Zoom-in Walk

This workshop focused on the interaction between walkers and the camera used to document their activity. It also addressed the question of whether subjective spatial, temporal and bodily experiences can be captured in a two-dimensional technological image. The workshop explored whether such experiences merit the status of works of art.

Rather than controlling the zoom, I suggested that participants use their own feet to mimic the zoom lens function by walking towards an object that is being zoomed in on. This replaced purely optical perception with a physical and spatial experience for the participants.

The final destination of each route was always the optical centre of the landscape in front of the camera. A printed photograph of the landscape, taken by one of the participants at the start of the walk, was used as a map. This marked the optical centre directly at the geometric centre of the photograph. A straight line drawn from the bottom edge of the photograph to this centre formed the route.

Depending on the location and context, the landscape, its photographic depiction, the resulting route and the participants’ physical experiences would all vary. However, the route always remained a straight line, regardless of the local terrain.