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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X-ray movie film ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Process ektachrome in the versamat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Make a high speed camera from a Pringle's can. Wind the film inside the can in a spiral, against the inside surface. Put a mirror inside on a rod, and at a 45 degree angle. Use a lens to aim some image into the end of the can, at the mirror. Spin the mirror and move the rod from one end of the can to the other. Or keep the mirror & rod still, and spin the can (which is probably a better way, now that I mention it). You would probably need a rotating shutter of some sort, or a special mirror, unless you wanted a high speed drum streak camera. This original idea will cost you one 6-pack of Pilsner Urquell. The readily available and cheap Pringle's can should not be overlooked when searching for M&P projects. It could also be used as a film drying cabinet, a developing tank, an enlarger, a pinhole camera, and a light box. So save those Pringles cans. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two Words: Infrared Porno -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A 35mm camera that has a built-in halftone screen at the film plane. You could shoot little tiny halftones from "live" subjects by loading the camera with litho film. This idea will cost you a 6-pack of Michael Shea's. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Build a special camera that fits in the grille of your car. It could be pointed down at the road to photograph roadkill. Of course, it would be a high-speed camera of some sort; you would have to determine the best design to employ in order to get sharp pictures of road. Alternate use: Expose the film whenever you are speeding and a cop passes you. You could then have a photographic record of your speed! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photoshop "custom" filter settings that will simulate the following: Sabattier effect Solarization "Flashing" Intensification/Reduction Accidentally moving your paper during exposure Different developers/dilutions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I did find a system to SCAN the surface of the road. Using a modified 35mm camera that has a slit on the film plane. Using 12vdc from my WAGON, I was able to power the motor that moved the film across the slit in the back of the camera. Students interested in this and many other IMAGING techniques should look into Andy's PHOTOINSTRUMENTATION class. There are three quarters of it, all different! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also, you could use a drum camera: drum diameter=wheel size. Power the drum by a friction-flywheel transverter transducer connected to the wheel. This would allow the drum to exactly match the speed of the wheel, which should give you exact film-road sync. The only trick then is to open & close the slit at the right moment... Anyway--here is another idea: A computer program that controls a densitometer, or at least saves the data generated from it. I thought someone was working on this, and if so, I should love to see it! I would pay a six-pack of Heinekin to borrow it. Two six-packs if it connects to and runs on a Mac. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My local video store has huge plate glass windows. The video boxes are all faded and look really really terrible. I think they need a uv coating on their windows. An enterprising student could fabricate several clear plastic video sleeves or covers and test different uv coatings: clear paints, lacquers, films, etc. A photographic evidence of effectiveness would probably be a pretty good m&p project, IMHO. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anyway, here is another project idea. (I wish other people besides Dave would offer their ideas, it would be more... something. Not that there's anything WRONG with Dave, of course. Except that magnet.) Calibrate your light meter in standard light bulb wattage increments, instead of EV. Now, someone ELSE should post a possible use for such a meter. This idea will cost you one Becks from the bottom of your 'fridge. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By the way: Cool Colt is a mint-flavored malt liquor. The labels are light blue, of course. Anyway, it tastes like shi_. Try it today! Project Idea: Two words: Beer Filter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yeah, sure. You could test how filtering with different brands of beer affects the response of the film. It would also be interesting to see what all those bubbles do to the final image.... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hand colored b&w negs, printed in color. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I dunno if this has been brought up before (I forget so quickly), but how about jello filters? both liquid and solid? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think almost any translucent food would be a good filter. I also submit that any food can be translucent with a strong enough light source. Anyway, as far as M & P projects go, filters are always a decent exploration, especially in conjunction with some characteristic of the photo process: B&W paper, red dye layers, tonal range, etc. IDEA: Reverse schlieren. (possible demo Fri @ 7) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image to audio conversions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Audio to image data conversion. Old idea, but possibly cool project. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill also has built a rocket plane. he took one of those balsa wood gluiders, reinforced it, put a C engine on it and it flys. the first time we tried it the wings broke off. as soon as spring comes i think we're going to play around with this more. