Hello, I'm Josie, the person behind the ShutterPod idea. I hope you believe in it as much as I do and can get on board to make it a success for Cornwall.
ShutterPod aims to create accessible and interactive vintage photographic opportunities for all. Its mission is to encourage self-belief through photo-art, ensuring anyone can enjoy being creative at alternative processing workshops that can be simple or more complex. By mixing vintage photographic 'magic' with a mobile darkroom, ShutterPod hopes to help people discover latent talents or develop current skills.
As a community photographic project, ShutterPod specialises in helping people who access health or social care services, children and young people or those classed as disadvantaged to grow in confidence, learn something new and above all, have fun through its quirky photo sessions.
By creating a mobile darkroom for Cornwall, ShutterPod will be able to take its photo adventures to festivals, community events, organisations, charities, offices or schools, or wherever people would like to have some retro photo fun.
Traditional photography techniques are growing in popularity, and as some processes only need simple environmentally-safe chemicals, sunlight and water to create unique images, a mobile darkroom will help to make this tactile type of photography available to the curious, inquisitive, and the give-it-a-goers.
I have previously worked as a commercial, portrait and medical photographer, a journalist, and a few other jobs besides but it is my love for 'old school' photographic techniques that drives me to share this idea with others.
The funding will help ShutterPod acquire the equipment needed to kit out a two-enlarger mobile darkroom. I have been running ShutterPod for about 6 months, but to keep funding necessary business purchases I have to also work full-time. If I achieve the funding it will help me to dedicate more time more quickly to the long-term success of the mobile darkroom and the future of ShutterPod.
Part of ShutterPod's long-term plan is to create job opportunities, a photography festival, and ultimately a photographic centre.
It will be great to have your support.