(Updated) Have a digital camera? Want to help with an art experiment?

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

Thanks to everyone who replied!
I am going to try to set something up for next week. I'll post the details here and/or email people directly. I'm not even going to ask what day/evening/times would work for people since trying to coordinate schedules/times would be insane - but it got me wondering if there is some free scheduling web site out there (or code that I can post on my web site. I did a quick search but didn't see anything that was easy: no big deal log-in or registration kind of thing, etc. Some sort of Venn diagram type thing where a person can enter days/times and it is easy to see where the common open times are.

Anyway, stay tuned, and thanks!

--Roy


So you have probably seen examples of a stop motion photo animation technique that was popularized a few years ago: an array of cameras pointed at the same subject, all triggered at the same time so that when the resulting photos are seen in sequence, the motion is stopped but the camera viewpoint animates. It's fun but a bit tired by now. I've been thinking of some alternative approaches to this and have been thinking along the lines of a photo mob or swarm.





So here's the rough idea: what if a group of people with digital cameras of some sort (high end, low end, cell phone camera, whatever) were to focus their attention (and cameras) on one object or scene in a coordinated or choreographed way, taking pictures at the same time in sequence. I am wondering what the resulting series of images would look like if they were collaged together, or shown in sequence. How would the variables of "noise" (timing, camera type, framing, focus, etc.) shape the resulting image sequence? For example: a portrait shoot: someone stands in the middle of a circle of 15 or so photographers standing sholder to shoulder. In a coordinated way we shoot 6 or 7 images of the person. Maybe we move one step to the left, squat a bit and shoot 6 more, and so on. I'm having trouble pre-visualizing what the resulting images would look like. Interesting? Stupid? Same for how to put them together into an overall portrait.

Of course I imagine that the act of doing it would be fun and stupid enough to want to try it. And... if it was *really* fun and stupid then scaling up so that we line the Davis Sq. traffic island, or the triangle block bounded by Mike's, Christo's and the ex-Sauce. I think that could be hilarious. The resulting imagery?? Who knows - A QTVR object, a long photo panorama, a 3D object? Hard to say without seeing the source photos.

This is sort of Edward Muybridge meets David Hockney meets Oliver Herring meets those lame photo book projects of a few years ago (the "a day in..." ilk). This could be something like 29 seconds in Davis Square...

Anyway, this is something that I am going to start working on soon and I don't know enough people with digital cameras so I thought I would put it out here. I want to start with something really simple- like a portrait session. Meet up at Diesel or my place in the Sq. and do some tests. It might be a lame, dead end idea. Drop me a line if you are interested in playing. There are no requirements aside from having a digital camera of some sort and knowing what button to press. I would need you to sign a release granting me non-exclusive rights to use your photos in whole or part. If the resulting work is editionable (i.e. not a unique item) I would provide you with a proof. So if you have a free hour, a camera and/or you want your portrait done, drop me a line.

Comments

the new Flash Mob?

[cthulhia]

I have a minolta dimage X. let me know when.
(ljname@lj)