Camera tossers—only centerfielders need apply

Yep, throwing the camera into the air and letting it take the picture untouched by human hands is catching on. No, this is not a ploy by Adorama to boost camera sales (although maybe Adorama should come up with a special camera catching mit).

There are two approaches. If you use a long shutter speed you toss the camera as you press the shutter button. For the faster shutter speeds needed for daylight pictures set the camera’s self timer to a second or two, activate it, and then just before the shutter releases toss the camera and let it take a picture while tumbling through its ascent or descent.

You might think the technique is to throw it high in the air as if you’re playing catch. You can do that, especially if you like to take self portraits. However, you can also gently toss it from one hand one to the other—the technique I favor. The only requirement is that the camera be in mid air when it takes the picture.

A large segment of the toss practitioners photograph lights, even images on monitors created specifically for the tossing. Some of the results are exquisite patterns. Whatever method you follow, know that it requires practice; you may learn to spin the camera to add some nice swirls. Obviously this is a somewhat chancy technique, as regards the camera, the picture results, and the safety of bystanders. To see experts in the technique, visit the tossing group on flickr.com. Here are a few guidelines whose helpfulness is admittedly dubious (as the technique well may be but it sounds like fun so…):• Use a camera whose destruction won’t leave you weeping• Should you be an energetic tosser, clear all loved ones from the launch area• Invite a local politician to catch the camera• Choose an environment with some interesting features on the ground and up in the air• For daylight shooting, start out with a shutter speed of 1/500 or 1/1000 second in shutter priority mode to try and stop the blur from the spinning camera. Then try some slower shutter speeds for that creative blur.• Practice catching a can of tomato soup for a few days, or maybe your old film SLR.• Either hand out hard hats or do it in an area where you’re the only person beneath the falling camera (yell “fore” when you release the camera).• If you disregard the safety rules and an innocent passerby is struck, shout “Tourists shouldn’t be allowed to take pictures from plane windows” and run.And good luck–you’ll need it. © 2008 Adorama Camera, Inc.