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.
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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
!
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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 !
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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
- The photo must be on photographic paper 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Likewise photos should not be stolen or bought !
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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.
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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 a non-verified source section.
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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.
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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).
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Are there any that 'got away' ?
Plenty. Just a few examples below:
