takemewithyou

"A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to vote, tweeted or Facebooked a link, or showed their..."

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:42:00 -0600

“A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to vote, tweeted or Facebooked a link, or showed their support. We really, really appreciate it. Off to the next project! :)”

The destruction of takemewithyou

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:48:45 -0600

The destruction of takemewithyou

What I learned from making takemewithyou

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 21:39:00 -0500

This project is actually coming to a close. I wonder what has happened to the remaining 60 or so cameras that we never got back. Hm.

Event organizer extraordinaire Shannon Downey (really, she’s incredible.) asked all the artists to put together a “what we’ve learned” writeup for her. I just decided to write a blog because it’s a lot more fun this way.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

You can do anything you put your mind to
In case you didn’t know, this is the very first real “art thing” that I’ve done. It all began because I got kind of restless at work, and needed a creative outlet. So I started the 30-Day Creativity project, where made myself do one creative thing every day. (On Day 11, I made the HoppyCow blog) Once I finished the project, I wondered, “What’s next?” That’s when @wpbmakebelieve tweeted @redeyechicago one day about the ‘Make Believe’ competition. It seemed crazy, but I talked to Jared about it, and he said, “Why not?” So began the brainstorming. I really wanted to do something that would engage the entire community and also be digital, so that it could be enjoyed by people who didn’t live in Wicker Park. For a while we kicked around ideas for touch screens and projection art. But then we decided to go analog. takemewithyou was born. Thank you so much to WPBMakeBelieve, because I did not actually believe that I could do art until they encouraged me. Now I really do think you can do anything you put your mind to.

Um, I need to be organized
I’ve learned so much about doing a large scale art project — from getting materials, assembling camera kits, phone calls and emails to store managers, weekly treks to Wicker Park to drop off cameras, coordinating clues, weekly treks to downtown to drop off and pick up cameras, weekly “computer time” to upload photos and blog, hours upon hours in the store adding to the installation — you need to be organized and come up with a game plan. I didn’t have one. I just fulfilled the needs as they came up, but I really should’ve come up with a plan, a system, for the entire multi-step process.

The folks in Wicker Park are awesome
I spent so much time in Wicker Park, working with store owners, dropping off cameras, running into people, watching people pick up cameras, installing in the storefront, buying materials, etc. Everyone was incredibly kind, including the storeowners who were actually excited that I would be stashing cameras at their stores. I paced up and down the streets of the neighborhood, looking for places to stash cameras. And the one time I saw people “find” one… I had to stop myself from jumping up and down with glee. My last installation day a few weeks back, people actually stopped by the storefront to chat with me. They would tell me that they had heard about the project. While I was working in the store, I overheard one person telling a group of people about my project — no prompting! People have also emailed me and tweeted me, saying that they walk by the store all the time and love it. Man, that part is just so amazing.

There are some really cool artists in Chicago!
While I’ve always loved art, Make Believe really hooked me into the artist community in Chicago. I started seeing them on Twitter, people Facebook-friended me, I saw them at events, I ran into them at the store, or while I was running around Wicker Park. I’ve gained a whole new level of respect for community artists — they are doing some great stuff out there, stuff that moves people in a totally local, human way.

Friends are awesome
The support and kindness people have extended toward me (all while I spam them with takemewithyou updates) has been absolutely incredible. I am so thankful that I have such wonderful friends.

Don’t randomly move to Boston in the middle of the art project
That really threw a kink into things.

Shannon also asked us to round up a link of press, or people who had written about our project. Here’s the list:

CBS Chicago: 100 Chicagoans’ Lives Exposed In Photo Exhibit

Marie Claire: Editor’s Choice blog

Gapers Block: Make Believe this Summer

TimeOut Chicago: Wicker Park gets pop-up art

Our Urban Times: Make believe, reflect and vote

The Puzzler: takemewithyou, a collaborative art project

MajorDojo: Take Me With You

WindyCitizen: takemewithyou (we were #1 on their homepage!)

iShootRockstars: What’s going on in the kitchen?

StilBlog: takemewithyou

Chicago Pipeline: In ‘Make Believe,’ Vacant Storefronts Offer More than Just Space

You’re A Serious Lady: photo

Stuff That Means Nothing: photo

WestNorth: Crossing The Line

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of the project. You are incredible.

Love this project? Please vote and help us win $5,500.

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:09:42 -0500

Love this project? Please vote and help us win $5,500.

I flew into Chicago this weekend and spent most of Saturday...

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:34:00 -0500

I flew into Chicago this weekend and spent most of Saturday finishing the installation and hanging about 300 more photographs. By the time I was finished with the exhausting and repetitive exercise, I stood back, looked up, and was really proud. I can’t believe I spent the summer hiding cameras for strangers to find. I can’t believe the strangers actually mailed them back. And I can’t believe that there are around 700 photographs hanging in the store. I shot a quick video with my digital camera, so check it out!

