In Pecos, New Mexico during August 2001, Farrell Eaves attended photography master classes taught by Bruce Dale, former National Geographic photographer. While he was taking pictures near the Pecos River and concentrating on some textures created by the swirling current acting on long strands of grass, he accidentally knocked over his tripod and attached Nikon CoolPix 990 digital camera. They struck a large rock in their descent and then splashed into the water. The camera's memory card compartment snapped open in an apparent death grasp, allowing even more water to enter the delicate electronic assembly.

Farrell fished out camera, tripod, and memory card, removed the batteries and wiped off everything with his handkerchief. Within minutes the lens, viewfinder, monitor, control panel, and flash had completely fogged over. He thought his expensive digital camera might be irreversibly damaged, but Bruce Dale and Farrell tried to dry out the camera by blowing compressed gas through it, and placing it in the hot sun during the day and near a gas heater at night. Farrell even tried tying the camera to his windshield while driving around in the New Mexico desert. Finally, the fogged parts of the camera cleared. When he reinserted the batteries and memory card, it came to life as if nothing unusual had happened. The images in the camera's small monitor were not distorted or misshapen but strangely discolored, revealing flowing colors that did not exist in the natural world. Farrell states, "Even the most mundane and plain objects became intensely beautiful and enhanced; things such as pavement and tile floors, simple objects like white dishes and ordinary straight chairs magically became objects of admiration."

photo by Joyce Dale

He wondered how the camera would record the things he loved to photograph--churches, old buildings, and architectural details. Soon he would learn just how unique and important this new photographic tool would become. Yes, the camera was truly "broken," and the images created were not the same as those seen by the naked eye or produced by any other camera or editing program. Instead, they were intriguing and ethereal. Simple shapes had been transformed into images enhanced by complex colors, which were transfused with an impressionistic feeling.

As a youngster Farrell Eaves played with his Kodak Brownie, then later served as a U.S. Navy photographer, took family pictures, and documented issues as a mechanical engineer. "Now, as never before," he says, "these photographic images have aroused an awareness of the mystic beauty that everywhere awaits an introduction to my magic camera."

Farrell has learned, "When we expect our existence to be ordered in a certain predetermined way, we may miss the beauty, the originality, the simplicity, and the spontaneity of the world around us. I had to open my mind and photographic eye to the interpretations of this special camera, and I have been richly rewarded by the joy resulting from having a totally new perspective."

return to top of page