# Disposable Memory Project

> A global photography experiment (2008–2013) by Matthew Knight: disposable cameras released into the world, passed hand to hand, and returned with their stories. This site is the historical archive — 504 cameras released, 33 returned, 784 published images, journeys through 73 countries and over 530,000 miles.

Matthew Knight founded the Disposable Memory Project in early 2008. The concept was simple: leave a disposable camera somewhere with basic instructions; each finder takes a few photos and passes it on until the film runs out, then mails the camera home. The project covered developing costs and published the resulting photographs online so everyone who touched a camera could follow its journey.

The active project ran from April 2008 to January 2013. Cameras are no longer being released. This website preserves the archive, statistics, and stories.

- **Author / founder:** Matthew Knight
- **Contact:** hello@disposablememoryproject.org
- **Copyright:** Matthew Knight (2008–2011). No unauthorised use or reproduction permitted.
- **Format:** Static PHP site with JSON camera data and an interactive homepage globe

## Key pages

- [Home](https://disposablememoryproject.org/): Interactive globe, rotating photo background, and live project statistics
- [About](https://disposablememoryproject.org/about): Project history, how it worked, statistics, press mentions, and contact details
- [Cameras](https://disposablememoryproject.org/cameras): Grid of returned cameras with links to individual galleries

## Camera archive

- [Camera pages](https://disposablememoryproject.org/camera/001): Individual returned camera — use `/camera/001` through `/camera/504` (zero-padded to three digits). Each page includes journey updates, locations, and scanned photographs from the disposable film roll.

## Optional

- [NPR Picture Show coverage](https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2012/01/10/144964488/take-a-picture-pass-it-on-the-disposable-memory-project): In-depth feature on the project and Matthew Knight's motivation