My error I took about 3 years ago and I was trying to get some nice sunset pictures at the park, I’m still not sure what happened to this photo or how this accident happened, but it was cool enough for me not to delete it.
Author: tracypiperwright
Altered vision
The photos were taken with a Pentax A40 digital camera that was purchased in 2003. Apparently quite a few cameras at the time suffered from defective CCDs that would show distorted, purple images after some years of use. Initially, I was slightly annoyed that I had a ‘broken’ camera, but I realised that I liked the images.
Making visible
These were failed attempts to create an orthochromatic, monochrome film emulsion for use on another project. One of the influences of the project was exploring the believability and fallibility of photographic evidence, especially images produced within the Victorian era.
The emulsion was taken from a recipe in the dictionary of photography from 1906 and translated into current measures and available chemicals, rather than coating glass plates, these were coated onto acetates and exposed in a 5×4 plate camera with an exposure of around 10 minutes. In some of the images vague, recognisable features are visible, but in most the emulsion broke down during the preparation, processing or both and the plates were abandoned to one side in pursuit of a more ‘usable’ image. After a few weeks I noticed that there were some interesting salt deposits and friling of the emulsion present so decided to make some high resolution scans of the failed plates.
Out of synch
These photographs where taken with an old camera. The film I used at the time was Ilford 400. Having loaded it in to my camera and ready to start getting some shots fired away for a project. A couple of snaps in, for some reason I noticed the camera speed wasn’t set to the film speed. A happy mistake and a wonderful effect, none of images have been edited and it was a joy to see these develop in the dark room.
The essence
This is a picture of a dog I have walked once a week since he was a puppy, I absolutely adore him and this pic was taken after not seeing him for 2 months. He hates having his photo taken and I love trying to get an action shot of him. I nearly had it too but he got so excited and thought it was play time he jumped up so it’s an error because: the background is terribly messy and uninteresting, he is all blurry and out of focus. Instead of it being an action shot its a big blurry mess; I totally love it though – it sums him up.
Best intentions
It was a complete error, and I love it! It was taken with my camera phone as I walked through a doorway. I find I often take images by mistake…And normally it’s very annoying when I accidentally press the button on the side of my phone! When I’m intending to take a photo, I use the icon on the touchscreen…I never use the side button! But this image is a gift! I’m wearing my pyjamas. This is most likely the only image which will ever be seen of me wearing pyjamas! I’m putting my best foot forward!
In the moment
These photographs were taken early morning August 2018 as a visual prompt for a potential painting. Total accident, but lovely red spots of light reflected on one side and then the other on the next photo.
Truth in error
I have documented the legacy of Park Chung-hee, the former dictator of South Korea. Seeing his image at the photo zone of Park Chung-hee Presidential Museum in Seoul, I took a photo out of focus.
The irony is that the blurred image looks like his right image I think.
Comedy of errors
This photograph was an attempt to take a picture of my ear canal when it was sore. I tried to control my smartphone in front of a mirror, using a flash. During the couple of minutes that I allocated for this task, I was not able to adjust the camera angle properly, hence, I was not able to look into my ear. Moreover, the focussing caused me some trouble, as the camera needed to be further away.
When taking the picture, the squared ceiling lamp on the the male toilet accidentally got in focus, suggesting a foreign object floating above my ear. The subject matter, composition and overall aesthetic captured my attention in a strange way.
In Pursuit of Error 