The DIY Cookie Projector

Recently, one of my dad's friends gave me two cases filled with two Nikon SLR film cameras and a few lenses. To be honest, I was perplexed as to what to do with them. I had almost decided to put the whole lot on Ebay when I came across an interesting thread on a strobist group Flickr discussion. The thread detailed how to create your own cookie projector using an old lens, a drain pipe connector, a flash, and a cookie pattern. I was so intrigued that I set out to build my own--and that's just what I did.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7199/6...ecdd8c62_z.jpg
Noelle and the Binary Code Setup by budrowilson, on Flickr
(click on the pic for notes regarding the setup)

And here was the result:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6...7e02b456_z.jpg
Noelle and the Binary Code [16x9] by budrowilson, on Flickr

So I already had the flash and lens, and the drain pipe connector was easily found after a brief search at Lowe's. I created some cookie patterns in Photoshop and had OfficeMax print them on a transparency. I knew this wouldn't give me exactly what I wanted for my final cookies, and here's why:

1) They use copiers to make their prints. The quality of the copy itself means that things like text project with artifacts (notice all the little bumps in the font in the example pic).
2) Also, the toner isn't completely black; that means there will be a good amount of light leakage through the "opaque" part of the cookie.

I do have access to an AGFA film machine that I intend on using for my final cookies. The film is much more durable than the transparency, and the black produced on the negative is completely opaque (no light shines through it). That said, the light leakage actually worked to my advantage in the sample pic because I didn't have to add any other light sources to maintain a certain amount of fill light on the subject. Also, the graininess of the black left an interesting pattern in the fill areas that I wasn't expecting, but I ended up liking.

All in all, I'm quite happy with my progress on this project over the weekend. I'll continue to refine the process and tools so that I can quickly set something up whilie on location if I think it'll add a fair amount of interest to the image.

Interesting:cool:
I like the effect

Neolle enters the Matrix.....

There is no spoon.

;-)

I was playing around with my DIY Cookie Projector again this evening. It's a fun tool to experiment with if you've got some free time on your hands.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7062/6...a728b02e0c.jpg
Signature Pic by budrowilson, on Flickr


Setup:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/6...6af4b2fa45.jpg
Signature Pic Setup by budrowilson, on Flickr

Wow cool idea! The photo of Noëlle definitely is interesting, but the self-portrait I like much better to be honest. I think it's pretty cool and something else than just a background flash.
I like seeing the set-up as well. I see the entire picture now:)

Just so darn cool. Let the creative juices flow w/ gels, etc, key lights, key "negative" light, LOL. Is the "bright spot" of my day.

Very cool... thank you for taking the time to show and explain your set up. Seeing it is very helpful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sheiky

Wow cool idea! The photo of Noëlle definitely is interesting, but the self-portrait I like much better to be honest. I think it's pretty cool and something else than just a background flash.
I like seeing the set-up as well. I see the entire picture now:)

---

I'm just the opposite--I like Noelle's better. Why? My picture is too easily simulated in post. A decent Photoshopper could recreate the effect without much trouble. However, once the cookie projection strikes a surface that isn't flat, the complexities of recreating the effect in Photoshop (with a reasonable amount of validity) go up ten fold.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sean Setters

I'm just the opposite--I like Noelle's better. Why? My picture is too easily simulated in post. A decent Photoshopper could recreate the effect without much trouble. However, once the cookie projection strikes a surface that isn't flat, the complexities of recreating the effect in Photoshop (with a reasonable amount of validity) go up ten fold.

---

Don't get me wrong. I really get your point and I agree completely with you that using it like within the Noëlle portrait is very challenging and one of a kind type(hard to do that with Photoshop). I like that and I like the creative thought behind it quite a lot. I like seeing creative photos with out of the box ideas. But just that it's more difficult to fake such a shot in Photoshop, does not make it a more appealing photo to me.

I think my preference for your self-portrait over Noëlle's portrait does not really directly relate to the technique. As I said the portrait of Noëlle is interesting in how it's done, but I prefer your self-portrait. Why? I guess because the portrait of Noëlle does not really makes sense to me. Perhaps Noëlle is an IT-professional or huge Matrix-fan which would explain the binairy code to me. However I don't know that and therefor I don't really get the portrait. I hope that makes any sense:confused:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sheiky

I think my preference for your self-portrait over Noëlle's portrait does not really directly relate to the technique. As I said the portrait of Noëlle is interesting in how it's done, but I prefer your self-portrait. Why? I guess because the portrait of Noëlle does not really makes sense to me. Perhaps Noëlle is an IT-professional or huge Matrix-fan which would explain the binairy code to me. However I don't know that and therefor I don't really get the portrait. I hope that makes any sense:confused:

---

Noelle is indeed a geek. She spends more time on her computer than I do. She's a fan of the original Matrix, but not the last two in the series (she swears up and down that they should have done a sequal to "The Matrix" because she doesn't recognize the last two as being worthy of the title). Of course, the cookie overlay would seem less out-of-place with a bit more context to the photo. I certainly see your point that my shot, on other hand, doesn't need the the context to make sense. ;-)

Haha nope even without the title it's pretty straight forward:) Noëlle definitely sounds like a geek so the photo makes much more sense now!
Have you tried some other projections as well? Colors perhaps? There are some quite cool ideas on the Flickr thread on the Cookie Projector.

Sheiky-

I have about a dozen patterns, and I've tried most of them just to see how they'd do. I have yet to do a color one, but I have thought about it. I'm not sure if Staples has the ability to do a color copy transfer onto a transparency....If they can, I'll try it out. I thought color would be especially useful for doing custom cookies with company logos and such.

That sure does sound interesting. Initially I just thought about covering the patterns with flash gels, but that would color the entire pattern. I didn't even think about copy color onto the transparent stuff. That sounds like a lot of creative freedom. Keep us posted :D

Yeah, I have tried flash gels with them and they worked just as you'd expect. I added a 1/2 CTO and a yellow gel to a window pattern to simulate a golden light streaming through the panes.

But not really happy with the result?:rolleyes: The window recreation sounds like one of the few things where it's not bad to have the colored gels cover the entire pattern.

Actually, I was just taking a picture of the pattern; I wasn't actually using it in a session. If I weren't shooting in a barn today, I would have tried it out for real.