a handbook and training manual for the modern adventurer

FINDING THE ESCAPE

NICHOLAS M. STEVENSON

FINDING THE ESCAPE

Copyright ©2012 Nicholas M. Stevenson

All rights reserved

The author kindly requests that this book may not be reproduced, for any reason, by any means, including any method of photo-graphic reproduction, without prior expressed permission.

First edition, 2012

WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED IN LONDON, UK 2012

Preface

PurposeIn contextWhat this book is for

Why escape?

Basic equipmentForming a team / Building an identityThe cameraDevelopment & darkroomUtilities: LightUtilities: TeaRocket stovesBase of operationsLogistics

Establishing a theatre of studyUpon arrivalReconnaissanceMap-making

Camera loadingCapturing the imageDevelopment prepDevelopingPhoto storageThe image itself

Cost breakdownAcknowledgementsAbout the author

FINDING THE ESCAPECONTENTS

I FEEL MONOTONY AND DEATH TO BE

ALMOST THE SAME.

– CHARLOTTE BRONTË

PREFACE

Monotony, routine, boredom. All things sharing a similar definition; that of a repeated action, lacking in emotional and mental stimuli. As a companion to my undergraduate degree project FLEEING MONOTONY: MAKING THE WORLD A BIGGER PLACE, this book serves to offer the adventure hopeful advice and the opportunity to be temporarily freed from the tethers imposed by contemporary, over-structured (sub)urban living.

Rather than being some sort of defini-tive or comprehensive handbook to adventure experience design, the book acts rather as a user-centred springboard to instigate one’s own thoughts and ideas on the subject.

To push beyond the boundaries of one’s comfort zone can be both a liberating and rewarding process. It is my hope, put simply, that this work will inspire people to give it a go.

I promise it’s worth it.

NICHOLAS M. STEVENSON, 2012

CHAPTER ONE

The process of repeating an action over and over isn’t anything new. It’s how we as people learn things. It’s how we survive, how we make money, how we spend money. Pretty much everything in adult life is born of some kind of repeated system of doing.

The reason you’re reading this is because (or at least I hope) you like what I’ve done and you’d like to have a go at it yourself. Thankfully, it isn’t even nearly as hard as it looks. Before you know it you’ll be out there having a whole bunch of fun and creating all sorts of interesting things.

THE PURPOSE

IN CONTEXT

Before I had any idea about how this project was going to come together,I knew I wanted to do something that in some way represented and reflected the adventurous spirit of my heroes. Not just the obvious – butnonetheless HUGELY respectable – figures of Antarctica like Scott and Shackleton, but also the contemporary adventurers like Michael Palin or (in a slightly different sense) the filmmaker Werner Herzog. People who travel to new places with open eyes and return with records and artefacts that stunand amaze their waiting audiences.To put it a bit more clearly, the project aims to take inspiration from these figures, without necessarily directly emulating their activities. It’s not just about the people and their behaviour, it’s about the product of the experience and what can be kept as a documentor souvenir to then share with the rest of the world.

In this sense, perhaps it’s the people behind the cameras that inspire this project. People like Herbert Ponting or Frank Hurley, who (literally) went off into unknown worlds with the intention of capturing them on film, glass and emulsion. Incorporating this image-making process into theanti-routine environment means there’s a direction, a reason to go and a reason to be there. It also means there’sa potentially fantastic physical setof objects to own at the end.

(Frank Hurley, Antarctica ca. 1915)

The book offers some advice on how anybody can get going with designing up their own adventure experience.It’s not a definitive guide by any stretch, but that’s the beauty really. Believe it or not, putting together the essentials to get by in a back-to-basics environment isn’t even nearly as complicated,time-consuming or as expensiveas you’d think. Follow some of theexamples listed and it really won’t take long before you’ll begin looking at objects in a new, adaptive way.It’s not quite recycling, but it’s certainly re-using. It could save your life, or it could offer a bit more of an interesting way to brew up some coffee. My hope is that, as a reader, you can use the book to springboard yourself out of boredom for a while, without having to take too much time out of things or abandon any friendships etc.

