Soho Photo Krappy Kamera® Competition

In the upstairs gallery, the Krappy Kollage–all the entries (over 1,400) for 2007’s Krappy Kamera show.

The beginning

The Krappy Kamera concept was born in 1992 at the Soho Photo Gallery® during a regular monthly opening reception when a few members admitted they preferred using their junky cameras to their high-end ones. One of the members, Sandra Carrion, proposed organizing an exhibit opportunity for other gallery members and the rest is history: we’ve held the members’ Krappy Kamera exhibition every year since then.

Sandra Carrion says, “I always used ‘Krappy Kamera’ to distinguish between my ‘good’ and ‘not-so-good’ cameras. I added the ‘Ks’ to make it funnier. We received so much publicity that it sort of took off on its own. Photographers from all over the U.S. started calling me to learn how they could be involved. So in 1997, Mary Ann Lynch, another gallery member, and I organized the first National Krappy Kamera® Competition. We worked on it together for about three years; my present position in the gallery is Koordinator of Krap.

What defines Krappy most?

As stated in the competion’s prospectus, our philosophy at Soho Photo is simple:

In the hands of an artist, great photographs can be made with minimal equipment. We will be searching for extraordinary photographs produced with cameras with lousy lenses. Artists are encouraged to explore this medium and let the creative juices flow while shooting and in the darkroom (wet or digital).

Remember, it’s the Krappy Kamera Competition ­ not the Krappy print competition.

We are pleased to announce the inclusion of international entries for the 2009 competition. We look forward to receiving entries from across the U.S. and abroad. Sponsorship from Freestyle Photographic, Light Leaks magazine, Brooklyn5and10.com, and Lensbabies has helped this competition achieve international recognition. Their support is appreciated.

2009 INTERnational Krappy Kamera Competition Winners’ List and Winners’ Online Gallery.

Meet the Koordinator of Krap…from Light Leaks Magazine, Issue 7.

Archived Shows:
2008 Krappy Kamera® Show Winner’s Gallery.

[via sohophoto.com ]