Why Pinhole Photography?
It's fun. It's creative. It's educative about the basics that photographers deal with whenever they do their thing.
What is Pinhole Photography?
At its simplest, a pinhole camera is just a light tight cardboard box with a piece of aluminium pie dish containing a pinhole to expose the film or photographic paper.
Of course you need to design a shutter, (your thumb will do), some way to hold the film in place and a system to seal up the opening where you put the film in the pinhole camera.
There is no viewfinder; you just point the pinhole camera in the right direction. You can draw some lines on top of the camera to indicate the field of view.
Exposure times for pinhole photography are usually measured in minutes.
Exposure Determination.
Work out your exposure by the hit and miss method, also known as exposure determination by experimentation. This is where you say "Ooooh. I reckon about two minutes." Then if it turns out ok, well and good. But if it's not right, you either double it or halve it for the next exposure, depending on your assessment. Nothing wrong with that method for pinhole photography.
Suitable Camera Size.
Let's say you're using 4"x5" photographic paper. The diagonal of your paper is about 160mm. If you make the distance from the pinhole to the paper about 50mm to 80mm this will be ok. Length of about half the diagonal of the film. You could make the length 20mm to 50mm giving quite a wide angle. There's nothing to stop you building your pinhole camera around a four foot length of drainpipe giving you a 1200mm telephoto pinhole camera, except that the exposure time might be in the order of several hours or all day.
My best pinhole cameras have used 8"x10" film and have a length of 50mm to 70mm. Everything is in focus from 250mm to infinity. Angle of view is around 135 degrees.The light runs off at the edges of the image.
Note: 100mm = about 4"
End of Technical Stuff.
There is much more technical stuff that can be studied but that's all you really need to know to get started. So empty the breakfast cerial packet and build a pinhole camera.
Practical Stuff.
You can use pretty much anything light tight to make a pinhole camera: biscuit tin, breakfast cerial packet, 20 litre oil drum, golden syrup tin, jam tin, match box, black ice cream container etc. etc. Would you believe you can even use your mouth?
Yes, in the darkroom put a short piece of 35mm film in your mouth and close it. Go outside and press the aluminium with the pinhole firmly against your lips, then open your lips for about 10 seconds keeping your head still. Reverse the procedure. You can work out the rest for yourself.
Consider whether it will be better/easier to use the end or side of your tin/box.
If you use a jam tin you can use alfoil and a rubber band for a lid.
Use black paint inside a shiny tin if you have some handy.
Invent a shutter. Black plastic and masking tape will do.
If you decide on a jam tin or golden syrup tin with the pinhole in the side, consider using a baffle that springs tight against the sides of the tin to fasten your film too. A piece of plastic milk bottle will do.
Handy items to have around are: breakfast cerial packet, masking tape, blue tack, plastic milk bottles, rubber bands, alfoil, scissors, knife, glue.
Your pinhole camera will give a negative image on your photographic paper. In this modern, computer age it will be possible to scan, change to a positive and computer print.
An SLR camera can be used for a pinhole camera simply by removing the lens and attaching a pinhole with black sticky tape.
If you are making a pinhole, look for the smallest needle in the set.
It's important to have a smooth, burr free pinhole for the sharpest possible image. Ideally, push the tapered section of the needle through in several stages, gently removing the burr with fine wet and dry paper between actions. Rest the foil on cardboard as you push the needle through so you don't stretch the foil.
So Build a Pinhole Camera
I think that every photographer needs to build at least one pinhole camera and experiment with it. There is so much to be learned from pinhole photography which is photography at its most basic.
Laurie McArthur is a wilderness landscape photographer, based on the New South Wales Far South Coast, Australia. Laurie's images may be viewed at http://www.southimage.net/
Ashton group transportation logistics management ..Here are examples of two basic videos you can create... Read More
I once heard a lady say to a photographer that... Read More
Outdoor photographers shoot year round. That includes the hot summer.... Read More
If you are buying a new underwater camera or video... Read More
Nature is all around us, and its beauties are unlimited.... Read More
Anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills... Read More
So you have this great new camera. Now you're standing... Read More
While analyzing any camera, one of the most important qualities... Read More
Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were able... Read More
Have you read the manual that came with your digital... Read More
Disposable cameras are cheap and easy to use. If you... Read More
One of the biggest debates in the photography world is... Read More
When should you use hyperfocal focusing? Well, sometimes when shooting... Read More
Good wildlife camera equipment on safari can make the difference... Read More
Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph.... Read More
There is a wide world of photography. It touches each... Read More
One of the main reasons people buy digital cameras is... Read More
There are a large number of digital camera accessories available... Read More
The warm feelings are flowing all around when the pet... Read More
As you might imagine the paradigm shift from traditional film-based... Read More
A digital SLR camera or a single lens reflex (SLR)... Read More
Disposable Cameras (also called single-use cameras) first came on the... Read More
You arrive at your photo shoot excited about the images... Read More
With modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras,... Read More
Once in while I receive e-mails or phone calls from... Read More
group transportation logistics management Highland ..Before you rush into buying your digital camera this holiday... Read More
Night photographs express a special something that cannot be seen... Read More
Why Pinhole Photography?It's fun. It's creative. It's educative about the... Read More
Most serious photographers and all professionals use a Single Lens... Read More
Women photographers are fortunate. Unlike other titles, photographer has no... Read More
It doesn't matter if your emailing photos of your grandson... Read More
So you have this great new camera. Now you're standing... Read More
So you have bought a camcorder and have shot some... Read More
The warm feelings are flowing all around when the pet... Read More
There are a large number of digital camera accessories available... Read More
Digital photography promises much. Store your photographs on your computer,... Read More
Knowing which megapixel camera to buy can be intimidating. There... Read More
Why is a 3 megapixel camera better than a 1... Read More
Disposable digital and film cameras (also called single-use cameras) provide... Read More
The photos you took of the party are really great... Read More
That's right, you go through all the trouble of making... Read More
Wholesale disposable cameras are disposable cameras bought in quantity. Bulk... Read More
One of the biggest debates in the photography world is... Read More
Looking at the digital camera, a person can visualize it... Read More
Once you have clicked photos through your digital camera, then... Read More
Here are examples of two basic videos you can create... Read More
There are two sources for obtaining the moulding for making... Read More
In a traditional camera, the lens was king. If the... Read More
Elephants in the Sky[1980s, Lee Evens in Mali, Timbuktu/Africa]Advance: Lee... Read More
How many of the birthday party pictures you've seen are... Read More
Photography |