I scanned a mirror

yes, it's a mirror, and yes this was the reflective side. Ophello provides a good explanation as to why this happens about halfway though the comments below

Hey thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate it. Go ahead and browse my other photos if you like. If you want to talk to me, you can AIM me @ Sxenko

I wish Kazimir Malevich was alive to see this.

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Comments

Aleksandar.Vacic says:

nice experiment
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

whateversftu says:

WOW this is absolutely stunning! I wish I had so much time to waste ...
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

craigerator says:

Man! I thought I was going to see Satan! What a jip.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

nyctosf says:

Seems like the mechanism is not that "The light from the scanning device is reflected back", but rather that the light emitter is positioned an inch or two away from the reader, presumably in order to cut down on glare on shiny surfaces.

The light bounces off the mirror and misses the reader entirely, except where the scratches are (which do diffuse the light).

If the light and read heads were exactly aligned then you would expect to see all light.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Edd Morgan says:

You have way too much time on your hands, but that is pretty interesting. :D Nice one.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

hemmob says:

Cool. Why don't you try photographing a mirror next! ;)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

parida_tanu says:

I like wat u tried out ! kewl :)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

aldonecheeba says:

so what's that down on the mirror ? some cocaine left ?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

crackedpavement says:

What happens when you scan a scanner?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Slote says:

What happens when you scan a scanner?

you go back in time.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

kieranor2001 says:

This is a very sad reflection on society...
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

dickstar says:

Maybe you can try two scanners scan each other.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Jakob Montrasio says:

o_0
Wow, over 7000 diggers looked at a black rectangle so far.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Jakob Montrasio says:

Make that 8000.
Jesus!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

buddhatom says:

i would have to ask why?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

nyctosf is absolutely right. The light is at an angle from the scanning element. That's also the reason there's a slight shadow at the top of the mirror.

Without this arrangement it would be impossible to scan glossy paper for example.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

JemmFI says:

"I xeroxed a mirror. Now I have an extra xerox machine." -- Steven Wright.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

ChrisandMei says:

"WOW this is absolutely stunning! I wish I had so much time to waste ..."

It probably took you longer to comment than it took him to photocopy the mirror.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

new_bugmenot says:

since you have too much time, how about cleaning your mirror? ;)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

We be Baracs says:

I think this is pretty cool. Really.

Here is someone who thought "I wonder what would happen..." and actually got off their bloody arse and did it.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Johan Bakken says:

The scratches are sharp and beautiful.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Stefan Neagu says:

amazing image! wonder how they scanned the mirror.

Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Paul B Jensen says:

cool
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

teddlesruss says:

I would have thought you'd get a second scanner.....
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

ShaolinRonin says:

What would happen if you scanned a two-way mirror? Would you be able to see into the future?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Aetas Serenus says:

Nice
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Arjan Almekinders says:

It looks like you're viewing the mirror from a slight angle...
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

JMDuPont says:

This is pretty much the same thing that would happen if you just opened the lid and did a "sky shot".
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Angelofevil says:

It is true I tested it right now.

www.flickr.com/photos/8293950@N04/?saved=1
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Chris Finlay says:

HAL 9000: What is going to happen, Dave?

David Bowman: Something wonderful.

HAL 9000: I'm afraid.

David Bowman: Don't be. We'll be together.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Ron Adams says:

Okay... that was... interesting... NOT!
Thanks for sharing that totally useless and lame bit of crap!
Get a life!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

chrisr says:

Cool! Thanks for doing this so I don't have to!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

chrisr says:

BTW...never mind the haters. The internet is full of them I'm told.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

basensjors says:

Now: Try to scan a scanner, and let it reflect in a mirror, maybe its getting all white then!
I once scanned a elephant, but the scanner went broke, so i never found out what was the result.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

EarthShots.org Photo Contest says:

hmm interesting. logical but still a suprise! - es
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

iDrifter says:

If you accidently broke that image will you get 14 years of bad luck?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

kirchen says:

If you scan the scan of a mirror, a kitten dies.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Maegs says:

The people who comment that you have too much time on your hands crack me up. They are obviously busy, busy people who wouldn't waste 5 minutes to explore their curiosity by experimenting with a scanner and a mirror...but have time to comment on how busy they are. Surely, lawyers and accountants.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

proph says:

Very cool!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

ophello says:

The light from a scanner hits images at a 45 degree angle -- which is why you see the scratches, and not white light.

Think about it: scan a glossy book. If the light was shining directly up, it wouldn't be able to scan anything. the light from the shiny glossy surface would reflect back into the detector.

