Late 2025 into early/mid 2026 I was running a bit of an ongoing photography project with my Canon EOS300D camera. Really, it was the main thing keeping the camera in my possession as it kind of gave it the legitimate reason to hold onto. Well… I sold it, and along with the sale the project stopped. No real reason why it would, but it did. So here we are, an unfinished project shared for all.
Project Powerbox.
The goal of the project was pretty simple – find a powerbox/telephone exchange box/utilities box with art on it, and take a photo. I dont know about you and where you live reader, but we have them all over the show – the older the community the better. No ugly green or grey boxes – just spaces which were once a blank canvas asking for an artist to display their talents.
Generally no two look the same. Some are clearly commissioned work and if in a shopping village area, carry the same colours and themes with them. Some have art specific to the place they sit. Others are just random pieces. Though all are by artists, some are likely paid and others just people wanting a splash of colour – or to paint over tagging.
What is pretty common is the art being NZ/Kiwi based – local landmarks, rolling scenery, native birds are a big popular one. They are cool – they serve a purpose to turn ugly boxes into something. To give ones eyes a moment to wander on a walk or when stuck in traffic.
Technically, each and every example shown here needs permission of the box owner and/or local council. Thats fair – Im not sure all have it, or that the owners would paint over in bland green if someone didn’t ask permission. I’d like to think not – as long as no damage to the unit or its locks occurs.
Even though I stopped the project, I often pass more new ones I had not noticed or discovered before. Part of me regrets stopping the project – but then again, nothing is stopping me picking it up with a different camera at some stage. I guess unless making a book or presentation out of it – why?
OK. Im running out of words for today, so thats the lump sum of them all. That very last one in the above group is the one shot not made on the Canon – I recall it being in the car and pulling out my phone. It was a very sunny day and the phones exposure was terrible. The much older 300D generally performed great for a 6.3MP beast.
OK. Something else next time!
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