It took hours, days and weeks to put together the camera kits, hide the cameras, coordinate with store owners, build a website, upload photos, tweet out clues, develop the film and build the actual installation. If you enjoyed the project, please take a second and vote. It could help us win $5,500, which could fund even more cool projects in the future.

Our official project website.

The Last 6 Cameras

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:12:49 -0500

When I first started this project, I said I would be happy if I got 20 cameras back. At this point, I’ve received a total of 33 cameras. I’m very grateful that so many of the people who found the cameras actually decided to participate in the project! Thank you :)

Now let’s take a look at the last 6 rolls…

Camera #11. See the full roll here.

Camera #33: See the full roll here.

Camera #78: See the full roll here.

Camera #85: See the full roll here.

Camera #87: See the full roll here.

Camera #89: See the full roll here.

Love the project? Don’t forget to vote for us and help us win $5,500 so we can do more cool projects. Thank you :)

Dropped off more cameras yesterday! I can’t believe how...

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 05:28:33 -0500

Dropped off more cameras yesterday! I can’t believe how many I’m still receiving in the mail. Stay tuned for uploads on Monday. I’m also on my way back to Chicago to hang more images in the installation!

10 more cameras and stories to look at!

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 18:08:00 -0500

I’m so excited to share 10 more cameras with you! It is unbelievably fun to receive these images and see the stories unfold on each roll.

If you love this project, please vote for us! We’ve worked really hard on it, and would love to win $5,500. All it takes is a few seconds and an email address.

Now onto the cameras!

Camera 98: This image is absolutely amazing. I love how quirky and disconcerting it is — and it’s indicative of the entire roll, which is beautifully done. It looks at life through unusual angles. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 99: The colors of this photo are awesome, as are the expressions. Really fun set of images by a group of friends here, especially one where there’s a giant cat (really giant) in the middle of the frame. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 45: Dude on a swing! Loads of expressions and closeups in this set, the photographer captured the hands, feet and faces of his/her friends. The set of images of this guy on a swing are hilarious. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 88: Lunch break! This photographer took us on a walk around the city, and then stopped for lunch. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 82: This picture was taken by a 5-year-old. Well, I’m just guessing, but a family works together to tell us a story with this camera. The photos are adorable, and I especially love this one, which shows mom and dad. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 5: In this set, the photographer did not reveal her identity except for this one shot in the side mirror of a bike. Another cool thing — they showed us their afternoon hike! Check out the complete roll.

Camera Unknown: Textures, colors and lights dominate this pretty set of pictures. Plays on focus and angles make it a unique set to look at. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 13: I love the expression on this man’s face — part surprise, part indifference. This roll of film is utterly mysterious and interesting. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 7: This candid is hilarious. The photographer showed us a fun night out with his friends. Check out the complete roll.

Camera 27: Lollapalooza! And a lot of cats (later in the roll). Check out the complete roll.

Love this project? We've put a lot of time and effort into it! Please vote for us and help us win $5,500. Thanks!

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:57:24 -0500

Love this project? We've put a lot of time and effort into it! Please vote for us and help us win $5,500. Thanks!

We’ve gotten nearly 20 cameras back — and the store...

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:54:00 -0500

We’ve gotten nearly 20 cameras back — and the store is filling up with photos!

11 more takemewithyou stories to look at! (nsfw)

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:26:00 -0500

We just got a big batch of cameras developed and I uploaded 11 rolls to the site. Here’s one image from each roll, click on the link beneath it to see the full story from each camera. We’ve put a ton of time and energy into the project, so please vote for us and help us win $5,500. Thanks!

A fun day out with a really great group of Wicker Park folks. How do I know they’re great? Well they’re so smiley! Check out the full roll here.

A totally cute roll of pictures. Looking at the map and their stops, I’m guessing it’s a family visiting and exploring Chicago. I’m so glad they had a chance to participate in a local art project before they left… Check out the full roll here.

Was the person who found this camera a photographer? I’m not sure, but the person took some really beautiful candid portraits. Check out the full roll here.

A night out. The folks who grabbed this roll went out dancing, sang some karaoke and drank some ‘Jesus Juice.’ Check out the full roll here.

The people who got this camera carefully cropped off any identifying traits, while snapping some nsfw shots. We knew we’d end up with some of these over the course of the project. Check out the full roll here.

Hah. Check out the full roll here.

A biking journey around Wicker Park, and the folks took photos of the mailbox right before they dropped it in. Some cool action shots on the bike. Check out the full roll here.

This set was done by a painter who got the camera from me off the street. I love this photograph because the imagery just cracks me up. Check out the full roll here.

This story took us to the Atlantic Ocean! We went from a pool in Chicago to a seaside town on the East Coast. Check out the full roll here.

Some arty and colorful photographs in this set. Check out the full roll here.

