TECHNICAL DEVELOPER/ASSISTANT ANN HAMILTON PROJECT
I was hired by The Print Center in Philadelphia to assist the artist Ann Hamilton in creating a pin hole camera that captured a 360 degree angle of people reading at a table, from the center of that table outward. Ann had a specific table she wanted to work with which had dimensions and variables that would constitute the cameras mechanical functionalities. The table would also be the driving influence for the cameras final esthetic design.
To develop a working prototype I would have to use many of the fundamental mechanics of photography we often take for granted when using SLR's, or manufactured cameras. Aperture sizes, depth of field, film plane and exposure times all became important factors in considering options for the best instance to capture the conceptual ideas Ann was going after.
Based on the results that I would produce from my tests, Ann would make decisions to develop the cameras imagery to her liking within the bounds of its mechanical limitations. After establishing the camera's final dimensions and specifications, Tim Lewis, a Philadelphia based wood worker, was hired to construct the camera out of wood.
It was a great experience and privilege to work with Ann on this project, as well as Jacqueline Van Rhyn of The Print Center.