In order to use this book for your own adventure planning, thankfully it’s been put together with this especially in mind. Where possible, examples of mini-projects and experiments are explained in terms of basic principles & procedures. The maths is generally pretty simple; usually some easy mental arithmetic and a bit of common sense will suffice, but there might be acalculator required here and there.Additionally, more-or-less all of the working experiments requirenon-specific equipment that can be picked-up anywhere, meaningeveryone’s designs can be made unique, or indeed expanded and altered (even improved) to suit whatever occasion.

WHAT IT’S FOR

CHAPTER TWO

WHY ESCAPE?

The great thing about this is that the level of involvement is entirely upto you. My escape lasted a day (plus planning). Yours might be a few hours, or a few days. Maybe longer. Probably not much shorter though.You’ll gain as much from this as you decide to put in really. From justlearning some new skills you can feel more confident in your ability as an intuitive craftsperson (it’s surprising how involving some of theseexperiments can become). On the other end of the scale, this could just bea starting point to a whole new stage in your life, spent with less reliance on the contemporary objects around you and more time getting back to nature, so to speak. Your choice.

I should mention though, that thankful possible effects could include: increased mental agility, desire for better physical capability, heightened tolerance toward foul or extreme weather, general sense of achievement, pride in your design capability, introversion, tiredness, mood swings, financial ruin, long-term happiness & increased attention from the opposite sex*.

*this remains unproven.

CHAPTER THREE

BASIC EQUIPMENT

The next section deals primarily with the requirements for my ownexperience project, but some are easily transferable and all can offer potential advice for adaptability.

Before going into the details ofindividual experiments, it’s important to ensure a set of essential objects are procured, that’ll have application in all expeditions at any level, anywhere.

These are your fail-safes, your panic buttons and your phone-a-friends, all rolled together. The point is to havean adventure, but within limits. There’s a fine line between what is adventurous or intrepid and what’s just stupidity. Stupidity hurts, adventure rewards.

The following is a short list of items that I’ve needed on all sections of my project. This could easily be addedto or tailored to each individual, butgenerally speaking, everyone will need some form of these objects, or at leasta variation on them.

It’s surprising how easy it is to get this wrong. Think ahead; if there’s a risk of rain, carry a jacket. It will ALWAYS be better to be the one who had to carry a coat all day than to be the one who forgot it when the heavens open up.

Hydration and energy are justimportant out in the middle ofnowhere as they are back home orat work. No water means you’ll getdehydrated, which means you’ll get tired and lethargic. Ditto with food, except replace dehydrated with hungry. Sound like fun? It’s experience,not endurance.

Back-to-basics photography is riskybusiness. Though it’s argued carryinga modern camera detracts from the process of building and using one myself, it’s just as important as anything else to document the journey to the goal. Remember all those slides your grandparents showed you? They didn’t just shoot the hotel pool, did they? Neither should you.

A map doesn’t have to mean adetailed OS Landranger collection, but you should have at least a vague idea of where you are. Being lost doesn’t hold any kind of enjoyment – it’s just frustrating. Having a notebook means it’s possible to take down any details you might need to remember. This is especially useful later on, when you’re trying to place an image etc. to a time or place. Notebooks also providea handy place to keep things you might pick up along the way. There’s more on making/using maps later in the book.

A little exhaustive to carry, butincredibly useful. Big blankets are there to keep you warm & dry when your equipment or clothing let you down, but they also make good wind/rain shelters that require little to no effort to sort out. On nicer days they could provide a particularly useful surface to sit on, or take shade under. Just like the coat, this item should never be underes-timated. In the right place at the right time, having a big, dry pieceof fabric can make you the happiest/most popular person around.

Okay, so not all that adventure-y, but things have to stay realistic.As something that’ll crop up a few times in this book, the purpose is to experience something out of yourregular comfort zone, whilst learning some new skills and havinga rewarding, maybe even educational time. However, things can (and often do) go wrong. Being strandedsomewhere in driving rain and bitter cold can be a most unpleasant scenario, so it’s always good to keep a fully-charged phone somewhere, even if it spends the whole time turned-off in your bag.

