Monday, June 12, 2006

Dioptric scope

I have this cute little gismo which I bought originally as a children's toy, but which I have just been using for some fun photography with my digital camera. The scope was made by an American instrument manufacturer called Van Cort in 1987, and is a multi-prism lens which gives the observer 24 upright images of anything viewed.

Instead of holding it to my eye, I held it to my camera lens with one hand, and clicked with the other, hoping for the best, as I could only get a general idea of what the lens was seeing. It has been a very hit and miss affair, and I took about fifty shots to get four pictures which I reckoned were OK for posting on my photoblogs and here.




This is my garden pet - a frog cast in cement. It's own base fills in the gaps between the images.






This is a glass ornament shaped like an apple. I placed it on a green cloth to get a unified colour effect.






This is a teazel, but taken from a photograph of a teazel I took some months ago.





But this is my greatest triumph, because it was not even planned this way. I was trying to take the lighter coloured pewter cup, which I had stood on top of the television. It so happened there was a little jug in darker metal on the windowsill behind it, and the two lined up without my realising it to form this perfect composite picture. Each item has filled in the gaps between the other, so that you don't see either the top of the TV or the windowsill. Magic!

2 comments:

Flowrgrl44 said...

I bought my dioptric scope for the same reason as you.. I am a Motessori Teacher and we are all about learning. I am no longer teaching, retired now, but still have the joy of learning in my soul.. I have many grandchildren and they enjoy using the scope, and just recently I taught my youngest granddaughter
how to pronounce the name Dioptric Scope so she could learn what it really is called.. Much to my surprise was the association with the dragonfly, which has a special sentimental meaning for me, as before my dear husband passed he was fascinated with them and watched from out deck.. when he passed I was “visited" by him in the form of a Damselfly, and all of our family had similar visits during the months after his passing.. so we love Dragonflies, even in the form of this dioptric scope. Thanks for the chance to tell my story,

Judith said...

Dear Flowrgrl144, how lovely to have your story, and how much pleasure you have spread around as a teacher with your dioptric scope. I did show mine to assorted grandchildren at one time, but in recent years it has just been left in a drawer. I must get it out again - if I can find it.

I was fascinated by the story of your husband's visits as a Damselfly. I have never experienced anything of the sort myself, but like to hear of such things.

Thanks for visiting my blog.