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, the rocket fascination is strong in this one. Use the AC power supply, Puke. Andy-wan, is that you? What should I do? Give in to your terran urges, weakling... Use the kinematics you learned in Physics, Puke. Scarf will relent. Your flight is my power. Give it to me. Oh, Andy-wan, the power of the slide rule is too strong... I have already sapped your 6-volt. Give in to the power of the slide rule. Use the Newton, Puke. My NEWTON! Scarf will not ground me. The power of the Newton... It is our only hope, Puke. You are almost mine, now, young rebel. ...leaves me only one choice: 3...2...1... NO! ...DIE SCARF SCHRAEDER! Wait a minute... This thing doesn't work... The Newton is broken... You have neglected friction, you embicile. Your flight is hereby SCRUBBED! Give your urges over to the slide rule. Puke, can you hear me? Yes, Andy-wan? I forgot to tell you something. What? Just because the Newton is digital, doesn't mean it is more accurate. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photoshop "custom" filters settings or "Arbitrary" curves that produce the effect of cross-processing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Idea for the M & P Projects and M & P Tutoring: Create a new topic in the Photography conference. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three words: DIY electrophotography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Idea: Post test dates, statistical results, and review dates. Also, study group want-ads. Also: On-line M&P tutoring, with the entire photo school at your disposal (almost) for FREE. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Document the differences in all versions of one film product, such as Plus-X 35mm, 120, sheet, and movie. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Report on the State of Crime Scene Photography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statistical Analysis of the Kodak Create-a-Print (Color accuracy or gamut, tone repro, etc. etc.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Determine the location of the IR focusing mark on a 4x5 inch view camera -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Track the tone repro characteristics and keep an SPC (statistical process control) log for a copy machine or a laser printer to which you have access over a period of 10 weeks, sampling daily. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- determine the exposure accuracy of the built-in meters in various point-n-shoot cameras. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- set up a time-lapse system to record the activity on the vax terminal in tech alley process color paper using the pods from polaroid film. try Rit dyes to tone papers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- man, i thought of a great project yesterday while reading the paper. darn, i can't remember. Hmmmm..................................................................... ..................................... Uh, something about measuring speed. hmm. OH YES!!!!!! OK. OK. This one is great. OK. OK. Let's say you have a closed and CONTROLLED camera/processing loop. OK. Here's the M & P Project; it's sort of a puzzle: Construct a calibration system that uses DENSITY to determine the speed of a moving car. Let's hear your ideas; then I'll share MY solution (which surely is not the only way!). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three words: DIY electrophotography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Put a coin-operated densitometer or tri-x processor in tech alley. Think about it, baby. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two words: Gerbil agitation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- two words: Edible Emulsions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great idea, Edible Emulsions! It's already jello... Here's a follow up to my challenge on calibrating density to measure the speed of an object in a closed loop. Let's say you are trying to measure the speed of the belt in the cafeteria that takes the dirty plates into the scullery. (Assume that the belt has a threshold of speed above which the belt will break, the belt will wear out, or the plates will fly off; and that you need to check this speed and regulate it on a regular basis to a high degree of precision; and that the belt doesn't change in length significantly over time (<.01mm/year), and that the belt will be used for a few years.) If you attach a white card or crash-test-dummy style target to the belt, and photograph it every day with the same camera, same film emulsion, same lighting, and same everything, and subsequently process the film identically each day, you should be able to detect variances in the speed of the target on the film by measuring the density on film each day with the same densitometer, subsequently creating a body of data over 10 years or so that will allow you to look up the density in a table to see if the belt was moving too fast on a particular day, compared to others days when the belt was obviously moving too fast (plates flew off) and to other days when the belt _seemed_ to be moving at an acceptable speed, but was in fact moving very slightly too fast, causing wear which was discovered only many weeks later (and identified in the data, plotted as a q-c graph, manifested as an upward curve, or trend) due to breakage or slippage; this would of course only improve the reliability of the calibrated body of density data, thus improving predictability and confidence in the density=speed conclusions each day. I know that in a practical sense, no one has ten years to devote to an M&P project, but if this method were applied in a more condensed fashion, a body of data could be gathered describing the characteristics of the belt behavior over the period of one day, and take into account the effect of the weight of various combinations of utensils on the belt speed, and these differences and variations added to the data in order to account for specific speed changes in the course of a day due to plates or forks on the belt rather than wear or stretching, or motor variances. This idea will cost you a six-pack of Makeson's Milk Stout. