FAQs
Why do you do it ?
The main things are the strangeness of passport photos and the unpredictability of finding them. It's not a hobby you can practise and get better at. In fact all you need is the ability to see and pick up photos from the floor.
What's so strange about passport photos ?
Passport photos, unlike most other photographs are functional rather than recreational. They are used to show the likeness of an individual rather than as a memory of a particular event or place. Most people end up looking devoid of soul in a passport photo !
How did the collection begin ?
Back in 1991ish I was a student at Sheffield University. I was lucky enough to have a car at that time, but unfortunately a rather nice sports car tried to jump a set of traffic lights with me in the way and my car got written off. After dropping the car off for the last time at a garage I popped in to a petrol station to buy a chocolate bar and saw a passport photo on a petrol pump. The chap looked quite strange and I decided to keep him. For a while he was stuck to the phone in my flat and when anyone would ring we would say 'there's a strange man on the phone'. Little did I know that this photo was to be the first of many !
The collection did not actually become a collection until I found the graduation photo outside the US embassy. it was at this point that the collection became serious !
What are the criteria for entry in to the collection ?
It used to be that the photo had to be a passport photo. The UK passport office has very strict requirements about what a true Passport Photo must look like. Since then I have found other sorts of photos, including the Graduation photo, which re-ignited the hobby. Now the criteria can be summarised as follows:
THE RULES
1) The photo must be on photographic paper or a photographic negative and be an original copy, ie no colour photocopies or pictures from brochures / leaflets. The collection is primarily of peoples heads, but occasionally the rules can be bent eg the cow.
2) The photo must be anonymous, ie the finder (or anyone else connected with the contribution) must not know the subject or owner of the photo.
3) Photos must be genuinely lost ie they should have been found in a public place with no likelihood of being returned to their true owner. For example if you saw a photo fall out of someone's bag, you must draw it to their attention rather than use it as a contribution.
4) Likewise photos should not be stolen or bought !
I have considered expanding the hobby to include other objects (eg letters, leaflets, jewellery, other types of litter etc), but have decided to stick to what I know. Finding photos is quite tricky, and it would be difficult to draw the line at what should and should not be included in the collection. I could end up archiving the world (if my host provider would give me enough space). I suspect he wouldn't.
I put anything else i find on my blog
Do you accept contributions from other people ?
Yes. If I know you then I may add it to my collection (with permission). If not I may add to the unverified section.
Where do you find them ?
All over. It helps that I work in London where the streets are paved with photos, but they have been found in car parks, railway stations, plant pots (!). Wherever there are people there is a likelihood of a lost photo. Keep 'em peeled.
Has anyone recognised any of the photos ?
Not yet. If they did I would be more than happy to return the photo. I would ask if I could keep the photo on the site for memory however (though of course it would be contravention of Rule 2 above, so would need to move in to a separate section).