the Berlin based IMAGO1:1 is the world's largest walk in portrait camera. it's the only camera in the world that takes life-size black and white portraits that are exposed on direct positive paper. it's the same analogue photography concept found on every photoautomat, but on a much larger scale.
the IMAGO1:1 was created in the 1970s by Erhard Hößle and Werner Kraus. people step into it, click the shutter, and after ten minutes a 60 cm by 200 cm black and white self portrait in true ratio of 1:1 pops out. since there are no negatives or digital data, every "Imagogram" is a unique moment captured on high quality paper. at the time, the IMAGO1:1 was an absolute success until the special photosensitive direct positive paper went out of production in the 1980s. with the primary fuel no longer available, the machine became a relic and was put in storage.
thirty years later the inventors daughter, Susanna Kraus, accidentally stumbled on a forgotten box of old film. a year later and through a joint venture with Ilford Switzerland and Harman Technology the special paper the IMAGO1:1 needed was back in production!
since bringing life back to the IMAGO1:1, Susanna Kraus has taken over 500 photos, exhibiting them in cities all over Europe and now she wants to make her father's dream a reality by making the camera mobile.
the next hurdle was making the one and a half ton antique machine mobile. with the help of her two sons Jakob and Paul, Susanna designed the IMAGOphotour, the travel version of the IMAGO1:1. constructed out of modern materials and designed specifically for travel, this newly contrived portable version of the IMAGO1:1 could connect people from all over the world with this truly fantastic camera!
her goal is to raise 110,000 euros by mach 22nd to make the IMAGOphotour a reality and bring the camera around the world! if you want to have your very own life size photo, you can donate to Susanna's project on Kickstarter!
CONTRIBUTED BY MIMI ATOR
