Bun Fight
By Dirk HR Spennemann
1 Feb 2009
TTV (through-the viewfinder) cameras capture an image provided by the bubble-shaped viewfinder of older cameras. As a TTV image is commonly distorted at the margins it draws the eye to a (usually) central focal point. From there the image gets increasingly blurry, exuding a magical charm.
A TTV set up is comprised of a bottom camera that 'sees' the image and shows it in its viewfinder, and a top camera that records that image. The focal length of the top camera determines how far top and bottom camera have to be apart and thus the size of the resulting 'camera' design. Mine is quite long.
I constructed my TTV (through-the viewfinder) camera primarily because I like the dramatic focus drop off a TTV image when photographing historic architecture (see this story: http://www.jpgmag.com/stories/10405).
While in Sydney to shoot some heritage buildings, I found myself waiting for a ferry at Darling Harbour. The abundance of seagulls looking opportunistically for a free feed lent itself to try the TTV camera on these birds.
I set the lower end of the camera on the ground. Right in front of the lens I placed pieces of a bread bun of a truly forgettable hot dog. It did not take very long that the seagulls were emboldened to come and get the bits of bread, even though they had to come VERY close to me.
So what was it about my TTV set up that made the sea gulls so fearless? Lack of eye contact, I think. Kneeling down, sitting still and looking down through the viewfinder of my Nikon D300 I made no direct eye contact and thus posed no threat. Whenever I looked up, though, they scattered to a safer distance.
The resulting images, shot effectively at just below the eye level of the seagulls themselves, show sea gull behavior at its worst (or best, depending on your point of view).
I'll most certainly will try this technique with other animals.
3 responses
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Michael Adams gave props (1 Feb 2009):
Great series. I have been following your TTV shots for a while. Glad to see new things being tried. That setup that you showed must draw a lot of attention.
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Dirk HR Spennemann gave props (1 Feb 2009):
Thanks Michael..and yes, it does get attention. usually people think it's a huuuuuuge tele, esp. when you carry it around. When you use it, looking down into it, people approach you asking why you are focssing on your toes... ;-) then the double take...the aaah..
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Dirk HR Spennemann added a link (1 Feb 2009):
