MEDDLING IN THE AFFAIRS OF INFINITY
Dedicated to Ihab abd-el Latif,
a friend who always held the candle right
Video feedback is a simple way to produce
hypnotizing video effects at home, with
minimal costs. You will need a TV set, a
video camera and a cord. Plug VIDEO OUT on
the camera into VIDEO IN on the TV set.
Point the camera at the TV screen to create
a loop (feedback). It is as simple as that!
Bring the TV set brightness way down,
contrast high. Zoom the camera in so that
the *image* of the screen shown on the TV
set is about the same size as the screen
itself (in other words, aspect ratio close
to 1:1). Rotations of the camera about the
viewing axis are desirable, else you just
get a blob that is hard to stabilize. It is
very good to have a tripode. Turn off all
the automatic features on the TV and
camera. Try messing with the color, focus,
zoom, iris, phase etc.
Reflections of light on the glass surface of the screen will
trigger amazing developments! Poking objects into the loop is also fun.
Oh, this mesmerizing vision of non-linear,
self-organizing pattern formation!
Mathematically, Video Feedback is a
non-linear 2D map iterated at very high
speed (60 Hz). It is a fractal. The very
definition of fractals includes the word
'feedback'. Researching fractals has lead
me to the chaos theory, entropy,
equilibrium, hurricanes, tornadoes, the
great red spot on jupiter, and a very
abstract way of understanding the universe.
Video feedback is a fruitful pastime which
awakens interesting thoughts and
reflections. I would even say that this is
just another way to reach a higher state of
consciousness. :)
I discovered video feedback the same time
I was visiting Egyptian mawalid (sufi
celebrations) with a VHS camera.
This is not a coincidence for it was then, that
I began "meddling in the affairs of Infinity".
for feedback:
Shohdy Nagib
LINKS
Back to stills
|