About XPLR

Calling all creative individuals passionate about art and urban exploration! XPLR is a Philadelphia-based photography+biking club.

A camera is your license to explore the world and your relationship to it. Where has your license taken you recently? Part inspiration part perspiration, XPLR (explore!) events seek to unite individuals that are passionate about art and urban exploration. Meetings take place at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) steps. The actual subject matter and shooting location will be kept secret until the day of the event and will be disclosed at the PMA. Join us in our pursuit of creativity, or just for a fun bike ride.

MEETING TIMES
Photo rides happen once a month. You will be alerted by email (sign up for the listserv). Converge at the PMA steps.

HUH? WHAT DO I DO?
Bring your camera and your bike to the art museum steps. Nothing else is needed although XPLR’ers are often found wearing red hats. A map will be provided to you at the PMA outlining the secret location with clear boundaries of where pictures are allowed to be taken and a route showing how to get there. No map reading skills are required however since we can bike over together. Locations could be anything from architecture such as the Ben Franklin bridge, neighbourhoods like Fishtown, trails such as Kelly drive or even abandoned buildings. No expensive camera is needed for this since the story your pictures convey will matter most. Besides, composition composition composition. Please don’t be shy to bring your point and shoot camera. Alternatively, you can get killer pictures with Lomo cameras as well which go for <$100. You have one week from the assignment date to share your beautiful pictures with the group by uploading them to our flickr group.*

* Members: tag all your photos with XPLR, and the name of the event as shown in the assignment description (see past events).

HISTORY
XPLR started on a freezing wintery day in January of 2008. Since then more than one thousand pictures have been uploaded to the group pool, twenty photo rides have been undertaken, and more than sixty miles have been covered. Our one year anniversary is coming up!