So you’ve committed yourself to the experience. Firstly, well done.You’re about to join a small groupof excited (slightly eccentric)individuals, who have managed to break free from regularity and dosomething different. Isn’t that great? But now comes the work. Stick with it, try to keep up, and don’t worry. I’ve made the mistakes, so hopefully you won’t have to.

Though there’s no problem havinga solo adventure, logistically (and I’llcover this in more detail further along) it often works out much better to recruit a small team. This does sound terribly involving, but really it doesn’t have to be. This is your experience, after all, but there are plenty of people about who will be more than excited to be involved in an adventure outdoors. Ask around and you might be surprised at how many of your friends are up for it. Of course, you must be prepared to spend at least a few hours with these people, maybe even a few days, so keep that in mind.If you are recruiting a team, don’t neglect this as part of the experience, these people are here to help you, so you should endeavour to make them feel at home.

FORMING A TEAM/BUILDING AN IDENTITY

Shown above is my expedition crest. Use this (or something similar) for your team and make yourself a flag, or some other kind of identifying feature. This isn’t just another artefact for your new collection. It could help you find your HQ or be used as a reference point when out performing the experience, for example. Additionally, if using public transportation, a clear logo means it’s fast and easy to identify your equipment, which you may need to do in a hurry.

A uniform for your team isnon-essential, but does make theprocess a more engaging one.Uniforms make people (including yourself) feel more involved in the project and can give you a greater sense of pride in your experience.Though there is a fine line herebetween team identification and straight-up branding, I shouldemphasise that this is as much a project about getting word out as it is for your own personal gains. A smart logo won’t do anyone a disservice and so to do without one is strongly ill-advised.

THE CAMERA

The large-format, home-built camera begins with principles that go all the way back to the ancient cameraobscuras. The basics of a pinholecamera are that light travels througha tiny aperture and projects ontoa light-sensitive material placed within an otherwise lightproof box. This camera takes this a step further with the introduction of a lens. It’s a non-essential component, but does a lot in terms of image clarity. My lens was butchered from a magnifying glass and cost reassuringly little.

Firstly, before throwing headlong into building giant wooden boxes, it’s important to figure out the focal length of your lens (if you’re using a lens, that is). To do this, you’ll need a window, a ruler, a pencil and a friend.During the daytime, hold the lens up between yourself and the window. With your free hand, move the paper vertically closer and further from the lens, until the refracted view outside the window is shown clearly on the paper. Then, get a friend to measure the distance between the lens and the paper.

This distance is your focal length. For the sake of convenience we’ll call this (l.).(l.) will dictate the whole shape and size of your camera.The simple way of explaining it is that (l.) has to be pretty much exactly the distance between your pinhole and your photo-sensitive material. You can allow yourself a few millimetres either way, but really, the more accurate, the better.The next step is the pinhole itself. There are a lot of different formulae published for ideal pinhole sizes, any of which can be referred to as of reasonable accuracy. I used an online generator to save time and stress. In an incredibly vague way of speaking, small holes mean longer exposure times but can also mean super-sharp pictures. Longer focal lengths mean you can get away with wider apertures and shorter focal lengths the opposite. As I had access to the appropriate tools, my aperture was very small and precise, made in a brass plate. However it’s possible to generate absolutely amazing results using no more than a sewing

pin and a coke can as a pinhole plate.With the lens, focal length and aperture sorted, the easy part of building the body begins. For aesthetics, my camera was constructed mainly from laminate wood, as it’s light, but has a veneered finish that would take well to things like varnish or oil. Obviously, cameras can be built out of anything, but it’s worth remembering the need to carry it around. Weight can play a bigger role than you’d think, especially when far from home or shelter. The most crucial thing throughout this process is the need for all of the inner sides of the camera to be both LIGHT-TIGHT and NON-REFLECTIVE. PVA glue is good for sealing gaps, but it dries clear. Rubberised or enamelled paint is a great way to seal up a camera and leaves a nice-looking non-shiny finish. It can be expensive though, so use intelligently.

DEVELOPMENT

An on-location darkroom isn’t essential, but it does offer a hugely dynamic and more involving project. This example is made by adapting an already-existing basic dome tent: inside is tied a smaller tent, made from blackout fabric and supported by replacement tent poles. As a first version design, it does suffer a little in terms of light leakage and spatial limitation, but it does work and has proved successful in tests.