Hope you’ve enjoyed the photographs so far! I’ve been surprised by every set we’ve developed — and I absolutely love the rich color of the film — it’s something you just can’t get with a digital camera.

The photos so far...

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:06:00 -0500

With the help of Ritz Camera (our sponsor!), we’ve developed 6 rolls of film. I just received another 8 cameras today so I hope to get those developed soon! Anyway, here are my favorite images from the first six cameras…

Camera #3 — The very first roll that came home. This photograph cracks me up — the (adorable) dog’s like, “Why are you taking photos of me?” Click to see all the images from Camera #3.

Camera #25 — This photographer took the camera all the way to Denver, Colorado! Click to see all the images from Camera #25.

Camera #61 — They were clearly having an awesome time at Wicker Park Fest. Click to see all the images from Camera #61.

Camera #4 — The images show someone displeased with the city/government. Or, at least just parking meters. See all the images from Camera #4.

Camera #50 — I call this camera roll, “the roll with the gross toilet.” Ha! Click to see all the images from Camera #50.

Camera #51 — The facial expressions of the photographer’s friends throughout all the photos are hilarious. Click to see all the images from Camera #51.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the project so far! Please vote for us and help us win the $5,500 grand prize!

The cameras are coming home!

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:26:33 -0500

My roommate checked the mail today and we had 6 cameras come home! That’s AMAZING. That’s a total of 8 cameras in the last 3 days! I can’t wait to see what’s on them — I’ll stop by Ritz Camera (our lovely sponsors) tomorrow morning to develop the images. There are 99 cameras out in Wicker Park Bucktown right now, and 14 of them are back. I wonder what the number will be by the end of the summer? Initially I was hoping for 20, but now I’m a lot more optimistic.

One of the camera finders left me a note! I won’t know which camera number they had, but at least I got the pictures back. Thanks, guys! I hope you had fun :)

Also, if you like this project, please vote for us. The artist with the most votes gets a $5,500 prize!

Only one camera left! All 99 have been handed out. One lucky...

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:18:11 -0500

Only one camera left! All 99 have been handed out. One lucky person will get the very last camera from me at my going away party on Friday :) See you there, and I’ll miss you, Chicago!

Camera dropoff a success! I posted on Twitter that I would be...

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:15:46 -0500

Camera dropoff a success! I posted on Twitter that I would be leaving 5 cameras in front of the store tonight. 2 pairs of tweeters actually showed up and grabbed ‘em!

Spent a few hours at our store on 1251 N. Milwaukee...

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:11:00 -0500

Spent a few hours at our store on 1251 N. Milwaukee yesterday hanging photos!

89 cameras have been distributed throughout Wicker Park Bucktown. Love this project? Vote for us and help us win $5,500!

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:50:00 -0500

89 cameras have been distributed throughout Wicker Park Bucktown. Love this project? Vote for us and help us win $5,500!

When do the cameras need to be returned? I'd like to tell a story, but it doesn't happen until Aug. @312GoldenGloves

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:25:16 -0500

As soon as you possibly can, to make my life easier. I recently discovered that I will be moving to Boston at the end of the week (yikes!) which means I’m trying to get as many cameras developed as soon as possible. That being said, I’ll be flying back to Chicago to complete the project in October so if you can’t get ‘em to me before I leave, rest assured your photos will get online before the project ends in Oct!

Camera #82 - Russia

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:21:00 -0500

Submitted by Bucktown Kid, Noah (Age 3)

“I was super-duper superhero excited to find your camera today on Damen Ave, right outside Psychobaby, one of my favorite stores! I love taking pictures with Mommy’s camera, but this one is kinda strange because I have to crank it and it doesn’t even show me the picture right away!

We just got back from practicing my skateboarding by the fountain in Wicker Park. They have a little ramp there I use. I wish I could have snapped those pics … I’m a cool dude! I even got a skater guy backpack for preschool this Fall!

I’m working on getting up to 27 pictures today and tomorrow, then I’ll put it in the mailbox on Monday. I love mailing things! So far, I had lunch at Cans with my Mommy, Daddy, and little sister. Two thumbs up for the mac and cheese at Cans! I took some pictures there, then a few pictures of my toys and back patio flowers. Daddy took me in the burley for a bike ride with Lil’ Sis. We went to Olivia’s market. Check out my cool helmet and retro sunglasses. I used my quarter from my piggy bank to buy a Swedish Fish and bullseye candy.

That’s all for now, it’s my bedtime. Another fun day in Wicker Park! Hope to see the pictures online!”

Ran through Wicker Park Bucktown today and dropped off 15...

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:28:09 -0500

Ran through Wicker Park Bucktown today and dropped off 15 cameras. I had so much fun! I also happened to see one person pick up a camera, which was awesome. There are only 15 cameras left out of the 100. I wonder if I should hand them out over Twitter?