04 May 2007

Pinhole pictures


I stumbled across this and other images like it on the BBC News website. They are pinhole pictures and seem to be made from homemade devices like tin cans and paper boxes. I don't get it 100%. Look at the paper floating, though - the film gets exposed over time and creates some eerie effects.

If anyone knows anything about this, please tell me. I'm quite curious.

P.S. I just learned about Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day - there are some amazing images here.

P.P.S. And I just found instructions on how to make one from an oatmeal box! THIS IS THRILLING. I think I will rig one of these and use it on my roadtrip. If you didn't already sign up to receive mail art from me next month (see last week's Roadtrip post), send me an email 'cuz I'm getting mad ideas for ya'll.

6 comments:

Laurie said...

yes! i know about this. my favorite is the truck pinhole camera.

Amelia, even though you don't believe me, I think you could get some monochrome results by using light sensitive paper.

Sanguinetti A! said...

I dare you to prove that light sensitive paper works.

Laurie said...

i take that dare.

i just heard about a project where a photographer made a pinhole camera out of a heart shaped valentine's chocolate box. she put a flap on it and wrote a poem that she guessed would take about 30 seconds to read. as a result, unknowing subjects opened the flap, (started the exposure) read the poem and closed the flap (stopped the exposure). She has a handful of portraits as a result.

Live Through the Lens said...

i love it! my first photography experience was with a pinhole camera in a (you guesses it) quaker oats oatmeal container. that was 25 years ago. that experience got me hooked - i am now a photographer. if you are interested in pinhole photos you may also enjoy an assortment of "toy" cameras like the holga or the lomo fish eye. i just found this page, i will bookmark and return to see what images you post!

Live Through the Lens said...

hey alpha twin
sadly i don't know much about the pinhole technique. i'm not sure i would be able to answer any questions. if i find any valuable info on the pinhole i will send it your way...
i like it here! i think i will come back often. thanks for checking the early stages of my entry into the blog world.

Laurie said...

you can make a pinhole camera out of a digital SLR (like the one I have.) This would be a way to take pinhole photos on your road trip.