July 5, 2008
Camera Obscura
Mike D. turned his room into a camera.
They asked me what I would do once I was unemployed. “I dunno,” was my response. I was being honest: that was kinda the point.
Yesterday I turned my bedroom into a camera obscura.
What’s so cool, is that everything moves in real time. A bird suddenly flying upside down across my wall gave me a start.
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I noticed this series once I’d gone to look at the no-see-’ums and am glad you posted this, Deron.
Years ago, when I lived in Chicago’s South Loop, a convergence of elements in my bedroom produced a camera oscura image that I enjoyed for about six weeks (but did not photograph): the very red CMA Building upended on a blue summer sky.
From the 7th floor, birds and quickly-blown clouds are about the only movement I see. And it’s so dark at night; I’d forgotten what near pitch-black is like. The cats have decided to sleep elsewhere.
I do get to see a bit at night, though: due to the extreme angle, the alley below is projected onto the ceiling, 3 white dots representing the streetlights. Occasionally a car will drive by, two pin-prick headlights following one another like parallel fireflies, before turning suddenly to the left and disappearing into the wall.