New York Scanography
Scroll all the way for the who’s and the why’s
Thank God for the YouTube recommendations section, where I found ‘scanography’
I came across a video of college students using scanners as cameras, suspending different materials and liquids over a scanner to capture its texture in 2D.
This unconventional use of something other than a camera to create photographs was an intriguing and unheard idea that prompted some research. I found that the method is widely called ‘scanography’.
I saw creatives using the movement of the lens and light bar to their advantage, dragging their material along with it to extend its form. With the idea of extension, I thought of using photographs as the item to scan, and extending their memories, triggering an exciting brainstorm as to what I can do to create such interesting imagery.
As I was so interested in the idea of literally extending a certain memory, playing against the saying ‘take a picture, it’ll last longer’, I contemplated my potential subject matter. Using appropriated photographs from fashion magazines and online sources could have created interesting imagery, however they wouldn’t be personal enough to me; I wanted the images that I create to be particular to me in terms of the memories that I would be manipulating. The use of old childhood photographs with my friends and family from years past could have been an engaging prospect. However, the found images from the loft at home would not have been taken by me, I would only have been the subject.
I turned to preexisting photographs I have from events gone by, scrolled through my phone and stopped at the colour and interest of New York. I chose iconic scenes from the city; for me, they would be endearing images of a sentimental holiday and still captivating for onlookers.
Playing with techniques, changing speed and steadiness, moving the photographs left to right and changing direction altogether gave further interest to the final imsges.