Optical Harmonograph Photography

A lateral harmonograph uses weighted pendulums to manipulate an arm that is usually connected to a pen. The pen writes on a surface that is also connected to a weighted pendulum. When all of the pendulums are set in motion complex geometric shapes emerge. For my experiment I used a fiber optic cable connected to a multicolor led as my “pen”. Then in place of a sheet of paper I mounted my camera looking up at the fiber optic cable and took a photo with the shutter open for up to 10 minutes at a time. The result is a beautifully symmetrical geometric light painting. Each image produced will be unique, as any minuscule variation in the initial movements will vary the results wildly. By changing the frequency of the pendulum’s movements any number of different patterns and shapes can be created.