Pinhole Camera Photography Project
During this half term school break I'm building a pinhole camera my daughter received (from me) for Christmas 2009. The camera kit is made by the Scottish Borders based company Flights of Fancy (Flights of Fancy is the wholesale/trade arm. The website for retail customers is The Other Branch).
I know what you're thinking. You're either thinking "what's a pinhead camera?" or you're thinking "who wants to mess with smelly chemicals; isn't that why we have digital photography?". Well firstly it's a pinhole camera and not a pinhead camera. And secondly the pinhead .. oops .. pinhole camera is a perfect way to teach the principles of photography.
Historical Importance of Pinhole Photography
Pinhole photography is the simplest form of photography; where the lens is a basic pinhole. In the history of photography it was the important stepping stone from camera obscura to lens camera; its' principles are those which underly photography itself.
Pinciples of Pinhole Photography
The pinhole camera has an infinite depth of focus (unlike lens cameras). This means everything in the image (whether it's 2 feet from the camera or 2 miles from the camera) will be in focus (the scientific explanation of this is Circles of Confusion). The image will appear upside down and back to front (inverted) on the inside rear of the camera.
Recording & Processing the Image
To record the image in our pinhole camera all we need is a piece of photographic paper placed on the rear wall of the camera. This will create a negative image on the paper (after processing in the darkroom chemicals). The print (positive image) is created with another sheet of photographic paper using a process called contact printing.
I'll blog our progress in three further parts. "Part II : Building The Camera", "Part III : Exposing & Developing The Negative Image" and "Part IV : Developing the Final Print".
Useful Pinhole Photography Links
f295 - on line community of pinhole photography enthusiasts.
Pinhole Photography : History, Images, Cameras, Formulas
Pinhole Photography Theory
On line gallery pinhole camera images
Pinhole Camera Kit Supplier
Flights of Fancy
3 Linglie Mill
Level Crossing Road
Selkirk
TD7 5EQ
Borders
Scotland
Tel : 01750 22142
Fax : 01750 22147
