Street Panoramas Book

I’ve been intending to make a shelf-challenging book of panoramic photos for a long time but the intended size has even intimidated me, so in the meantime, I’ve put together a small, pocket-sized, version. Entitled, Small Book Big City, this is a limited edition of only ten copies and to ease the pain of the size versus price ratio it comes with a print (approx 20″ / 50cm long) of one of the images. You can see all the pictures in the book and find out more, here.

Cover Panorama

This picture has made it onto the cover of the new LIP magazine. The printing looks a little light for my taste but I like the way the designer made it wrap onto the back cover with the spline on the edge of the shop window, although I can imagine some people not realising that the picture continues.

Micklepage Weekend

The last time I went to Micklepage was nearly two years ago for a Paul Trevor workshop. This time it was Chris Steele-Perkins and Mark Power doing a day each. There can’t be many ways to hear two Magnum photographers talk in the level of detail that events like this allow. This and the previous event were run by IPSE. I’m not a member but I imagine if you’re in the South East it might be worth joining.

This and another Cyclops picture will be in the LIP Annual Exhibition next month - click here for more information and bigger versions.

Demolition

I’ve had a manic four weeks editing video for a DVD and teaching two days a week. Things have calmed now so I’m back to scanning Cyclops negatives like this one.

Entry No. 103

Another Cyclops picture.

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We are all becoming more used to the sound of our own voices.

Cyclops Again

Since my first Cyclops is currently in a thousand pieces awaiting motorisation I was tempted by a Mark I version of the same camera. I’m happy to report that the new one seems to be working pretty well (click on the thumbnail).

I should also mention that The Barbican coughed up a refund and offered complimentary tickets to a another showing of the Eggleston film mentioned in the previous post.

Dead Camera III: It Lives

I managed to put the Cyclops back together and although it’s not perfect it has improved. It seems I managed to put the loose lens element back in the right place but it still needs some adjustment. I think the lens needs to start from slightly further around because I’m getting a dark area at the start of the swing. This means I’m losing about 1 cm of the 155 x 55 mm negative (could be worse!). There is some evidence of camera shake - the lens movement is fairly violent - but it would be a shame not to be able use it for handheld pictures.

You can also see a bigger version (edit - pic removed) and one other from this morning.

[Update: added a page (Feb '04) on the Cyclops].

Diary of a Dead Camera

No pictures from the new camera because it turned out that the suspicious noise was an element of the lens loose inside, so I only had three rolls of very blurry pictures. It was dissapointingly difficult to open up the camera and of course, the lens was the hardest part to get to. I’ve glued the glass back into the mount and repositioned it in what I hope is the right place. I should be able to get the rest of it back together but this is turning into more of a project than I’d intended.

Panoramic

I’ve been thinking about getting into panoramic photography again. Previously I’ve done 360s as QTVRs, but recently I’ve been looking at partial (less than 360) pictures.

I wanted to avoid 35mm but medium format panoramic cameras tend to be quite expensive. Then, just before Easter, in the process of selling an old lens on ebay, I noticed and bought this beast on the left.

Here’s a view of the top.

It was described as a “cyclops” and apparently made in the USA in the 1990s. There is no brand or model name on the camera. It produces a 6×17cm negative so that’s only 4 shots on a roll. I haven’t been able to find much mention of it on the web so if you know anything, please let me know. It appears to work and I’ve put 3 rolls through it today. If the pictures are any good I’ll post them here. In fact, I might post them here even if they aren’t. Update: I made a Cyclops page.