Ryan Beam

ryan beam

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me

Cardboard Cameras

Homemade cameras and original photographs from my 2023 plunge into the world of film photography. From cardboard boxes to modified Kodak Brownies, see how and what I shoot using glass plates, tintypes, cyanotypes, sheets and rolls.

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Mechanical Puzzles

Since 2016, I've been designing and prototyping original mechanical puzzles (similar to Rubik's Cube) using CAD and 3D printing. Around 2020, I started pitching and selling my designs to established toy companies-- see some of my work here.

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Cartography

I love making informational maps of all types, but I also use geospatial analysis in my own research projects, linking local climate factors to flower phenotypes and creating lunar landing site suitability models. See some of my favorite maps here.

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Architecture Studies

Sometimes I carry out photographic and design studies of buildings that I spend a lot of time in, which usually culminate in 3D printed miniatures. Among the examples included here are my dormitory at UC Berkeley and the Cannon House Office Building in Washington DC.

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Industrial Design

Personal (non-puzzle) design projects that I have no interest in developing further, commercially or otherwise. These projects came to their respective halts at all stages of the design process; they range from sketches to early prototypes to commercially viable products.

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Engineering Projects

I studied mechanical engineering for my first 2.5 years at Berkeley. Eventually I realized I was happier sticking to the low-cost development hardware and "maker" mindset that I first discovered in high school. These personal projects date back to those early days.