronto to helsinki for two weeks solid. After
this preliminary research, we'll see where it goes.
The overall goal is to have at least one sub _project
as a part of the summer edition.

Teemu and Anja sent me something from Paris
recently written on a cover of a magazine, folded,
and stamped. I thought it would be interesting how
we could modify/create new ways of sending
city descriptions (recipies) using exisiting modes
or creating new ones. The stamp is already
recognized in our system to get a piece of
paper sent. We should discuss a little to see
how this could go. (ie. who sends to who...)

habbo meeting on thurs?




posted by [j] at 08:05