Through the Looking Glass?

[pyat]

momentrabbit noted that some owners of antique cameras do something called "Through the Viewfinder" photography, to create images that might resemble actual shots taken with their cameras. A quick initial effort produced some grainy, muddy images of the dining room chandelier with a couple of balloons hanging from it.


It looks like a photo from a particularly unsuccessful Soviet moonshot in 1960.

Of course, the setup was suboptimal. For the best quality photo, I would need... SCIENCE. So, I sat down and made... AN APPARATUS.


BEHOLD!




Nice and dark, with the viewfinder clearly visible.


Closer! Who is this mysterious woman with a blue teapot?


velvetpage, of course.

Now, I should also point out that this is not an accurate reflection of what actual photos would look like. The viewfinder lenses are cloudy and scratched, and the reflective mirrors inside are pitted with rust. The actual camera lenses looks fine. I think I'll get some film.

Comments

[asqmh.livejournal.com]

I actually happen to have a high end older (film) camera! I think I may try this.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Please do! :)

[melstra.livejournal.com]

What a cool effect! I never thought of trying that, perhaps mostly because of the parallax issue-- if you don't have a single lens reflex, looking through the viewfinder is somewhat pointless as far as knowing what the actual picture would look like.BUT,I just love the photos you came up with-- the last in particular really looks like an old daguerrotype or similar, esp with the cut of Erin's blouse and the teapot-- she could be stepping out of the 1800s! Very neat!

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Although, most of her blouse is the back of her laptop computer. ;) Thanks!

[melstra.livejournal.com]

Hm, yes, now that you mention it I can see that. But it looks strangely like a square necked blouse and the symbol on the laptop looks like a pendant. At least, if you're squinting and have a yesteryear mindset. :-D

[pyat.livejournal.com]

*nods!* It definitely looks impressively antique.

[momentrabbit.livejournal.com]

Niiiice! And yes, actual shots through the camera will likely be very different. (My mirror is pitted, too. It seems to be a common trend.)

[pyat.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering if it's just polished metal or something.

[sixteenbynine.livejournal.com]

They're actually quite lovely.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

They are very distinct - like fingerprints.

[leonard-arlotte.livejournal.com]

Wow, you canadians have a funny name for Macaroni and Cheese.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

That's the original brand name. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraft_Dinner)

Which reminds me -- remember our Best Foods/Hellman's conversation the other day?

We saw a Hellman's ad on A CALIFORNIA STATION within a day or two of that, and I totally freaked out.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

We eat more per captia than any other nation! Yay!

[kfops.livejournal.com]

Dude, I just got back from a concert, and now my camera wants Kraft Dinner, too!

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Was it a BNL concert?

[kfops.livejournal.com]

What, you kids think I'm made of one million of your dollars? Oy vey!