UTILITIES: LIGHT

For longer stays and more remote destinations, it’s useful to have anefficient light source to hand. This lamp follows ultra-simple principles, and can be built/carried/used pretty much anywhere.A length of wire is wound, into which a string wick is placed. It’s important to make sure that the top of the wick clears the wire coil by about10 millimetres. Any less and the lamp will struggle to stay alight, any more and the wick will burn, instead of the oil on the surface.In my example I used regular cooking sunflower oil, because it was cheap and sold in small quantity bottles. Any oil will work for this lamp, the advantage in constructing a lamp in this wayis that the unburned oil remains

virtually unpolluted & can thereforebe poured out and used in cooking etc.In addition, keeping the lid for the jar means it can be carried about and used at any time.This lamp burns on a dim flame(no movie-style burning torchunfortunately) for hours without extinguishing. It’s also low-polluting and generates a safe and containable level of heat.

UTILITIES: TEA

Nobody should have to march without a cup of tea, so this micro stove ensures it’s not a problem. The design is adapted from two drinks can halves (Coke Zero in my instance, although can type can be subjective) which are pushed together. As can be seen, one of these halves must have holes punched around the edge, along with a bigger hole in the centre. I used a hammer and nail to make these holes and they work without any trouble. For operation, the design also needs some kind of non-flammable base to rest upon, but this, again, can be anything. The can stove is powered by denatured alcohol,

which is firstly poured into the central hole. About two capfuls (or around10-25ml) is easily good enough for a long, high-strength burn. Next, the hole is covered, here with a small piece of metal cut from the leftover can halves. A small (half a capful is plenty) amount of fuel is then poured ontothe stove base, before being finallyset alight.

Benefits to using this sort of stove are huge:

– Easy to build– Cheap– Totally efficient (burns all the fuel off if left to burn our)– Produces no smoke (although ventilation is obviously advised)– Generates very large amounts of heat– Can be easily extinguished by covering up– Very portable

What happens is that the burning fuel around the can generates heat in the metal. This in turn heats the reservoir of unlit fuel within. Heating this liquid fuel generates ethanol vapour, which escapes through the small holes running around the edge of the top. These highly flammable vapours combust upon contact with a free flow of oxygen and will continue burning long after the pilot fuel has burned out. Although it can take a few attempts to perfect, a good stove will comfortably boil a small pot of water in little over a few minutes.

Although not enormously powerful, once constructed a reliable can stove can last ages and can be an incredibly effective artefact to carry along on expeditions. This is definitely not to be in any way underestimated.

Based on a combination of traditional military-issue cooking equipment and the wood burning rocket stove,this design follows the idea ofgenerating a convection current within the burner. It’s basically a small can that fits into a bigger can, with holes punched or drilled around the bottom of each. Slightly less convenient,but with the potential to be much more powerful than the can stove,this method involves burning solid fuels like wood, often with an assisting factor like firelighters or similar.Of course, charcoal works too, but would mean carrying it along. The inner can should first be loosely filled with an easily combustible, low-density material (dry wood is good, paper is bad) with something like a firelighter on top. When lit, the stove sucks air from the holes beneath, and then blows heat upwards. As long as the supply of oxygen is constant, this stove can go from first ignition to a roaring flame in very little time, which can be useful if you’re hungry or cold.Benefits are that the heat (and to anextent light) levels generated are massive and it can continue to burn

indefinitely provided fuel levels are occasionally topped-up and air supply is maintained. It’s also easy to move around, as the base seldom has anopportunity to heat up, especiallywhen cooled by a continuous coldair vacuum current.Cons, however are that it’s quitea cumbersome and awkward design.It’s tricky to clean out and generates waste material that would likely haveto be disposed of. It’s also far more polluting than the other burner design, and so could absolutely not be used indoors, in any circumstances.A more-permanent variation on this design involves filling the cavitybetween cans with sand or similar, whilst keeping the channel between holes clear. This produces a generous lift in efficiency and heat generated, but at the cost of being extremely heavy and more difficult to construct.

