New Hope for BLIND Photographers!

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gwrhino

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Sep 19, 2002
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Now there is new hope for blind photographers!

I am working on a fully articulated robotic digital view camera, complete with algorithisms that has nearly every masterwork by virtually every famous photographer in its database. GPS, real time monitor. Auto perspective, auto movements (focus), and naturally, auto exposure. If you are a sighted photographer, you can turn the camera on and send it out to shoot, looking through the remote on your computer screen and compose yourself. For the unsighted, simply turn on the camera in auto mode, and let the camera utilize the algorithisms to make its own images. It comes complete with a bad picture alert (which right now sounds like a truck backing up).

If working in the monitored mode, it also has an uplink to the copyright office in DC and can let you lnow if you are close to infringement. (Four different warnings can appear. #1 Close but OK #2 getting dangerously close to another image #3 lawsuit being prepared right now #4 why don't you just scan (insert famous photographers name here_________) image and put your name on it?"))

If you admire John Sextons work, Just program "mode Sexton" and it will provide images in the Sexton style. Or if you prefer abstact, just hit "mode Siskind". Of course all "the majors" have their own mode, Ansel, Wyn Bullock etc. (caution is urged for children when using the "mode Meatyard" as they may find the images may be frightening and "mode Mapplethorpe" comes with a standard decency warning indicating that the results may be objectionable to some)

Now the unsighted or the "sighted challenged" can make images as good as Muench, Dykinga, or Sextion. Simply enter the desired location on the GPS, hit the power switch and go back to sleep! All from the comfort of your resort hotel room.

This unique view camera will not be offered in any of the usual photography markets; it will only be retailed through the Sharper Image. Orders being taken now!!
 

scootermm

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Jun 10, 2004
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part of me really doesnt find this amusing or funny.


perhaps its the part of me thats knows Im losing my job...

bc another part of me does find it funny.
 

mark

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Nov 13, 2003
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That was funny! Could you possibly design something that would take my place at work so I can go out and shoot. Hell while your at it how about a Honey Do robot.
 

Aggie

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sad thing is, I could see someone making it for real. I too found it funny.
 

bmac

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Don't get me wrong, I find it funny too. But I think it should be in the lounge, not in the LF section. The lounge is set up for jokes, off topic threads, and things that don't fit in with the main content of the site. This thread meets all three criteria.
 

removed account4

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couple of questions for you since you are making the camera ...

will it "gang register" images with the copyright office ?
will there be a "cheesy - velvet painting mode"?
lastly, will the resolution of the final image compare to the R-14 (?), you know that digital camera that guy made because he didn't realize you could get film in ULF sizes.
 
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gwrhino

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Joined
Sep 19, 2002
Messages
9
Basically, this flight of fancy came around while I was sitting around with a bunch of friends drinking beer while talking about the effect of auto everything cameras on the business, when we started joking about how all that the camera left for the operator to do was to see. Well, why not a camera where one didn't need to see? Talking to my former engineering buddies, they all agreed this was possible, but almost universally agreed that the robotics would be the limiting factor at this time, not as I expected, the algorithisms for shape and form.

My father has just descended into virtual blindness from macular degeneration; he can see just a bit at the edges (shapes lights etc). He's been experimenting with digital, enlarging images hugely and scrolling around on a monitor looking at the details. (looks very weird as he actually has to look away from the monitor to see anything at all.) He shoots mostly family type images, but some of them are quite good. We've been kidding him...not bad for a blind man, that kind of stuff.

Anyway, due to my dads condition, I have been musing about the strength of such offerings and how the art world in general would approach such a situation. I had a friend that once tried an unsighted photographic project. He tied an auto everything camera with remote to the neck of his Saint bernard with a self designed circuit to automatically fire the thing every 5 minutes. The premise was that a randomly fired camera would eventually come up with a good image.

He then let the dog roam the neighborhood. Results of the dog pictures were mixed - lots of blank walls and sides of cars (Lots of time spent marking territory, I assume) - and 2 images of (other dogs) butts, but one image was really good (low level street photography).

So, does the dogs image speak for itself? By that I mean does the compositional power (of the random image) superceed the lack of intent by a human operator?

(While not a totally apt comparison, Beethoven wrote beautiful music after he was deaf.......)
 
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