The Art Of Databending

Databending, a concept somewhat akin to circuit bending, is the purposeful creation of glitches within sound files, text, images or videos through esoteric computer wizardry. What started out as an accidental by-product of fickle technology has now evolved into a deliberate aestheticization of damaged information.

Prominent musicians such as Trent Reznor and Detroit-based rapper Danny Brown have employed glitches in their album artwork and music videos, respectively, and various bloggers have dedicated themselves solely to this niche artform.  

There are various methods of inducing glitches in your photography, most of which are deceptively simple. I'll be running through these processes using my own work as examples, because I relish any opportunity that allows for flagrant self-promotion. This isn't a tutorial, but since I'm a fundamentally good person I have provided links to some handy guides at the bottom of this article.