Elements of Pinhole Photography

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Chapter 1---Some History Behind Pinhole Photography (Katrina Officer)

In the 10th century AD, Arabian scientist Alhazen wrote about naturally-occurring rudimentary pinhole cameras, like light traveling through the slits in wicker baskets, in his book titles The Book of Optics. Between 1000 and 1600, men such as Ibn al-Haytham, Gemma Frisiu, and Giambattista della Porta wrote on the pinhole camera, explaining why the images are upside down. Around 1600, Giambattista della Porta added a lens to the pinhole camera. It was not until 1850 that a Scottish scientist by the name of Sir David Brewster actually took the first photograph with a pinhole camera.


Chapter 2--- How to make a pinhole camera (Tracey Hummel)

How to Make a Pinhole Camera

Can Or Box Pinhole Camera

A pinhole camera is a small, light-tight can or box with a black interior and a tiny hole in the center of one end. By using common household materials, you can make a camera that will produce pictures.

The Box When you make a pinhole camera for roll or sheet film, use a small can or box as the camera body. You can use anything that has a tight-fitting top - a clean paint can, a vegetable shortening can, a 2-pound coffee can, a shoebox, or even a cylindrical oatmeal box.To make the can light-tight, paint the inside with dull black paint or line it with black paper to prevent light reflections. If the can you use has a plastic lid, paint the lid black. Be sure to paint it inside and out; then before using it, check to make sure no paint has chipped off. Chipped or peeling paint on the lid will allow light to enter the camera and ruin your pictures.

Pinhole camera made from a can.

The Pinhole The film will be attached to the inside of the lid so you will need to make the pinhole in the bottom end of the can. You can make the actual pinhole in the can itself, but it's much easier to make it in a separate piece of heavy black paper or thin metal and fasten this piece over a larger hole cut in the center of the bottom end of the can. Heavy-duty aluminum foil, a piece of aluminum cut from a soda can or the backing paper from Kodak 120 size roll film is good for this purpose.

The distance of the film from the pinhole and the diameter of the pinhole will determine the angle of view and sharpness of your final image. For a camera with the pinhole 3 to 6 inches from the film, you'll get the best results if the pinhole is about 1/75 inch in diameter. You can make a hole this size by pushing a No. 10 sewing needle through the paper or metal to a point halfway up the needle shank. The pinhole should as circular as possible.

TIP: You'll get a smoother hole if you rotate the needle as you push it through. If you're using aluminum foil or paper, sandwich it between two lightweight cards while you make the pinhole. This will help you make a smoother, rounder hole.

If you are using a piece of aluminum from a soda can, place it on a hard surface and make a small hole in the aluminum with an awl or an ice pick. Don't press too hard==the tip should just barely break through the surface. See illustration. Enlarge and smooth it by pushing a No. 10 needle into it from the indented side. You can smooth any rough edges with very fine sandpaper.

Chapter 3---How to make the hole for the camera & how to determine the right size for your box
(Ali Bailey)

 A hole 1/4 inch or more in diameter should be made in the center of the bottom end of the camera over which the pinhole should be taped in the center of the hole. The pinhole itself is made by poking a tiny hole in the brass shim with a needle and sanding it smooth to make a perfect circle with no obstructions. The correct size of the hole depends on the focal length, the distance between the film and the pinhole. The appropriate diameter of the pinhole can be determined from the chart below by matching the focal length of the specific box with the corresponding diameter. The pinhole can be checked to make sure it is perfectly round by looking through the back of the camera out the pinhole. To see if the image is clear (if the hole is sanded smooth), aim the camera toward a printed page to determine if you can see the letters clearly. 




