my obsession with vintage cameras

For our anniversary my husband and I went to all the local antique stores to browse. I soon became aware that all I really looked at were the typewriters and cameras. I'm now obsessed!
We looked up instructions on how to make a basic pin-hole camera...it was intriguing, but looked horribly time-consuming when it came to trimming the film and trying to find someone to process individual little squares.

...so, instead, I've been trying to re-create with my modern digital camera (a Nikon D-80, in case anyone cares), the type of look that an old camera would have.

First, I shot some photos through the bottom of a glass jar, then through another square glass candle holder, then through a plastic box...each had a unique and interesting effect (a few examples here). They were all very difficult to attach to the camera (obviously), and the camera had a hard time focusing through the thick "filters". So I tried out some thinner things such as plastic wrap and cellophane.

Finally, I found a piece of plastic from a container of crafting supplies (something like the look and feel of acetate)...I cut a round piece out of the bottom and smudged some ink and paint around the perimeter. The final effect was a natural vignette and a hazy blur. It kind of reminds me of the old lenses people use that have dust and scratches (and mold).

I'm still on a quest to create some more unusual filter effects with my camera...like I said, "I'm obsessed!"