I primarily work with Polaroid transfers, which I’m currently selling in my Etsy shop. It is a beautiful (if a bit involved) process, that has an ethereal and antique look to it. I won’t go into detail about the process in this post, but it takes several steps to go from film to finished product. A little over a year ago I learned that Polaroid was going out of business and all production of their products would end. What a sad discovery! After being rather depressed about it for a while, I decided there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it. I knew that eventually Polaroids would run out and I would no longer be able to do the transfers I love so much. I had to get over this fact (which I am doing, though still mourning the passing of Polaroid), and move on to another process I could love just as much.
A few months ago I discovered the Through the Viewfinder (aka: TtV) process and immediately fell in love with it! In the picture above you can see me playing with the gear involved. With this process you are basically taking a picture with a digital camera through the prism/viewfinder of a twin-lens camera (I’m using a Kodak Duaflex, but there are several others you could use). The funky looking thing between the two cameras is very technically called a “contraption”. I made mine out of cereal boxes and electrical tape! :) The contraption does several things: it blocks out extra light to reduce glare, it makes it easy to tell the focusing distance needed, and it aids in keeping the shot framed up evenly. The images you end up with can be quite beautiful – once you get the hang of it! Not only are you holding onto three things at once, but the image is flipped in the prism, so you have to get used to moving opposite to what you’re used to just to frame up the shot. I can’t seem to get away from those involved processes I guess!
I’ve only just begun playing around with the process but it is sooo much fun! I can’t wait until I don’t feel completely clumsy with it and I can just focus on what I’m shooting rather than all the equipment I’m juggling. Below are a few of my first attempts at TtV. I hope you enjoy!
“Old Wine Decanter”
“Prickly Pear”
“Wine Bottles 3”