Chapter 4--- How to make a contact print
A contact print is a photographic image produced from film. It can be from a film negative, and a film positive. The defining characteristic of a contact print is that the photographic result is made by exposing through the film negative or positive, onto a light sensitive material that is pressed tightly to the film.
In the darkroom an exposed and developed piece of photographic film is placed emulsion side down, against a piece of photographic paper. Light is briefly shown through the negative. Then, the paper is developed onto a contact print. The image in the emulsion has been pressed as close as possible to the photosensitive paper. An exposure box device called a contact printer or a printing frame is sometimes used within a light-controlled space called a darkroom. Enlargers can also be used for this process. (Dara Love)



Chapter 5---How to determine the exposure (Danka Djordjevic)

The f-number of the camera can be calculated by dividing the distance from the pinhole to the imaging plane (the focal length) by the diameter of the pinhole. For example, a camera with a 0.5 mm diameter pinhole, and a 50 mm focal length would have an f-number of 50/0.5, or 100 (f/100 in conventional notation).
Due to the large f-number of a pinhole camera, exposures will often encounter reciprocity failure. Once exposure time has exceeded about 1 second for film or 30 seconds for paper, one must compensate for the breakdown in linear response of the film/paper to intensity of illumination by using longer exposures.



Chapter 6---- How to determine the ISO for any kind of film or paper

Changing the ISO setting on your camera changes the sensitivity to light of the image sensor inside of it. The lower number that you select the less sensitive the sensor is to light (and conversely the higher the number the more sensitive it becomes). So, if there isn't a lot of light on what you're shooting you'll want to use a higher ISO, and vice versa. (Claire Odorico)

Chapter 7--- Difference between lens in a traditional or digital camera & hole in pinhole camera


Chapter 8----Shutter Speed in traditional film cameras & main difference between time and speed for pinhole and traditional camera

The camera's shutter speed, the lens's brightness (f-number), and the scene's luminance together determine the amount of light that reaches the film or sensor (the exposure). The shutter speed changes the way movement appears in photographs. Very short shutter speeds can be used to freeze fast-moving subjects, for example at sporting events. Very long shutter speeds are used to intentionally blur a moving subject for artistic effect. Short exposure times are sometimes called "fast", and long exposure times "slow".

In pinhole cameras "slow" exposure time is used, because there is no lens's luminance and  lens's brightness, so the light need more tome to expose the film paper.


Chapter 9--- Relationship between time of exposure and size of the diaphragm in traditional photography (Brita Ness)

In traditional photography, time of exposure and diaphragm size are two ways to control the amount of light that reaches the photograph. A long exposure time and a large diaphragm cause more light to enter the camera. A short exposure time and a small diaphragm allow less light to reach the photograph. Therefore, in order to create a good image, you need to find a balance between exposure time and diaphragm size. If the photograph is overexposed, it is best to decrease exposure time and/or diaphragm size. Whether or not the photographer chooses to alter diaphragm size also depends on whether or not s/he wishes to change the depth of field. In order to alter the lightness/darkness of the photograph without changing the depth of field, it is best to only work with exposure time. When working with the pinhole cameras, this is shown by the fact that when it is lighter outside, exposure time is decreased, and when it is darker, exposure time is increased. 

Chapter 10--- Depth of field in pinhole photography and in traditional cameras


Chapter 11--- Your personal experience with light during photo sessions (EVERYONE answer)

In my experience, I have learned a lot about light while taking photos for class. It is vital to have proper lighting because otherwise the picture won't come out properly. At different times of the day there are different amounts of light and it can vastly affect your photo.  (Tracey Hummel)

I learned a lot about the importance of the time of day and the amount of light when taking pictures with a pinhole camera. If it is very bright outside, then the time of exposure is reduced because the light filters in through the hole much more quickly. The amount of light greatly affects the way your picture will turn out. (Katrina Officer)

In my experience, trying to get the right light and time of exposure is always and experiment. The best light you can get to produce a good picture is natural light outside. Even when you try to replicate this inside with many lights, it does not compare. (Dara Love)

In my experience with light, it is often a trial and error process. I usually try and guess the first time based on if it is cloudy or sunny and if I am in the shade or direct sunlight. Sometimes you are over or under-exposing your pictures but it is just another way to learn. (Claire Odorico)

In pinhole photography, I learned that light makes or breaks a photograph. Even if the composition is perfect and the photographer has found great subject matter, how the photographer understands and works with the amount of light determines whether the photo is a success or failure. (Brita Ness)

I've learned a lot about light while taking photographs this semester. When taking a picture on a digital camera it is easier to get a good photo because the light sensitivity inside the camera can adjust to different levels of light. Using the pinhole camera taught me to be more observant of the light in the photograph because if there isn't adequate light the photo won't turn out. It is a lot of trail and error but when you get it right the picture can turn out really good. (Hillary Bautch)

