DAY 278

PHOTOGRAPHIC CURIOSITIES

Scanner as Camera

BEYOND PRACTICALITY

Ever since the first brave pioneer dared to photograph his own hindquarters using the office copy machine, creative types have chafed against the constraining definitions of “acceptable” artistic expression.

Many would view the conventional desktop scanner as a utilitarian office tool before considering it for creative purposes. As scanner technology has developed, however, the boundary between the definitions of scanner and camera has grown increasingly blurred. In addition to the conventional flatbed model commonly used with personal computers, mobile scanners have emerged, running the gamut from the three-dimensional scanners used by engineers to handheld wands that can scan text. The world’s smallest scanner, in fact, could easily be mistaken for a conventional pen; created by the Canadian company Planon System Solutions, it measures only 226mm by 12mm.¹

Be that as it may, the more bulky desktop model is seriously limiting when it comes to taking artistic photos—the glass plate must be protected, the object to be scanned must be shaded from outside light. So why would anyone opt for using one over a simple handheld camera?

Photographers the world over have made a name for themselves by purposefully working within the constraints of a particular medium, whether they have opted for using only black and white film, shooting with archaic toy cameras, or focusing on a process-intensive medium, such as the daguerreotype. Such self-imposed parameters place greater strain on the artist’s creativity, showcasing their innate talent. —DJS