What is pinhole photography?
A pinhole camera is a very simple form of photography which involves using a black, light proof container and photographic paper, it has no lens. When you make a small hole in the container the light exposes the paper which you can later develop. The images come out very grainy and in black and white and with little contrast. When you take a photo you have to keep the camera very still because you have to leave it to expose for a long time depending on how much contrast you want.
How to make a pinhole camera
1. Ensure that the container is clean, dry and light-tight.
2. The inside of the container needs to be painted black including the cap, this is to prevent any light from entering.
3. Using a scalpel cut a small 1-inch square hole inside the container. Place a piece of foil on the underside of the square hole and secure with black duct tape.
4. Puncture a pinhole in the centre of the foil, this will act as your aperture and controls how much light enters the container. The smaller the hole is the clearer the image will be.
5. Place a small piece of tape to cover the window and protect the pinhole. This will act as a shutter.
6.Load the paper in the darkroom, and ensure that the shiny side of the paper is facing the shutter. The paper needs to be secured against the back of the container directly opposite the pinhole.
7. Ensure that the cap is firmly on and light tight before you leave the darkroom.
2. The inside of the container needs to be painted black including the cap, this is to prevent any light from entering.
3. Using a scalpel cut a small 1-inch square hole inside the container. Place a piece of foil on the underside of the square hole and secure with black duct tape.
4. Puncture a pinhole in the centre of the foil, this will act as your aperture and controls how much light enters the container. The smaller the hole is the clearer the image will be.
5. Place a small piece of tape to cover the window and protect the pinhole. This will act as a shutter.
6.Load the paper in the darkroom, and ensure that the shiny side of the paper is facing the shutter. The paper needs to be secured against the back of the container directly opposite the pinhole.
7. Ensure that the cap is firmly on and light tight before you leave the darkroom.
History
Pinhole photography was one of the first forms of photography, it has been around for over 1000 years, when people first discovered light travels in straight lines. In ancient China they had the idea of a basic pinhole and the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle also wondered about how a pinhole image was formed. The camera obscura was probably invented in the 11th century by a Persian scientist and became popular in Renaissance times when artists like Leonardo da Vinci used them to help them draw and scientists used them for looking at the sun. By this time they had added lenses to the pinhole cameras to make sharper images.
Bethany de Forest
Bethany de Forest is a dutch artist who takes lots of images of nature using pinhole photography. She aims to show things that look realistic but at the same time have the look of an imaginary world, ‘Creating the illusion that what we see is life-size”. A pinhole captures this feeling that you can't do with an ordinary camera. Her images appear quite dreamy and have a mysterious feel to them from the fish-eye effect of the pinhole camera.
There is something magical about the unusual angle and the pinhole has slightly deformed the image and given a strange perspective of the toadstools. The colours are very soft and the light looks beautiful looking up through the mushrooms and glows through them showing their structure. It makes you feel like this is some other fairytale world and your are a tiny person looking up at it.
Steven Pippin
Steven Pippin has a very unique style of photography. He uses unusual everyday objects such as washing machines, bath tubs and wardrobes and makes them into cameras. He then uses the objects to photograph other objects they are related to.
I like the idea of this photograph but I am not sure I like the way it has come out, there is too much contrast possibly because it is over exposed and the texture is very grainy. At first I thought this photo is very dull and lifeless and
also the foreground is out of focus although it is a well composed photograph.
I like the fact that at first you're not sure what you are looking at and then you see the line of washing machines and then find out the camera itself is a washing machine this makes it more interesting.
In this case the context of the image can change how you feel about the photograph - often knowing how and where a photo was taken can make you change how you feel about a photography because you can understand the photographers intention. A fun or interesting story behind a photo can enhance your enjoyment of the photo.
also the foreground is out of focus although it is a well composed photograph.
I like the fact that at first you're not sure what you are looking at and then you see the line of washing machines and then find out the camera itself is a washing machine this makes it more interesting.
In this case the context of the image can change how you feel about the photograph - often knowing how and where a photo was taken can make you change how you feel about a photography because you can understand the photographers intention. A fun or interesting story behind a photo can enhance your enjoyment of the photo.