What is pinhole photography?
Pinhole photography is a very simple camera and is also known as the simplest camera possible. It consists of a lightproof box/can, a piece of film or black sheet for the shutter and a pinhole. For the box you will have to cut out a sharp kind of aluminium which will be used as the lens, you then cut out a hole to put the aluminium over and put a hole in the centre of it and tape it over the hole. The hole has to be extremely small so you would need a pin to make it. The pinhole acts as the lens for the camera. Another person will be flashing a light at the room and you will see a small dot on the other side of the wall. The dot will move as the other person moves the light. The photo you'll get would just be a simpler and smaller version of the room. The camera takes an in-focus photo of the scene.
The box/can you use has to have a tight lid fitted and has to be black inside to prevent light reflections. To get clear and sharp pictures you must remain very still when the shutter is open so it is best advised to use tape or clay to hold it still. For this to work, you also have to be in a dark room.
Pinhole photography is a very simple camera and is also known as the simplest camera possible. It consists of a lightproof box/can, a piece of film or black sheet for the shutter and a pinhole. For the box you will have to cut out a sharp kind of aluminium which will be used as the lens, you then cut out a hole to put the aluminium over and put a hole in the centre of it and tape it over the hole. The hole has to be extremely small so you would need a pin to make it. The pinhole acts as the lens for the camera. Another person will be flashing a light at the room and you will see a small dot on the other side of the wall. The dot will move as the other person moves the light. The photo you'll get would just be a simpler and smaller version of the room. The camera takes an in-focus photo of the scene.
The box/can you use has to have a tight lid fitted and has to be black inside to prevent light reflections. To get clear and sharp pictures you must remain very still when the shutter is open so it is best advised to use tape or clay to hold it still. For this to work, you also have to be in a dark room.
History of pinhole photography
A scientist, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer named Alhazen invented the first pinhole camera which is also known as camera obscura. The basic principle of Pinhole camera was discovered by Mo Ti before Alhazen introduced the full package. In the following centuries, it was used by optical scientists who experimented with sunlight and a small aperture. In the later centuries, it was used for scientific purposes in astronomy. The first pinhole was made by a scottish scientist named Sir David Brewster. Pinholes were also used for surveillance and as spy cameras.
Steven Pippin Pippin is an English artist who works with converted or improvised photographic equipment and kinetic sculptures. He shows a very strong interest in mechanical things which he said sterns from an early childhood memory of seeing his father surrounded by wires and tubes of television wires being fixed. In 1999, he was short listed for the Turner prize at the Tate Gallery. His entry was based on Laundromat Locomotion which he converted 12 washing machine in a launderette triggered by trip wires. His recent work also includes kinetic sculptures that are sculptures which the movement can be perceived by the viewer. There are a few of his experiments to the right. |