Bringing it Back Old School: A Look at TTV Photography

We've been pretty focused on the latest and greatest innovations in photographic technology lately, so I wanted to take a moment and discuss a photographic style that merges the old and the new together. What's known as TTV, or "Through the Viewfinder" photography, is a process of using a macro lens and shooting through a bubble-glass viewfinder found in a number of twin lens reflex (TLR) cameras. The most common camera used in TTV is the Kodak Duoflex which was produced in the late 1940's. The camera's are still readily available in online marketplaces like eBay, and can sometimes be found in old camera shops, pawnshops, or even the odd dusty attic. Most sell for around $20-30, but if you sweet talk the right person you can probably get yours for free like I did.

Overall, the hardware needs are pretty simple:

• DSLR with Macro Lens (point and shoots are also rumored to work too, and of course, so are film SLRs if you're so inclined).
• Opaque Cardboard Tunnel - commonly made from cereal boxes and such
  
• TLR Camera with Bubble-Glass Viewfinder

As TTV photography is practiced by many, it's not hard to find a number of methods for constructing the cardboard tunnel. Of all that I've seen, by far the best is a template designed by Russ Morris. He's even been so kind as to provide a downloadable pdf of the template he uses.In addition to the pdf, Russ provides a lot of valuable information on his website for those looking to get started with TTV. You will surely save yourself a lot of trial and error by reading the lessons he has learned.

If you have a hard time tracking down a Kodak Duaflex, have a look at some of these alternatives. A variety of cameras exist that will work just fine for TTV photography, but you may have to tinker around a bit to get everything to work just right. Essentially, the setup remains the same for all cameras. The macro lens is inserted into the top end of the tunnel, while the TLR camera is inserted in the bottom.The length of the tunnel must be sized in accordance to the focusing distance of your lens. Gaffer tape will help you stop light from entering any of the creases/folds. Also, you may need to line the inner areas with foam to completely block any remaining light leaks. Once your system, is sturdy and sealed, then you're good to start shooting. A bit of fine tuning may be required as you go, but that's just the nature of photography.

Here's a shot taken by my good friend Patrick Schmidt - he's accumulated a number of quality TTV shots that are publically viewable on his flickr photostream. I highly suggest having a browse if you're looking for a bit of inspiration to get started.
Additionally, have a look at some of the other TTV groups on Flickr if you're interested in seeing some alternative approaches (samples: A, B, C, D). All in all, this is a very inexpensive style of photography to attempt, especially if you already own a macro lens. Albeit, it's geared towards photographic artists, but like all media production mediums, it never hurts to experiment.