Expert: Don Wood - 10/22/2006

Question
really quick i got a question i thought maybe you could help out with. i read once about a man who made or converted a camera into a candid camera. he changed either the mirrors or maybe had a false lens but he could bee looking straight forward and take a picture of two old ladies that were like 30 degrees to the left of him. i was wondering if you've heard of him? and if so do you know his name? i think this is what i want to do for my project. build that camera!


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The text above is a follow-up to ...

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hello don,
my high school has a thing called a senior project. i would like to do mine on photography. i have to interview to people so i was wondering if you would be one of the people i interview! i don't have any questions right now, because i just want to know if you're up for it! thanks!
Monica
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Monica
Be glad to. You may wish to review my answers to similar questions in my cue. That way we can get to the meat right away. Thanks for asking. Will be waiting your reply.
Don

Answer
I don't know the man you are talking about. But in the early days of spy cameras they would create a barrel lens, put a mirror inside the lens to reflect the light incoming into the camera. You could position the mirror to any angle you choose. Naturally you would have an opening in the side of the cylinder so that you could point at an object, look inside and you'd be photographing an object to the side. This way you could sneak pix of people by seeming to be photographing the objects straight in front of you. On the Internet, enter a search engine and look for spy cameras. Just a guess, but I bet you would find specifications on how to build one. You might also consider making a pinhole camera or a camera obscura. These take me back in photographic history. In the early days you could only make a picture the same size as the medium's size you used to take it. Both projects would probably be better done in the dark room as far as developing the film goes. I would suggest possibly usding b/w until you get the technique and equipment right. It will probably take some tinkering to get it right. Sounds like an interesting project. I was too busy working in the field to tinker like that. Good luck to you, Monica.
Don