Saffron,
Your
question is really driving me crazy since I feel like I know exactly what you
are looking for, but can's seem to locate the appropriate link. The best I can
do is describe the process used to achieve the look. The images I saw a couple
of years back were made by a simple pinhole camera of interesting
construction.
A 5
inch length was cut from a cardboard tube (larger in diameter than a paper
towel roll). In each end was placed rubber stoppers, like those used for
shipping tubes for posters and such. Each stopper was fitted with a pinhole
"lens" in the center, the size of which was drilled to expose midway
through the tube (2.5 inches)--you still with me? A tabbed piece of tape was
placed over each pinhole to make a crude shutter of sorts.
A
piece of 4x5 sheet film was placed in the tube using a changing bag. The
loaded camera was aimed at the subject and held stationary while the tape was
lifted from one end (You'll need to calculate the appropriate exposure. There
are web sites that can tell you the size of pinhole you need and exposure, let
me know if you need them). THEN the tube was flipped over and the OTHER end
had the tape lifted--both sides were now exposed--basically two 360 degree
images shot twice but barely overlapping in the center.
The
resulting images were bizarre. The images I saw were primarily of the
photographer's face (self portraits), but his faced was warped and teeth were
coming his forehead, eyes in his neck etc. They appeared as severely deformed
faces.
Keep
in mind that the diameter of the tube needs to be large enough so when the
sheet film is placed in the tube the ends do not overlap.
I
hope this helps. A simple image would have make this much easier, but I'll be
damned if I can find one!
Mark
Thanks for your suggestions, Dan, and for the
great site you suggested.
I really mean in camera effects because
photoshop and computers are a closed book to me.
The nearest example I can think of is a recent
article on the work of James Fee in the latest edition B&W magazine and
the title was 'Retreating man' in case anyone has seen that.( I can't find
it on a website. ) I don't know how this particular image was achieved
though, as Fee evidently did a lot of work on his prints in the
darkroom.
I have seen similar effects to the one I
am looking for when photographs are taken through heat haze or like the
headless swimmer by Kertesz, but also in 'normal' conditions. If I can track
down some more examples I shall come back to the list - meantime, many
thanks.
Best wishes,
Saffron.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2006 5:55
PM
Subject: Re: OT question and
Hello
Welcome to the
list!
Could you point us to a web site with examples similar to
what you'd like to achieve, just so we are on the same page image-wise?
Thanks.
It's not clear if you want to get this anamorphic look
in-camera or if you're willing to play in Photoshop a bit. Hunt Witherill
has done some stunning floral work in which he has "bent" the image
structure using the Polar Coordinates filter (Filter>Distort>Polar
Coordinates). You can see some examples at the following:
http://www.neartexpress.com/artist/Huntington_Witherill.html
If
you are using CS2, there are also some new warping tools found in the
Edit>Transform>Warp menu. Lots of fun and a great opportunity to
waste time. ;^)
Hope this helps,
Dan
Saffron Branfoot wrote on 10/15/06, 3:05 AM:
I would like to make some images of my partner going
about his work, so will use MF, and would like to achieve for some of
them an 'anamorphic' look that I have seen elsewhere. It is not just
that the image is out of focus, but that it takes on a strange shape. I
nearly achieves this in one image where he was walking away and was in
the background of a shot. Is this the way it is done, can anyone tell
me? I would like to have a fairly extreme example of this - a suggested
shape in the landscape to counter balance the more prosaic shots I
already have - I would be so grateful for any
advice.
--
www.DanBurkholder.com
www.TinyTutorials.com