ever thought of making a large-format camera from a dead turtle?

M

mooge

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well sorry, but it's already been done.




confrontation.jpg





this and more fun things here:
http://www.americanphotomag.com/photo-gallery/2012/03/turning-turtles-cameras-onorato-krebs


enjoy!
 
I hope he did not kill the turtle to get the shell..

It takes a sick person to use animals or people for their own toys..
 
I use a green turtle for all my ULF contact printing work, but always keep the terapin with me for street work, when I need something in my pocket as a 'go everywhere' camera.

PS Assuming the turtle is neither rare, nor endangered, would it be OK if he ate the turtle first?
 
I read the article and then realized this is art so I felt foolish about objecting to this tortoise thingy. If I took the Voight-Kampff Empathy test today I am sure I would pass. The thought of a tortoise on its back would bother me lest turned into a camera. What is a tortoise? You know what a turtle is? Same thing. I am thinking it would be cool to convert a human skull into a 3D camera. The good lord had gone to the trouble of properly spacing the ocular sockets do why let it go to waste.
 
Ray, I think you are onto something. A human skull would indeed make a point. In fact, maybe the head of one of the people who created the turtle-cam would be appropriate? Despite having absolutely no idea how the shell was acquired, or even whether it involved turtle murder, it would surely dissuade anyone else from doing what the turtle-cam creator quite possibly did not do.

I suspect the turtle was bought from a pet shop, because if I were to make a turtle-cam, I would unquestionably start with a live one so I could grow it to the exact dimensions needed for the desired format, even though it could take decades to progress from 5x4 to 5x7. Starting with an empty shell from an already dead turtle would negate the need to murder and prepare it, but it would also introduce undesirable limitations. I can only imagine that the creators of this camera thought the same way.

It should be noted that bellows flare can be a real problem due to the shiny inside surface of turtle and tortoise shells, so appropriate paint (dead matt) is recommended. I would also advise getting to the hardware store soon, because it is unclear whether the anticipated run on turtle cams will see the paint or wild turtles run out first.
 
It's funny that people have such a reaction to something made out of a tortoise shell but don't have any problem with the use of leather. Especially considering that you can actually obtain a tortoise shell from an animal that died a natural death whereas with leather that's never the case.
 
Jamie123 said:
It's funny that people have such a reaction to something made out of a tortoise shell but don't have any problem with the use of leather. Especially considering that you can actually obtain a tortoise shell from an animal that died a natural death whereas with leather that's never the case.
Click to expand...

Hear hear, I wonder how many people here have Leicas coated in "White Cobra", "Red Snake" or "Black Lizard".

Edit: Quite a lot, if you search the site for the names of the colours! :eek:
 
Indeed. Every dead turtle/tortoise leaves a shell, which lasts a very long time.

....and so many of the people who get all bent out of shape without even attempting to learn the facts (because a bit of thought or homework might remove the justification for the desired outrage), quite happily drive 3 miles to the shop to buy a pint of milk.... in their 5.7L pick up truck or enjoy watching fuel burnt for fun on the race track, or cut down a bunch of trees in their garden to improve the view, or.... the list is endless.

Amateur environmental outrage does not work. Examining one's own 'footprint' takes time and, unless you live in a teepee and eat grass, your stones invariably resemble boomerangs. Sure, all things are relative, but it usually takes all of five seconds to find the hole in the argument or the 'convenient comfort of thought'.
 
Why the negative reactions? How many of us sport half-cases for our rangefinders made from leather? Cows are killed specifically for this purpose. We use animal products all the time.

A turtle shell camera isnt for me, but its hardly sick.
 
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