Also: there's a piece of glass in front of the scanning mechanism itself. If the light were projected directly upwards and directly back into the detector, the reflection would ruin the image.

The detector and the light source are not in line with each other. it is no surprise that a scan of a mirror yields dark results. You're seeing a reflection of the inside of the scanner, which is quite dark (as expected).
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

kirton says:

My kitten!!!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

MauricioGQ says:

cool
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

troseph says:

lol you got dugg for scanning a mirror.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

themadtom says:

Wow that looks awesome, has a really nice grungy look. The scratches and smudges really have cool look to them
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

shishira says:

looks like black granite or some other polished stone
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

beanpicks says:

you should be in google.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Hot Grill says:

170,000 views. That's some rectangle.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

lorductape says:

that's a lot of comments...
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

heathbug_princess_kaye says:

ophello's explanation makes the most sense to me; everyone else is beating around the bush and trying to explain it, but his is the most succinct and understandable. Thanks.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

merchandizeliquidators says:

Cool Idea. I was just thinking how did u came up with it.

Nice
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

bikubang says:

Wow! That's what I see when I look in the mirror. A dark black nothingness staring back at me. The great black hole that is my life. But at least my hair looks good.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

chrisfurniss says:

buried. marked as lame.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

mikeb3408 says:

pretty cool
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Adam LaStrange says:

you just discovered the secret to the universe. now it became more complex
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

SithToast says:

Yay digg. O_o
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

patrikjj says:

Really cool!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

william roth says:

so what happens if you make a scan of the mirror at a 45 degree angle?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

p_shack1973 says:

Actually....I think it is kinda cool!
:)

It reminds me of a piece of black marble. This has the potential of being an art project for my kids.....Oh the possibilities.....lol.

So...whatcha going to scan next?
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

we_like_it says:

Sxenko,

- What did you have expect before your start your experiment ?
- Are you pleased with what you finally got?

"The cat looked at the mirror with unbelieving eyes"
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

RuneJensen says:

A fave just for the idea:D

--
http://digg.com/news/page9 (?)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

gopher23 says:

me2
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

fullgrip says:

hum it look like i figured out how to produce some cool dark vista icons...
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

david.moena says:

en: yarayarayara
es: blablabla

...I just want to post and feel part of all this "busy" people :D

now seriously: nice idea!!!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

EB6 says:

Somebody had to do it! Nice one. :)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

bobboukie says:

If you scan a mirror at a 45 degree angle, you would get a negative mirror. Or a mirror from an alternate universe.

Just don't look into the reflection. It will swallow your soul!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

!!stefan (SH) says:

hehe, what a cool idea. very interesting result.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Brian O'Mahony says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called One Hundred Thousand Club (100,000 Photostream Views), and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.

...and please feel free to join the group and add some of your best or favourite shots. Thanx.

--
Seen in Views 100 000 (?)
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

dmgjj says:

you just divided by 0! lexlibertas.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/ 2008/04/i-di...
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

hive says:

schroedinger
Posted 2 weeks ago. ( permalink )

xxxrmt says:

Outlandish.
Posted 2 days ago. ( permalink )

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I scanned a mirror

Comments

Aleksandar.Vacic says:

whateversftu says:

craigerator says:

nyctosf says:

Edd Morgan says:

hemmob says:

parida_tanu says:

aldonecheeba says:

crackedpavement says:

Slote says:

kieranor2001 says:

dickstar says:

Jakob Montrasio says:

Jakob Montrasio says:

buddhatom says:

ArnarBi says:

JemmFI says:

ChrisandMei says:

new_bugmenot says:

We be Baracs says:

Johan Bakken says:

Stefan Neagu says:

Paul B Jensen says:

teddlesruss says:

ShaolinRonin says:

Aetas Serenus says:

Arjan Almekinders says:

JMDuPont says:

Angelofevil says:

Chris Finlay says:

Ron Adams says:

chrisr says:

chrisr says:

basensjors says:

EarthShots.org Photo Contest says:

iDrifter says:

kirchen says:

Maegs says:

proph says:

ophello says:

kirton says:

MauricioGQ says:

troseph says:

themadtom says:

shishira says:

beanpicks says:

Hot Grill says:

lorductape says:

heathbug_princess_kaye says:

merchandizeliquidators says:

bikubang says:

chrisfurniss says:

mikeb3408 says:

Adam LaStrange says:

SithToast says:

patrikjj says:

william roth says:

p_shack1973 says:

we_like_it says:

RuneJensen says:

gopher23 says:

fullgrip says:

david.moena says:

EB6 says:

bobboukie says:

!!stefan (SH) says:

Brian O'Mahony says:

dmgjj says:

hive says:

xxxrmt says:

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