AndrewF posed:
"You've all seen the flat eight on your lens - know who 'invented' it?"
I have seen it but do not know who decided that it would be the infinity
sign in optics. It is a Greek letter so maybe there is a good story to go
along with this! It would be a great question for an exam if it had a good
answer.
Andy
HEy,
Symbols can be Fun! Yet- Studying an -old one- may require another alphabet and an 'alternative frame of mind'.
Yes, there are some very good stories -but Infinity- has No "Good Answer"!
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Infinity[credits]
by Anja Heij
Federico Fellini once said: "There is no beginning, there is no end, there is only the infinite passion of life." Infinity is the forever expanding heartbeat of the universe. A well-known symbol for this concept is the snake biting his own tail, or a circle. These round symbols are a simple representation of a deep truth: life is perfect and complete, you are perfect and complete, yet there is always more to learn, try out, understand and experience and therefore we are encouraged to move on our path. Progress or change is accomplished by walking both sides of the spectrum, usually named opposites, switching over once a critical mass has been reached, thus finding a new balance time after time. This growth process is depicted by the infinity symbol in the form of the number eight (bringing forth transformation from the very core to the surface) or the Eagle (rising above your previous version).
I won't forget the lesson in which we were introduced to the concept of infinity by means of the Moebius strip. Mr. Moebius was a German mathematician who tried to make the idea of multi-dimensional space tangible for ordinary persons. He did this in a brilliant way (it is also a nice test to do with children). It goes like this: Take a strip of paper, give it a half-twist, and tape or glue the ends together. Put a pencil somewhere in the middle on the strip. Do not move the pencil, but move the strip under the pencil. What happens is that when you started to draw a line on the outside of the strip, you will at some point find that you are drawing on the inside of the strip and later on return to the outside. That night I woke up with the realization that inside truly is outside, as above is below, All is Nothing, the end is the beginning, etc. The Moebius strip is a good way to make the paradox visible for the rational mind, as well as the interconnectedness of everything.
The infinity symbol forms part of the symbol Infinity - the Flower of Life, as depicted in the teachings of Melchizedek.
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Actually- I find these words rather comforting (-when I'm On a Photo Assignment-) Knowing that in a pinch, I can ratchet the lens down to the End, grab a middle f/stop, and 'Hammer Em' (4 feet to forever) -til I run outta Film!
jIMMY
