Obscura
- Documentary
While working with wet plate collodion Ruhter came up with an idea to show the world the beauty of these objects in a size that was deemed impossible. This led him and the Silver & Light Team to a forgotten town on the edge of the Salton Sea called Bombay Beach, located in California’s Imperial Valley. The idea was to create a camera out of an abandoned house. The structure would serve as the framework for the camera. Instead of focusing on the decay from the outside, this house camera allowed a view from the inside into someone’s dream. Once the giant lens was placed on the front of the house, images of Ted, a 100 year old resident who recently found himself homeless, were projected in, breathing new life into this abandoned structure and once again making it a home. During this brief moment in time when Ted’s photograph was captured, he was present in both places. In reality, he was homeless in the outside world.
Obscura is a 2018 documentary that explores innovative wet plate collodion photography through an extraordinary experiment: converting an abandoned house in Bombay Beach, California into a functioning camera. The film captures the story of Ted, a 100-year-old homeless resident, as his image is projected inside the house-turned-camera, merging art, architecture, and human dignity in a unique meditation on perspective and home.
When does Obscura come out?
Where to watch
Streaming availability in United States
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In cinemas
Theatrical release in United States
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BrazilTop cast
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Gary OldmanSpecial guest- Ian RuhterWet Plate Artist
- Will EichelbergerWet Plate Technician
- Ross WhitakerWet Plate Team
- Kevin MuellerWet Plate Team
- Damien CravicWet Plate Team
- Emory MarshallWet Plate Team
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Obscura — frequently asked
When was Obscura released?
Obscura was released on October 24, 2018.
What is the main concept behind Obscura?
The documentary follows photographer Ruhter and the Silver & Light Team as they build a giant camera out of an abandoned house in Bombay Beach, using wet plate collodion techniques to project images and explore the intersection of photography, architecture, and human experience.
Who is featured in the film?
The film centers on Ted, a 100-year-old resident of Bombay Beach who was homeless at the time of filming, serving as the subject of the house-camera's unique photographic process.
Where was Obscura filmed?
The documentary was filmed in Bombay Beach, a town on the edge of the Salton Sea in California's Imperial Valley.
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