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- re: QC of cafeteria belt Great project idea! Since you have basically solved the logistics already could you put some finishing touches on the op-stats including recommedned camera, lens focal length, tripod, film, exposure time, lighing, time of day pictures should be taken, operator gender, flash, and any other applicable influential parameters. It would make executing the plan(er) so much more effective! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Ps? I'll get back to that. > re: QC of cafeteria belt > Great project idea! Since you have basically solved the logistics > already could you put some finishing touches on the op-stats including > recommedned camera, lens focal length, tripod, film, exposure time, > lighing, time of day pictures should be taken, operator gender, flash, > and any other applicable influential parameters. > It would make executing the plan(er) so much more effective! Stab in the darK: Camera: 4 x 5 view camera with scratchy lenses and holes in bellows. No, ;-). Sharp and clean. Lens: Normal Tripod: the little bean-bag "beanpod" from CC for ~$5 Film: Nude infrared color x-ray aerial 160mm movie film Exposure: f/8 at 1/125; bracket like a madman Lighting: vivitar 283 with infrared x-ray filter Time of day: high noon Operator Gender: scullery belt: male, camera: close to neutral Other parameters: a support staff of experienced food-removal technicians, tele-video conferencing operators, censors, and bird trainers. And PLENTY OF MONKEYS! You gotta have MONKEYS!! I hope that helps. Anyone who wants to try this project, please contact me to fill out a few simple forms, and we'll get you set up with your very own Cafeteria-Belt Preventive Maintenance Monitoring System with Quality-Control Tracking and Wearout Prediction Modules. properpriorplanningproducespisspoorperformance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By the way: The cafeteria belt was only an example of a problem to which you could apply the density=speed calibration challenge issued in a previous note, and boys and girls have some time during finals week to think of some applications for this technique, SO GET ON IT. IMMEDIATELY. Here, I'll give you an alternative (tawlk amongst yahselves): Come up with a list of all the people in the world who have contributed at least 1% of the universe's photography knowledge. Post your lists here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More on the Cafeteria Belt problem: The concept is simple. Simply calibrate your densitometer to give a reading in miles per hour, instead of density. Related project: Calibrate your light meter to read ink dot percentages. This is TRUE measured photography. Hope everyone had a good break. I had a Mackeson's Milk Stout, a bottle of San Miguel from Philippines (with the slimy sediment), and a bottle of Anchor Porter. Speaking of beer: What is the REAL photog beer? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Using a security type motion detector, photograph people in an unusual location. Equipment: A remote triggering camera, 35mm suggested. A motion detector, I can lend one out! A L.S.D. trigger, made in winter instrumentation class. 1 great location, a place where people come and go. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- yeah, great idea you could do it right outside of Show World on Monroe Ave. or better yet outside of those little booths in Show World. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- if your lucky, you might even catch Doob there. ;^} -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I surprised little kids Halloween my freshman year. The pictures were made on my porch, with one or two flashes mounted by the door or by the railing. I sat in a chair on the porch smoking a pipe, with the camera on a tripod next to me, hidden by a box; a cable release was taped to the arm of the chair. "Trick or treat!!" POW!! AHHHH! What was THAT?? ...I don't know. You want some candy? Did you take our picture? no, no. I wouldn't do that! You want some candy or not? Uh...Yeah. hold out your bag! POW!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two words: temperature & color -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two words, via THS0067: Virtual Beer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take a camera apart and see what makes it tick. Obviously, a simple camera would be your best bet, since I doubt very many students are electronic wizards... You could try to improve the inner workings with a file or some glue here and there; or rework the mechanism; or refit the finder; or anything! I think it's a great project for M & P. Option 2: build your own camera, either from scratch, from spare parts, or both! Make it unique or specialized and you will learn a lot. Option 3: DIY enlarger. Think _slide projector_. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colorimetric analysis of Beers. (Cost vs. color) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure out a way to count the number of verticals and the number of horizontals shot by every photo class at RIT. If you decide to accept this quest, and achieve it, and post the results, then you will be elevated to net.god -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Make in-camera separations using other-than RGB filters and print the resulting negs on color paper in register. SEE WHAT HAPPENS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On a roll today. Determine the function which plots the curve for a given film. You will need calculus to do it right, but may be able to get GE results without calculus. (Good Enough) I saw this done in some Imaging Science journal article and it is kinda cool, if you're into that sort of thing. I remember the function looking something like: n 3 |\ log (e*x ) y = | log (a ) | ____________________ I'm not sure though. I know | 3 it looks bad, but it could be | log (e*y ) done, say, in Mathematica. Or \| log (b ) not. Anyway, I guess doing it 1 would allow you to plug in theoretical emulsion characteristics and actually plot the D-log H curves on a computer. The article is in the library _somewhere_, but I'd be willing to search my vast archives at home if someone really wanted it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Say, that reminds me. Here's a good project: Make the world's finest pinhole. I mean, don't worry about the camera; just make a pinhole. No, I'm serious. Really. It's both an art and a science. If you make the pinhole, they will come. That is, you can make the camera later---who cares about the camera? All it does is hold the film flat at a certain distance from the pinhole and keep light out. Big deal. Anybody can make a camera. Anything can serve as a camera. So what. BUT THE PINHOLE----now there's something! You make a great pinhole, and you got a GREAT image! I think you could devote your life to making fine pinholes and selling them: "Only the best, ma'am. Makes great pictures. 'Course, you'll have to build your own camera..." Any size from about 0.1mm to 2mm would be fine. Probably the bigger the better, in terms of crafting the absolute finest edge and most perfect surfaces. You would, of course, need to go about it with some nod to math: an edge spread function, Fourier transform, MTF, and some testing. But it could be done. You might even get in Guinness for the best pinhole the world has ever seen. Like I said, the camera is the easy part. It's almost a no-brainer. They got a formula, you plug in some numbers, you punch a few keys, you get the focal length. No big deal. But you could compare the focal length formula to akchooal testing, and, using your fine pinhole, turn the pinhole world on its ear by challenging or even (my god) _refuting_ the tried-and-true-and-sacred Pinhole Camera Focal Length Formula. So, anyway, build the pinhole and they will come. Remember, there's a lot to be said for pinholes. And they have no one to say it for them. Won't you help the pinholes speak? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Make an old Mac Plus into print washer or a developing tank or a hidden camera. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The hidden camera has been done, not in a Mac, but my father's business is CCTV. and he's but cameras into Cigarette packs, and Kleenex Boxes, as well as Sprinkler Head look-alikes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Hidden cameras. I have always suspected there was a camera above the crapper in the men's room on the 2nd floor... PS: Two words: destructive testing -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- determine the rotation rate of a coin that is spinning by photographic means. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- invent a photographic emultion that can be developed by microwave radiation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: microwave development The person who invents it will be an instant millionare. Related Idea: development by hot air. (yes, i know i have left myself wide open---so go ahead...) Related Idea: emulsion developable by Xerox rays -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two words: fire photography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fax to Film. Try to capture fax output onto litho film and print the results on photo paper. Add color and you have instant fine art. Or you could simply compare tone repro of fax, xerox, and various printers. Or take apart a fax machine. Or make a color fax (instant millionare). Or start a fax M&P info service, to broadcast grades, answers, or other trivia. Or use a fax machine as a scanner and write a reproduction profile for it. Use the fax scanner as a camera. Fax xeroxes. Xerox faxes. Scan faxed xeroxes. And print them. Then fax the printed scanned faxed xerox, and scan the faxed printed scanned faxed xerox, and print it. Put the fax scanner component on a copy machine. Start both. You will have approximately seven tenths of one second to have your last beer on earth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xerox reproductions of slides using some kind of supplemental illumination on the glass... Work it out, baby. No problemo. Adios. Caio. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just came across my M&P project report. It is the worst thing I have no. It is actually the funniest thing I have well, I will try to post it. Later. If I can find the disk. Anyway, here's the latest idea: Photograph (or _image_) the various vapors that are emitted from the human body. This might require some advanced emulsions or specialized imaging techniques. Or not. Hmmm. Another idea, just because I got out of Physics early: Make a film drying cabinet with a built-in illuminator so you can check your work before it's dry! Or how about making a sink and counter out of white plexiglas? Or combine a sink and an easle, and put an enlarger over it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Write a plug-in for Photoshop that simulates different states of drunkeness photographers might be in at the time of exposure. Take a series of pictures that break EVERY rule presented in M&P. Determine effects (qualitative & quantitative) of using different types of reels when developing film. Also, nail down what type of reel and tank combination is right for most of the situations photographers tend to find themselves in. Also, find a way (new design or new technique) to allow people to get film onto wet plastic reels. Test Velvia. Do a tone repro study of all the variables involved in photographing moving pictures (films or TV or QuickTime or flip books or whatever). Design a way to do dye-sub transfers. This would be similar to Polaroid transfers, except you'd use thermal dye-sub printer output (which is photo-like). It would probably involve some dangerous solvent!! See just what exactly the difference is between printing with a condenser vs a diffusion enlarger. You could print copy shots of your dye-sub transfers... Determine the psychological effects of filmless photography. Test the new Fuji Pictography dry silver printing thing. Attach a camera to the inside of a garbage truck. Make a developer (like you do in the labs) but instead of water, put in beer. Make ice lenses. Make a switch that trips depending on air pressure. The light from the sun is 8 minutes old. The light from other stars is 8 years old. The light from TV is 8 seconds old. The light from a Vivitar is 8 musecs old. Hmmm. You are still reading this. Go away. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Off we go to Physics. I highly recommend it for all photograhers. Truly inspiring. Especially after three Rorbachs. Today's Idea: To catch a falling photon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two words: rotisserie processing -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also here's an idea. Take two filters and put them in your sink (which has water with a high concentratre of food coloring) and screw the filters together. You will have colored filters of any color you want. I tried this and it worked From: "Robert J. Elliott"-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Donuthole photography. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Devise a standardized, reliable, scientific developer test kit. Include charts, graphs, test strips, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How many M & P students read this? If there is just ONE, would you, gentlestudent, please post a list of the recent M & P Projects presented to your M & P section this week? PLEASE! please. pretty please. with sugar on top and a cherry? please. pleasepostprojectsplease. please. p l e a s e ? pppppplllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeee. pls I betcha no M&P students even read notes at all. It doesn't matter, I'll probably ge -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I want to repeat my request that some good m&P student please post a list of the projects presented to your class. This is not a joke. If no list appears, I am going to do something drastic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like what? I'd like to know specifics. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't know about this year but two years ago we had tons o' light boxes! M+P project proposal, process film using roof water from the third floor lounge area (be careful and don't slip!). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Make in-camera separations using other-than RGB filters and print > the resulting negs on color paper in register. > SEE WHAT HAPPENS. I always wanted to do something similar with different IR films (Kodak, Konica) and print them. Since the different films have different sensitivities (are there enough i's in that word or what?) you could print that as different colors using different filters in the printing end. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I love the idea! IR seperations with filters, then printing the negs with still other filters is a great idea. Here's some ideas I have been too busy to post recently: 1. stereo microfilm 2. enlarger/camera combo 3. magnetic stripe or dx coding for Versamats 4. create-a-print from floppy or photocd 5. flashing & solarizing with electronic flash & colored filters 6. Live Picture vs Photoshop (blur, rotate, etc.) 7. remote-triggered pinhole cameras & their application 8. photo-reconstruction or recreation (forensic-style) 9. paired-comparison vs modified paired-comparison vs... 10. DIY lens coatings 11. Phony photo contest 12. 3-D slit scan --digital? 13. bubble ascent velocity in beer (spcfc.grav or density indicator?) 14. ni-cad vs alkaline vs those new eco-batteries for flash 15. pre-treating film or paper to alter exposure (dyes?) 16. photograph the inside of a drinking straw (or...?) 17. flying film--you're on your own 18. IR paper or printing IR pix onto polaroids (IR 'roids?) 19. IR TV or UV TV or TV as luminant 20. Xerox a TV 21. meter reliability in ozone-rich air, or fallout region 22. stroboscope linked to computer keyboard to record passwords More to follow, and let's hear from you wacky M&P students. This is the place for you...Really. I remain your humble mentor, er, servant. Um. Well. Gotta go. Gotta go bathe Grandma. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So what? M&P projects may be over, but the ideas live on! Long live M & P Projects! I'd still love to see ideas posted here. Please, please, post your ideas and let me bathe your grandma. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Worm Holocaust, revisited today my worm brothers, survivors of the last Big One die in vain one vein no brain one nerve, wiggling at first, withering and stretched long searching for. . . . ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ the wet earth, but not too wet. Forced out by floods, my tiny long brothers, the strong, are dead. Who remains? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two words: worm photograms -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two words: color temperture -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One Word: Dictionary "Color Temperature" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure out what kind of light it takes to burn out a CCD. Eclipse? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just pointing the ccd at the sun, w/o a lens/diaphragm will burn it out 1 pixel at a time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have an idea.. how about making an pinhole camera that uses infered film, chromes, vps films, different kind of materials to make the cameras from. Sounds good, Sorry I think I'm gonna do that one. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- .......... with many thanks to Bill Dodson, Chris Hoffmaster, Trent Siegel, Jennifer Bates, David Mersfelder, Doob, Toshia McCabe, Chris Kohanek (PPHM) and possibly one or more additional exceptionally weird Photo Techs. 1993-4 was a GREAT year! thanks, andy