Playing with Image Distortion

Hello, Im a new member here.

I've been curious about what sort of distortions one might be able to create being that everything is electronic. Id like to apply distortion much the same way guitarists play their guitars close to certain equipment. Certain effects can be created sonically. I want to apply this to images.

Does anyone else have an interest in this sort of stuff?

Bassically there are a couple things I need to figure out: 1) what if anything will cause distortion, and 2) what will/will not be safe for the equipment?

What do you mean distortion? While the image is being captured ot later in post production?

If it's the latter get yourself a copy of Photoshop. With PS, anything is possible. Any type of distortion you can imagine can be achieved.

Good question, I am talking about while it is being captured. All sorts of distortion go.

Lets keep PS completely out of this.

Then your going to have to modify the light hitting the sensor. Shooting with a filter or shooting through some distorting material is probably your best bet. Creative filters can get costly but distorting glass, like art glass, can be had pretty cheap. The effect will depend totally on the material you place in front of the lens. But try screens, cloth like cheesecloth, clear plastic, colored plastic, all types of stuff. Experiment and see what happens.

Good luck!
If you are an engineer, you might be able to condition the signal while shooting tethered. However, for the photographers convenience, the images move along the data stream very quickly. Comparing this to real time conditioning of a music analog stream is like comparing a machine gun to a muzzle loader in terms of the being able to do anything creative with the signal. The real problem, as I see it, is that you would not be able to interact with the set up quickly enough to have any control over the creative process.
Check out the liquify filter in Photoshop.
Photographs are all about a story and emotion.
Maybe it's time you really get creative in controlling how and what you shoot.

Absolutely. All sorts of filters will work. But what Im trying to get into here is a little different.

What Im trying to get at here is stuff like electronic interference and what have you. Creating noise, distorting the image and such.

poloman wrote in post #5944304
Good luck!
If you are an engineer, you might be able to condition the signal while shooting tethered. However, for the photographers convenience, the images move along the data stream very quickly. Comparing this to real time conditioning of a music analog stream is like comparing a machine gun to a muzzle loader in terms of the being able to do anything creative with the signal. The real problem, as I see it, is that you would not be able to interact with the set up quickly enough to have any control over the creative process.
Check out the liquify filter in Photoshop.
Photographs are all about a story and emotion.
Maybe it's time you really get creative in controlling how and what you shoot.

I know what youre saying about the quickness, but If you had the interefering factor running contantly during the taking of the photo, it wouldnt have to be timed.

solvent wrote in post #5944318
Absolutely. But what Im trying to get into here is a little different.

What Im trying to get at here is stuff like electronic interference and what have you. Creating noise, distorting the image and such.

To do that you need to interface between the analog pixel and the A to D converter so you are talking about getting into the internals of the chip itself.

Actually, there is something else you can do but I don't recommend it as you can end up hurting either the camera or yourself. Get an old microwave and take out the magnetron. Then when you taking the picture give the camera a very strong RF bath. It will set up all kinds of interference patterns and do all kind of stuff to the analog signal before it gets digitized. If you get the frequency and power just right, you might get interesting results. Of course, a little too strong and you fry the chip. A little stronger and your future kids come out looking like fish.

Stick to modifying the optical path. Much cheaper and safer.

Radio frequencies...I don't know wich ones or how much is safe. But there has been documented RF interferance from certian remotes somewhere on this forum.

I think you are short changing yourself. You will spend a ton of time to achieve marginal results. You also stand a chance of frying your equipment.

poloman wrote in post #5944873
You also stand a chance of frying your equipment.

And frying yourself.

The magnetron idea is certainly close to suicidal. "Is is getting a little warm in here?".
Well, solvent. Let's see what you can do?
If you need help of any kind, the people here are great. If you need help with Photoshop, they have you covered there too.

I'm not sure if this is what you are after, but a cool effect that I like is zooming the lens during a long (ie 1second) exposure. It's not really electronic (you could do it with film) but it's distorted!

These are some quick shots I just did, the more steady the camrea the better the effect. I try to hold it zoomed in for half the shot then quickly zoom out.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

solvent wrote in post #5944318
Absolutely. All sorts of filters will work. But what Im trying to get into here is a little different.

What Im trying to get at here is stuff like electronic interference and what have you. Creating noise, distorting the image and such.

Forget trying to screw up an image in-camera with external electronic gadgets (unless you can figure out how to actually get into the camera and affect signals internally).

Work on the optical path ideas. That's the only way you will be able to repeat an effect and do it in a way that will not destroy the camera (or worse).

maybe use corrupted CF cards, i have seen a few distorted shots because of them.