Excerpted from ToyCamera.com:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Celebrate World Toy Camera Day on October 20th, 2007

OTTAWA, CANADA, JULY 19, 2007—

On october 20th the members of www.toycamera.com (http://www.toycamera.com/) and Light Leaks magazine invite photographers from around the world to put down their hi-tech equipment and shoot with a plastic toy camera.

What is a "toy camera" you ask? There are a lot to choose from, some of our favourites are the Holga, Diana and Lomo Supersampler. The basic rule of thumb is they have to be cheap, made of plastic, and have minimal to no controls.

In the tradition of embracing the imperfections of lousy cameras, the members of www.toycamera.com (http://www.toycamera.com/) have been sharing their love for toy cameras for over 10 years. Their ability to be creative with mimimal equipment and controls, coupled with a strong sense of community has made www.toycamera.com (http://www.toycamera.com/) a unique, inclusive, and fun online community. In 2006, they started a print magazine called "Light Leaks—Low-fi Photography", and have also welcomed in other creative photographic niches such as pinhole and polaroid photography.

"The photographs that some of these artists can create with what most would consider to be laughable photographic equipment are really amazing, and could easily be hung on any gallery wall around the world" said Michael Barnes. "While most of the world is grasping at the latest megapixels, we continue to embrace 'old-school' film-based equipment, back to the bare bones of photography.

Plan your festivities for World Toy Camera Day on October 20th. Afterwards we invite you to submit your one best photo taken on World Toy Camera Day, and submit it to wtcday@gmail.com and we'll display them all on www.toycamera.com, award some super prizes, and publish a select few in Light Leaks magazine.

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Media Contact: Michael Barnes(?) (613) 555-5555

Note to editors: contact Light Leaks Press at lightleakspressATrogers.com providing your mail address to receive a copy of Light Leaks magazine.

For more information on Light Leaks magazine, visit www.lightleaks.org (http://www.lightleaks.org/).

High resolution images available at http://www.lightleaks.org/media

Regards, Art.

cool. i got an old spartus camera that i think fits this definition. it is plastic with no controls, just a basic "INST" shutter button.

eddie

Eddie!

I had no idea you did that kind of thing!

Eddie!

I had no idea you did that kind of thing!

yup! i am in. i will be in yellowstone that day so i will see what i get:) :)

eddie

Soo who's doing this and what are they doing it with? ;)
I feel so bad for this forum because it's just not feisty enough sometimes.

I found a toy camera which belongs to my daughter yesterday. Unfortunately, it's one which squirts water when you press the shutter!


Steve.

Thanks Art! I almost forgot! Bringing out the Holga.

I hope I can go to Toronto to shoot!

I found a toy camera which belongs to my daughter yesterday. Unfortunately, it's one which squirts water when you press the shutter!


Steve.

Now you just need to glue it onto your camera and start taking pictures of surprised people :p

Maybe it is time I tried out the Diana camera I bought last year at a thrift shop (was marked $1, but they sold it to me for $0.75).

Vaughn

(was marked $1, but they sold it to me for $0.75)You got a killer deal there!

Regards, Art.

You got a killer deal there!

Regards, Art.

I think I did. Now, it seems to be missing a chrome band around the lens, so it is not of high "collectible" quality, but the shutter works and it has got the three f/stops (sunny, partly sunny and cloudy...or "dull"!) and even focusing zones...pretty impressive!:D

Time to burn a roll of the cheap Chech film!

Vaughn

Rules are rules, but I never really understood the plastic requirement.

I always thought the mutant cameras I put together from parts were toys...

Happy Toy Camera Day!!!!!!! Go out there and shoot :)

Murray - things I thought were toy cameras are being poopooed by the toycamera crowd :o Sometimes I think they're more snobby than the hassy/leicia crowd!

Rules are rules, but I never really understood the plastic requirement.
Yeah, I wondered about that. I have a little gizmo (http://www.pbase.com/dw_thomas/image/74708181)that I certainly consider a toy, but it's made of metal! Of course, I'd probably have to slit larger film to use it which is way too much trouble anyway.

And my Brownie Target 620 is cardboard and wood -- but then, perhaps its performance is considered too good to be a toy. :D

DaveT

I was on a trip to Thessaloniki (town in Northern Greece) and spent the whlole day Saturday for the WWTCD. Had to find one, browsed through all the toy shops and all I found was the WinX camera (25 euro for the camera, one WinX film with 12 shots, a plastic WinX frame for one small picture and a WinX photo album !!!! I got ripped !!!!!!)...

I shot the WinX film, two ekta 64 T (that are also going to be developed in C-41) and a duplicating film (SO-279). Waiting for the results.... hope there's going to be some shots worth the effort...

Missed it. I platinum printed from 8pm on Friday until 9am on Saturday -- and the rest of Saturday sort of slipped away from me.

Vaughn

Rules are rules, but I never really understood the plastic requirement.

I always thought the mutant cameras I put together from parts were toys...

Mine are all toys.


Steve.

I gave Dianas to my two kids (6 and 3) then we walked around on a photo safari. My 3 year old lasted about 4-5 shots and wanted to go home, but the 6 year old was really into it. I helped wind and set the "distance" scale and the kids did the rest.

I hope to develop tonight and make prints on the weekend.

Alan.

Aww! That sounds lovely, Alan. Makes me wonder about getting a holga or something for my nieces and have their parents send us the films to develop and print. The gift that keeps on giving ;)

I printed this weekend and posted in the standard gallery.