The subject my image represents is anamorphic photography.
anamorphic: producing various optically distorted images. [among other definitions]; true anamorphic illusions need to be viewed at a particular extreme angle to be seen for what they really represent. My image is not one of those, but rather presents an anamorphic distortion akin to what you might see in a funhouse mirror. For the optical illusions (and not just using photography), see anamorphosis.
I was reading up on pinhole photography and how certain artists used various techniques to produce anamorphic distortions in their photos, and it gave me the idea to try to reproduce the effect using a digital cam and a couple of "pinhole" slits.
I attached 2 s-curved slits to my camera at particular mm lengths from each other; the first slit (closest to the sensor) was shorter than the second slit (farthest from the sensor), according to mathematical calculations I won't bore you with here. I then tried out shots by twisting the 2nd, farthest slit a number of ways (so that it was at different orientations to slit no. 1.) to create varying degrees of distortion in the image (you can see the effect dimly through the viewfinder as you set up the shot).
I had to cut a number of slits before I got ones that were thin enough to better approximate "sharp" pinhole focus - the wider the slit/pinhole, the fuzzier the image, so I did aim for the narrowest I could manage with my X-acto knife; I suppose if I had a laser I could have managed something even thinner, but I had to draw the line somewhere. :)
I developed my digital pinhole/slit modification from reading various sections of the following two excellent references on the topic of pinhole and homemade cameras:
Pinhole Photography, Eric Renner
Adventures with Pinhole and Home-Made Cameras, John Evans
The pinhole/slit mod:
This image is not cropped. I don't get to say that very often. :)
I put a lot of work into getting this image and I really like how this turned out, particularly how it looks painting-like. Hopefully not too many voters will think I just photoshopped the effect, or took a picture of artwork...
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This is really cool and interesting and not achieved by the methods I imagined at all. (I was thinking a distorted reflection). I'm sorry that your efforts and ingenuity were not better rewarded, but I am going to take inspiration from your creativity and give this a try. Thank you for the detailed information.
I have nominated this in the posthumous underappreciated thread.
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