slight modification, however, the Argus can produce all sorts of “artistic flaws”. It also allows a surprising degree of control over the intentional flaws.
This modification places a “mask” about 1/8th of an inch above the focal plane, between the negative and the lens. Therefore, light traveling through the lens must pass through the mask before it reaches the negative. If the mask is flat and clear the image should remain the same, but if the mask is imperfect in any way it will distort the image.
So what kind of imperfections can a plastic mask have in order to make the photograph more interesting? It can be scratched, melted, burned, cut, colored, written on, crinkled, etc. It can be stained with water, oil, ink, grape juice, etc. It can be a hard plastic like acetate, a soft plastic like cellophane, or something in between like the wrapper of a Twinkie. It can be flat or bent or wrinkled. The imperfections can be across the whole mask, along the edges of the mask, or just in the middle. If using black and white film, the mask can be colored to simulate the effects of a filter. The mask doesn’t even have to be plastic; any transparent or translucent material will work just as well. For example, tissue paper dampened by a few drops of oil produces a dreamy effect, similar to an impressionist painting.
The deformation of the mask is a part of the creative process. Scratching the mask with fine steel wool in an even, random pattern will make the picture blurry. If the scratches are just in a few similar directions, the picture will smear in just one direction. Coarsely grained sand paper can be used to produce visible parallel lines.
The mask is placed inside the camera 1/8th of an inch above the negative. When the Body is separated from the Neck and Shutter assembly, the mask can be placed inside of the Body cavity precisely on top of the focal plane. Only 1/8th inch of the bakelite Body will separate the negative from the mask. The spring in the Neck will keep the mask flat once the Neck is replaced.
First, a masking material must be found. Art supply stores sell acetate sheets that work particularly well, especially when protected from scratches by sheets of tissue paper. They are also commonly available in yellow, red, green, blue, and grey. Transparency sheets for overhead projectors are also a good source of masking material, so long as they are not scratched up. Scientific supply stores sell thin sheets of polarized plastic that add a polarizing effect.
Now the masking material must be cut into the shape of the Body cavity. The easiest way to do this is to use the Body itself to outline the shape. Remove the Neck and Shutter assembly from the Body by undoing the four retaining screws. Lay the Body, with the front of the camera down, onto the masking material and trace the inside of the Body cavity onto the material. Use scissors to cut out the resulting circle, taking care not to touch or damage the round mask.
Place the mask into the body cavity. Ambient dust from the camera body and the
While loading the film into the camera, be careful not to get dust onto the film side of the filter. Try not to rotate the Neck and Shutter because the Neck spring may rotate and damage the mask.
Unfortunately, there is no easy method to determine the “filter factor” for a newly installed mask. Run a roll of test film under various lighting conditions to determine the
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