Lukas Birk...

Afghan Box Cameras & The Afghan Box Camera Project (ongoing research)

Lukas first encountered the Afghan Box-Camera in 2006. He spent several summers in and around Afghanistan to document tourists in conflict zones together with his colleague Sean Foley. (see Kafkanistan chapter)

The camera is a very simple box. Containing everything needed to take and develop an image. Lens, photographic paper and darkroom. A very essential way of taking an image. First the photographer takes a negative after that he takes a picture of the negative and gets a positive.

Over the last 4 years Lukas has build several cameras with different features and focusing systems. With the growing interest in the camera and its history he and his colleague Sean decided to start a research on the camera. They spent 6 weeks in April and May 2011 in Afghanistan to investigate the origins, techniques and the many personal stories from the photographers using or having used these tools. The result of this research with photos, portfolios, interview excerpts, how to do videos and research on the history of photography in Afghanistan and the box camera, can be found on the projects website www.afghanboxcamera.com. Sean and Lukas went on a second research trip in April and May 2012. These trips were support by many people on kickstarter.com.

A book publication is in prepeartion to present their research.

Below a few images from the different cameras Lukas has build over the years as well as images from the research trip in 2011.

Mia Muhammad(left),Asad Ullah and his brother Mohammad Usman(right)Kabul,2011.

Box Camera photographs by Qalam Nabi, RohUllah and Ghayas Uddin.

Lukas' Box Camera 1.0

Box Camera 2.0

Box Camera 2.1 Lukas has taken this one to Afghanistan in 2011

Photos taken with Lukas' Box Camera 2.1 Baba Sher (left), Abdul Satar with son (right).

Box Camera 4.0 Lukas is currently developing a new camera to take on the next trip to Afghanistan in May 2012.