It has some similarities to a panoramic camera but instead of recording space it records time. During each exposure, the camera’s film plane rotates 360º over twelve hours. Between the lens and film is a thin slit. The slit, like the hour hand of a clock, traces a ring on the negative. The slit, moving at the same rate as the hour hand of a clock, traces a ring on the negative. Whatever is happening in front of the slit is recorded at the time it happens. Creating an easy to read mandala of archived time.

The images created are not manipulated afterwards. The camera produces these disks entirely in-camera. The circular chronological record can be read as easily as a clock face. Whatever is happening in front of the slit is archived at the time it happens. The resultant image is a frozen iris that stares through time.

The design and fabrication of the chronoramic camera is by Mottweiler Studio based on my original concept. Shooting on film is vital. Meticulous scheduling of the decisive moment, alignment of the frame, the twelve hour pause of each exposure, my process is honest, historical & grounded. The extraordinary form of the camera demonstrates the means of creating the work. For the latest progress follow on instagram.

Camera Dimensions.
L: 15 cm
W: 41.91cm
H: 44 cm

Materials.
Composite cork, resin and fibreglass panels, bamboo veneer, walnut & anodised aluminium.

Construction.
Interchangeable lens system. Mamiya 645 lens system. The lower housing is CNC milled aluminium. This unit will enclose the electronics, battery, main drive motor and the shutter servo. it is also a structural component serving a role in connecting and stabilizing the mounting plate with respect to the base plate/tripod mount. The spring back system supports the film holder.

Ylivieska, Finland. 3pm 2017. From the series cloudscapes. This image from the Last Clock pointed at the sky in Ylivieska in December. Dawn is at 9am and dusk at 3pm. 

Simulated interactive chronoramic camera version interactive version.

Last clock in processing

Last clock streaming version

Original Project made by Ross Cooper & Jussi Ängeslevä while studying at the RCA in london.