ROCKET STOVE

BASE OF OPERATIONS

Every operation needs a base from which to operate from. It doesn’t have to be anything special, but it’s worth making it somewhere you’recomfortable with. After all, a goodHQ could be used again & again.This could be the best part of thewhole expedition.

A decent headquarters needs to be:

Well-spaced – You don’t want to feel cramped in there, especially on longer trips.

Well-stocked – Ideally for the whole trip, so you won’t need to be distracted by visits to shops and so on.

Well-positioned – It shouldn’t be an unnecessary effort to get to your headquarters. If it’s a tent, obviously ground conditions can limit your positioning, but you’ll also need to make sure it’s somewhere you can get to and from relatively easily.

By the time of explorative action, care should be taken so that it has been constructed soundly and the objects attained with absolute confidence that in situ it will completely succeed andperform. By all means adapt thisexample to better fit your ownpersonal requirements.

LOGISTICS

Logistics can be a challenging and exhaustive part of the adventureexperience, but of importance equal to every other aspect. Though it’s been included last in the list of our objects to procure/perfect, it can be the most time-consuming of all.

Basically, the key thing to rememberis BE REALISTIC. A 12-man HQ and 2m x 2m camera will probably look fantastic and offer amazing results,but they will offer little more thana headache when you realise you need to get them onto a train.Small tents are cheap and reliable on short excursions, or take no tent at all and stay somewhere solid. Where you decide to sleep isn’t too important, but it needs to be your Alamo. You’re there on a mission, even if that mission is about enjoying yourself.Often, transportation links (especially in the UK) are fairly reliable, but save

unnecessary expense by checking out the potential high cost stages in advance. Even a few days could save your bank account a huge amount of strain. Buses and local train or ferry journeys can generally be planned on the day, but check that there aren’t restrictions on the size or weight of items you’re taking with you. The last thing you need is to be stranded because your camera weighs too much because you decided to make it from solid steel.

Finally, delegate. Your assistants are your friends and should be treated fairly and respectfully, but they are also your assistants. As volunteers for the greater reward of being a part of the adventure, they should expect to carry their fair share. Split weight loads as evenly as possible. Then there’s no cause for complaint. It’s surprising how much an equal suffering can inspire team members to encourage each other along. Know your limits and pushyourself right up to them. One day of hard work is much more satisfyingin reflection than an entire monthof laziness ever will be.

CHAPTER FOUR

This section is really simple, butobviously has a tremendous impact on the overall turnout of the whole experience.Firstly, identify places you’ve already been and mark them on a map. This is where you shall absolutely not be performing your adventure. Nostalgia is a dangerous weapon and can shroud your judgement of a location or make too easy the process of getting & being there. With these positions noted, take a moment to think about why you liked or disliked being there. You should make a short list of these points.

You can then reference this list back against the map to identify new, potential theatres in which to conduct your journey.

My decision to travel to the Isle of Wight was based on very simple facts:1. I have never been to the Isle of Wight 2. Neither have my team3. I have heard it’s a good landscape 4. There is a lighthouse 5. It isn’t an expensive trip from London, but is many miles away

ESTABLISHING A THEATRE OF STUDY

Given time, I could list more reasons, but the above points ought to give at least an adequate reference to defining your own territory.It should also be mentioned thatI conducted short amounts of background research into each potential location. It’s important to remain in a logical frame of mind when deciding where to go. Otherwise you might end up spending a lot more money and time on this process than is really worthwhile.

The documentary of the journey to and from my site of study is a separate project outcome, and should be treated as such. But it is nonetheless worth mentioning its importance in the greater field of the experience.Ensure that as much documentation is made of every aspect of your trip and your overall confidence and pride in the project is certain to augment.In my instance, this was in the form of a film. You may wish to make still photographs or observational drawings. I do not condemn either of these approaches, or indeed any variations therein. Test your observational recording ability and you might produce something totally original to present and cherish.

