Comments on: Dancing with Invisible Light: portraits shot with Kinect's infrared structured light

By: occlupanid

occlupanid — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

These are just joyfully awesome. In addition to being technologically creative, are beautiful portraits t’boot. Well done!

By: remmelt

remmelt — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hmmm… I’m on the train now, will save this link for when I get to work.

By: E.Tompkins

E.Tompkins — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Here is the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/audreypenven/5197397707/in/set-72157625454305998/

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

There’s something not right about this.
First if you need an infrared camera to capture the light why are the images not in infrared (Google infrared photography and you’ll see what I mean) generally when captured in infrared the images are kind of black, white and blue only, these definitely have normal colour tones to them. Which is unusual!

Second There’s a couple of instances where the Kinect dots are streaked on the models face/body but stationary on the wall in the background, I.e either there was two kinect transmitters(ont on the back ground stationary and one moving on the model) or the streaks were added in lated (i.e. photoshop)

I’m not saying its a hoax but I’m a little suspicious and think it needs further investigation

Also great timing as marketing for the kinect isn’t it (I don’t believe in coincidence when product names are mentioned)

By: Tylith

Tylith — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Almost got in trouble at work…

By: eucryphia

eucryphia — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hey Anon

I was part of the photo session, and the regular light you are seeing is from an auxiliary flash unit fired in synch with the shot in some of the images. The pics you see where the dots are blurred or flying are created when the Kinect is angled to the side of the model.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Please mark NSFW. Also, Dr. 90210 is filing court papers as plastic surgery feels threatened.

By: SFSlim

SFSlim — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I think what you meant to say was “it’s ‘shopped, I can tell by the product name”. ;-)

Seriously though, what you’re seeing are the actual images as captured by the camera (a Canon Rebel XT DSLR converted for IR). The only subsequent manipulations were cropping and levels adjustment in Lightroom.

As for why the images appear different than the IR photos you may be familiar with, it may help to understand that these images were shot with a digital camera, and not infrared color film; the results are quite different. Also realize that, since infrared light does not fall within the visible spectrum, any translation of it into that spectrum is inescapably arbitrary. Said another way, all IR photographs are “false color” images ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False-color ).

If you’d like a more detailed technical explanation of the process used on this shoot (including an explanation of the streaked dots) I recommend you read Mike Estee’s post, “Shootin’ at 700″ ( http://www.mikeestee.com/blog/2010/11/shootin-at-700/ ). In addition to being one of the models in this shoot, Mike is also a photographer (it was his Rebel XT that Audrey used) as well as an accomplished industrial designer.

Lastly, the reason for the “great timing” has nothing to do with this being a MSFT-sponsored marketing campaign and everything to do with cutting-edge artists and hackers doing what they do best: breaking apart and repurposing the latest tech to see what unforeseen creative applications they can find for it. These images weren’t the result of commerce, but of curiosity, playfulness and love.

Time, perhaps, to recalibrate your cynicism circuits?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

That’s crazy trippy.

By: nixiebunny

nixiebunny — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Now it all makes sense! The camera must be much higher resolution than VGA video in order to achieve the depth resolution that they do.

By: turn_self_off

turn_self_off — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“yay”, safesearch. And no way to toggle it without creating an account. Thanks but no thanks, flickr…

By: absenso

absenso — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Wonderful images photography series from Audrey Penven. Marketing or not I love these photos. Thanks for sharing david – how to get abs

By: jfrancis

jfrancis — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I looked into this structured light stuff back in 1998 for other reasons involving visual effects. I remember it the main company doing it at the time was based in Israel. Interesting.

By: ScottTFrazer

ScottTFrazer — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Nudes, you say? I wouldn’t have guessed from the nipples on the homepage, there.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Those are beautiful photos. That said, it sure would be nice if I had a job that didn’t look down on nudity. Somehow, I don’t think that makes me a prude, though, and I find the terminology offensive and demeaning.

By: grimatongueworm

grimatongueworm — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Nudes, tech, and high art? I’m in!

By: bardfinn

bardfinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

That *THUNK* you just heard is my jaw hitting the desk.

wibblewibblewibble

By: Donald Petersen

Donald Petersen — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Guess I must buy a Kinect. To date there has been no naked hotness of the quality pictured above dancing in front of my Xbox.

By: I less than three mermaids

I less than three mermaids — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

A smart MS marketing person would buy these for ads! Also, apparently Kinect will make me beautiful (adding to wishlist…)

By: SamSam

SamSam — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Where’s the amazing top image from? I didn’t see it in the Flickr set.