FAQ

The cameras are one-time-use ("disposable") Fujifilm Quicksnap cameras (400ASA) handed out annually to 100 participants at St Paul's Cathedral every summer. They have seven days to capture photos of London.​The camera, a Fujifilm Quicksnap, comes with a built-in flash. The range of the flash is usually up to 3 metres. There are 27 exposures on the film.

Anyone who has experienced sleeping rough qualifies for a free QuickSnap camera at the annual MYLONDON handout, with the exception of people who have already appeared in more then two of the annual MYLONDON calendars. The criteria has had to be changed from any vulnerable person who is in danger of homelessness so that we can focus more on the issue of rough sleeping, although many of the participants have already been rehoused.

We visit art groups run by homelessness sector organisations in the weeks leading up to the camera handout and give basic training in how to use the camera. On the day of the camera handout we also give some training to the participants.

Because of Covid-19, most of our activities were cancelled in 2020. Normally participants are given a set of colour and a set of black and white photos. They can pick them up from the Crypt of St Paul's Cathedral on the day we choose five photos each for the exhibition.

The participants are offered the negatives but if they don't want them we will store them in a locked storeroom. Participants can ask for their negatives back at any time.

Copyright of the photos and images is owned by the participants. However if an image is already published or a copy of it sold it can't be taken off that publication (for example the annual MyLondon calendar).

When the certificates are handed out £2,000 in prize money is shared between the 20 winning photographers. If photos are sold on the website, the photographer earns 50% of the profit after the printing and postage costs are taken out (£10 per photo sold).

The calendar is sold on the same basis as The Big Issue magazine, with those selling the calendar earning money from calendars sold. If they work in the market on an official MyLondon table they can earn 50% of the price of each calendar sold. Some of the vendors who are involved with this project are the photographers, but not all photographers choose to sell. Likewise, some people who sell are not winning photographers.

Everyone who participates in the project can choose three photos to be exhibited in the exhibition which will be hung in Spitalfields Arts Market or somewhere outdoors in the last half of 2021. Twenty photos will be chosen by the judges, featuring representatives from Fujifilm, The Royal Photographic Society, Homeless Link, Amateur Photographer and a formerly homeless photographer. All previous top 20 or 25 selections are on this website.

The 2026 calendars, greeting cards and photographs are being be pre-sold on our website from August. The vendors will be selling in Spitalfields Market and in Elizabeth line stations from October on

Yes, there is a detailed release form that the participants sign when they pick up the camera.​Lastly, help spread the talents of these artists and the work of Café Art by sending an email to your friend(s) here.