UPON ARRIVAL

Upon arrival at your location, you should quickly establish your HQ(if you have brought one with you), so as to have a solid operational base camp. In all instances, your standard should be raised, and not lowered until the experience is over.Make sure you’ve eaten and taken tea before committing to any physical action. A well-fed team will always perform with gallantry and confidence tenfold to that of the hungry and poorly-maintained.Establish a basic plan. Know your departure time and allow ample time for deconstruction and packing, as well as eating, sleeping and work.

Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to perform.

RECONNAISSANCE

An ultra-large format camera is difficult to load and transport, so make a reconnaissance trip around your theatre to establish the most appropriate image to capture. Though this goes against some techniques of “decisive moment” photography, it very much lowers the potential for upset later on in the experience. You may wish to photograph this stage with a more modern, faster camera. Such practice is strongly supported, as it can be reflected upon away from the situation, in order to generate a more balanced final decision.

On the following page is a blank map, which you should use (either directly or by reproduction) to map out your capture point, as well as yourdevelopment and HQ points, and your journey between one and the others.Integrate an escape route if you wish,as you will never know when dangeris imminent and escape necessary.

x

y

N

x

y

N

Camera loading is a difficult process, but can be simplified by ensuring your darkroom is properly built and maintained. There is no particular skill involved with loading a camera, but there are ground rules:

CAMERA LOADING

– When loading, the entire load space must be either entirely blacked-out, or at the very least safelit using red filtration

– Photographic paper has a slightly more textured feel on the emulsion side. This side must be facing toward the lens

– Attach the paper carefully. More tape overlap means less captured image area

– Work steadily, but efficiently.

Light leaks, if slight and momentary can be acceptable, but generally speaking, more time spent with the paper out of the camera or box is bad news. Perhaps make practice attempts to perfect this step.When loaded, ensure that all sides are sealed before leaving the darkenvironment and all photosensitive materials are properly stored.

CAPTURING THE IMAGE

Perhaps the easiest stage overall. Set the camera and take fast test shots if you wish. Ensure the camera is balanced, grounded and the lensis clear of obstruction. Usingan exposure calculator, I prepared an exposure guide, so as to not under- or over-expose my eventual photograph. Carrying such an artefact saves time/resources, as well as giving the user much more confidence on the day. Use logic and common sense. In this example, the image formed over an 11 minute period, at f/220.

Darkroom chemicals should ideally have been pre-stored in easy-to-access containers, as shown in the example opposite.Following manufacturer-listedconcentrations will ensure a safe development, but do take a moment to consider atmospheric conditions: developer, for example, worked better for me in cold, damp conditions when mixed slightly heavier. In hot or arid conditions this theory may reciprocate.Performing a test print on an adapted stills camera (photo shown) may solve this issue, or at least aid your judgement.

Mix developer, stop bath and fixer trays prior to photographic development. Rinse can be mixed later on, so as to maximise available space.

DEVELOPMENT PREP

Generally speaking, it’s best to follow standard procedures when developing your image(s). Ensure that your space is entirely blacked-out, or lit only by a dim safelight source. The process of development is shown below.

Once the print has been in the fixer stage for more than two minutes, it can then (and ONLY then) be removed from the light-tight environment in order for the fix to be completed and rinse performed. Many an image can be destroyed by ignoring this advice, and so I urge you take heed.

DEVELOPING

Correctly developed images should be placed (or by preference hung) for a minimum of an hour – and much longer if in damp or cold environments – before being stored. Keep your finished images in a light-tight box, such as this one, in order to be transported back to HQ or home. Making such a container is as simple as painting an existing container black, or sealing it with tape or similar. This particular example is made from a discarded shoebox and has served its purpose superbly on many occasions.This step is just as important as the development stage, as developmental errors can sometimes not reach immediate prominence. It also means you can reduce the chance of factors like sun-bleaching or water staining until after the image has been properly returned to a safe environment.

PHOTO STORAGE

Here is a simple image, captured on a short, afternoon expedition undertaken on my college campus. It comprises of a triptych, loaded horizontally across the image plane, exposed on a bright and sunny day for around 5 minutes. In this image, the distortion caused by using such a wide-angle lens and large film plane is apparent, but I believe adds to the photograph as a whole.It should be said that this image has received some basic post-shooting digital correction. Although of course this step is not important (and would be considered criminal by some), I believe in this example (and the following one) it was the best way to express the image as impressively as possible, as was my intention.

