Random Abstract Digitization: The Broken

I never thought that having a broken digital camera could actually make me feel lucky, but when my Sony DSC-F717 crapped out on me last year, I found out how to make the best out of a bad situation.

The first problem was actually a fairly common malfunction that only affected the viewfinder, but I was not aware that Sony would be fixing it free of charge. Then last spring, the entire CCD stopped being able to focus and made for some very distorted photos.

On top of having an excuse to buy a new camera, I also discovered a love for a new type of photography: broken camera photography. Since the CCD in the camera could not longer correctly interpret data, it just makes a jumble out of everything it sees, but the results are quite astonishing!

Examples

The following sets of images are a series of the same image at normal, double, and quadruple magnification:

Broken.11

  • Broken Example 1: 1x magnification
  • Broken Example 1: 2x magnification
  • Broken Example 1: 4x magnification

Broken.22

  • Broken Example 2: 1x magnification
  • Broken Example 2: 2x magnification
  • Broken Example 2: 4x magnification

I really love the effect and pixelization, or “Random Abstract Digitization”, as I have named it. Unfortunately though, I haven't found a use for it other than desktop images. If there is a printer that could get the detail I need, I would love to start printing these on large canvases.

Any ideas on what I can do with the images?

mood-photo

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5 Comments on “Random Abstract Digitization: The Broken”

  1. The patterns would make a nice mouse pad. Or T-shirt. Or coffee mug. If /only/ a means existed to cheaply manufacture such items and distribute them to me, the humble consumer...

    Chuck Rector May 14, 2008

  2. Hi Paul. I came across your site quite by accident (by way of Sharebrain, I think) and I'm glad I did. As a fellow designer/developer I've got to tell you I love these images too. Just the kind of happy accident that makes you want to treat yourself to a grande Starbucks with all the trimmings! LOL... Well, any excuse when it come to caffeine. But I digress...

    I could definitely see a use for these images. In fact, I would love to discuss that with you if you're open to possibilities? They put me in mind of some of the editorial illustration work I used to do some years back before I migrated over to web design, but there's just something captivating about them. Do you do any image manipulation after the fact or are these all just pulled straight from the camera? Apologies if you've answered that question elsewhere, btw. Well, nice work, hope to hear from you...

    Regards,
    Chris the Designer

    Chris Greenhough Jun 6, 2008

  3. Thanks for the comments, Chris. I hadn't actually come across Sharebrain yet

    Paul Armstrong Jun 7, 2008

  4. Well, it's very nice work. I can just imagine everyone rushing out to bash their Sony cameras against the wall in the hopes of achieving the same effect! :-) Chuck, not sure if you were being ironic about the mouse mats and coffee mugs, but CafePress might be one option...? Any thoughts, Paul?

    Chris Greenhough Jun 8, 2008

  5. Yeah, I'd rather not just throw this stuff on any old object. I see it more as a "fine" art... even though it's digital.

    Paul Armstrong Jun 11, 2008

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