Holography, about to hit the hobbyist big time?

[Jem]

Hi all

Frank has just announced this...

http://holography.ning.com/profiles/...-less-than-ten

Sounds like a brilliant idea, and something that I really hope will catch on and stimulate interest in Holography once more

Holography is fun

Jem

[soforene]

But you have to register to read that post.
And I already have Twentyten squillion userids and passwords to remember so having yet another one just to read a post isn't fluttering up my flagpole !

[Jem]

Ah, didn't realise a registration was required, sorry.

I'm sure Frank won't mind the post being reproduced here, after all it is publicising the event...

After nearly one year of meetings, conference calls, writing, editing, photography, and production, I would like to announce Less Than Ten (mw). LTT will be introduced to the public through a feature article in an O'Reilly Media publication: Make Magazine. The magazine (issue #25) is slated to hit the news stands on January 18, 2011. Initial distribution is set for 300,000 units. That is a big audience for DIY holography. If only one person out of one hundred shows an interest, that works out to three thousand new people making holograms.
What is "Less Than Ten"?

The mission of Less Than Ten will be to promote DIY holograms utilizing lasers that are ten milliwatts or less. LTT will not only be for the beginner, but anyone who might enjoy the fun and challenge of pushing the envelope with lower-power lasers. With LTT, the goal is to make the very best holograms, with the lowest power possible.

Think of Less Than Ten as a movement away from the current high-power laser craze. With this pursuit, one takes pride in how low the power is. It is a return to more sane lab practices. Practices similar to the early days of holography, when many independent artists created stunning pieces with five and ten milliwatt lasers, in modest surroundings.

With LTT, one can use diode systems, laser pointers, gas; any type of laser at all. Red, green, blue. Or all three. Your choice of laser, or lasers, along with the design of your system, is totally up to you! Just keep the power below ten milliwatts, with lower being better. This makes it particularly appealing to home and school enthusiasts.

Did you know you can do very impressive 8 x 10-inch, single-beam reflection holograms with a 5mW laser? Would you believe a laser pointer from Walmart?

LTT will be supplemented with online resources, and a community of practitioners. There will be t-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, and buttons, sporting the Less Than Ten logo. Ultimately, it is the intention of those involved with the project to make holography similar in popularity, and numbers, to the home hobbyist photography movement of the 1950's and 60's.

Until January 2011 . . . Best Regards,

-- Frank DeFreitas