THE IMAGE

Take time, care and attention to the presentation of your image. This is your masterpiece. Your lasting legacy of your experience and of your adventure. Even a muddy, foggy, dark, barely registered image, such as this one (the result of my Isle of Wight expedition) can have an intrinsic beauty to it, and a sentimental value far beyond any auctioneer’s hammer. Don’t be disheartened by not seeing what you expected. You made the image. From start to finish this was your doing. Be proud, but never satisfied. Find another location. Shoot it differently. Examine your mistakes and your successes to improve upon next time out. With a whole world out there to be captured, the experience can never be exhausted.

As a quick final footnote to this adventure companion, I wish to illustrate my reluctance to throw huge amounts of funding towards my work.It is in my opinion that to do so would be a showy, improper use of time which could be far better spent doing things for yourself.I have listed some key examples below as a guideline of where my expenditures existed. It’s important in addition to bear in mind that these costs were spread out over around an eight-month phase of work.

Overall, there were many small costs involved in addition to those mentioned below. Far too many to list here, but to do so would be insignificant anyway.For the sake of argument we shall assume that these amounted to no more than £50 total.

To break down the important bits:

CAMERA:BODY (wooden parts): approx. £40LENS PLATE (brass & fixings): approx. £15LENS: £2.5

LEATHER & WEBBING STRAPS: approx. £7PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER (100 sheets 7”x5”): £15DEVELOPMENT CHEMICALS: £15

TOTAL: around £95

HQ & DARKROOM:Outer shell: £15Inner tent: £20FLAG: £5

TOTAL: around £45

JOURNEY & LOGISTICSRail travel (3 persons): £48Ferry crossings (3 persons): £33Bus connections (3 persons): £15Additional costs: approx. £20

TOTAL: around £125

ALL-IN: <£250*

*Though this figure is not exact, certain aspects of this project were one-off costs. I won’t, for example, need to purchase materials for a camera or darkroom again.Development chemicals can be kept and used again. And so on.

COSTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Experience design in this project is all about the self. However, practically, it would be a remarkable feat to achieve the adventure alone.With this in mind, my project, this book and the whole experience would not be possible without the following people, and my heartfelt thanks and respect goes out to them:

(in no particular order)Ali, Alex, Stewart, Joe, Tom, James, Laurie, Lawrence, Paul, Francisco, Tomas, Jason, Justin, Mary, Millie, Kaethe, Emily, Emilie, Euan, Leo, Susan, Rach, Jonas, James, Dan, Mike, Albert, Lawrence, Ewan, Thomas, B&Q Woolwich, Alma Leather, Everyone in the Goldsmiths Design workshop, The collected staff and customers of The Royal Albert, Matt Ward, Jimmy Loizeau & Laura Potter, Martin Conreen & the rest of the BA Design staff, Chris Price for letting me do tests in the out-of-bounds darkroom and Lucy & Charlie for putting up with me and producing a beautiful document.

All of these people (and probably others that I have missed out) provided an invaluable contribution to this project. Without whom anti-routine, fleeing monotony and escaping repetition would not exist. Without whom you, the worker as the potential adventurer, would not exist.

THE AUTHOR

Nicholas M Stevenson (b.1988) is about to complete his final year of undergraduate study, reading interdisciplinary design at Goldsmiths, University of London. Born in Nottingham but growing up split between there and London, his work mainly explores the relationship between people and the recorded image, but can be occasionally found doing projects relating (and not limited to) graphic design, film production, illustration, typography and creative writing.When not buried in a book or working on a project, he can be found riding a bicycle, drinking a pint of tasty bitter, making a coffee or having an adventure somewhere.

Do get in touch if you’d like to know more. He knows some great spots to take lunch.

Written as a companion to the author’s 2012 undergraduate design studies, FINDING THE ESCAPE offers to the contemporary would/could- be adventurer some of the core skills and advice needed to take on the world and make it a bigger place.

FINDING THE ESCAPE is a self- designed and published work, printed on 100gsm paper by Goldsmiths College Reprographics Services, set in Frutiger Next and Le Monde Livre.