Throughout the photo sessions, I came to realize that light is the most important aspect to a good photograph. Composition is of course important, but figuring out the correct exposure based on the light present is what makes the photograph work. I still amazes me how mere reflections of light through a tiny whole can produce such beautiful images. (Ali Bailey)

I learned a lot about light not only outside but inside when we took photos. It was interesting to think that such an increase in time inside was the case with only artificial light. Also at the beginning of the course it was interesting how crucial the light was and how it really had an effect on the outcome of your photo. (Blake Tebbe)

I learned a lot about light throughout this semester. My process with figuring out light and taking photos was a trial and error process in the beginning. I wouldnt know exactly how much time I should be letting the picture be exposed due to how much sunlight was outside that day. I came to realize that light was so important on finding the correct exposure and thats what makes you a good photographer. (Samantha Fasel)

Before taking this course, I already knew a lot about the light and how it works in the photography. But during the course I understood that with pinhole camera it is different. With digital camera we always have photo shootings in the early morning when light is soft, but for pinhole photography we need as much light as possible. (Yana Tretyakova)


Chapter 12---- Your personal experience with time during photo sessions (EVERYONE answer)

Time is also a large part of how well your photo will come out. It is necessary to know how long you should expose the light through the pinhole. The time is different for the pinhole all throughout the day, even concerning weather (if it's very sunny or cloudy).  (Tracey Hummel)

It is very important to account for time when taking a photo with a pinhole camera. If you leave the hole unexposed for too long or too short, your picture will not turn out well. It will be either too light or too dark. You must use the amount of light (sunny vs. cloudy) to manipulate the time of exposure on your photograph. If there is lots of light, you only need to expose your photo for maybe 30 seconds to a minute. If the amount of light is scarce, you may need to expose your photo for several minutes. (Katrina Officer)

Time is as important as light when using a pinhole camera. It is effected by light, how big the pinhole is, and the distance from the hole to the paper. The time is inversely related to the light, meaning the more light the less time. (Dara Love)

My experience with time is similar to that with light- it is a process of trial and error but you are always learning. The longer you leave a pinhole camera, the more exposed it will be. (Claire Odorico)

I always felt that when taking photos with an exposure time of 5 minutes or more, I became more attached to the photo and had a stronger desire for it to turn out well. When the long-exposure photographs did not turn out, I felt more disappointed than when photographs exposed for a shorter period of time did not turn out as expected. (Brita Ness)

I never gave much thought to the time of exposure before using the pinhole camera. It really surprised me when, in low light, the pinhole camera would expose for anywhere from 5-10 minutes in one sitting. Time is one of the most important things when using the pinhole camera (besides light) that factors into getting a good photograph. (Hillary Bautch)

When using a pinhole camera, I began the semester not taking the time of exposure very seriously, but as I continued it became clear that a few seconds could potentially make a big difference in the photograph. Taking the 5 minutes or so to capture an image made the photograph that much more special because I became more invested in it turning out. These experiences made me more patient with longer exposures and more appreciative of bright light for quick exposures. (Ali Bailey)

I learned a lot with expose and time when using the pin hole camera. I learned that since exposure time is different throughout the days (sunny vs cloudy or raining) you need to know exactly the correct time. I didnt take the exposure as serious as I could in the beginning and this caused my pictures to not come out the way I wanted them too. Taking more time and truly figuring it out made a huge difference with my photography skills. (Samantha Fasel)

During the course I understood that time is very important in photography, because everything  depends on it. Too much time can destroy your photo while taking picture, or not enough time in fixer will destroy your photo later. It was a surprise for me that pinhole photography needs so "slow" time exposure. (Yana Tretyakova)

Chapter 13---Searching for your subject for your pinhole camera assuming that you have a wide angle perspective


Chapter 14---How you determine the temperature of the light when you use color film

The three primary colors that form white light (Red, Green, and Blue) exist in various proportions in any lighting situation--depending upon the color temperature of the light. When the color temperature is high, more blue light exists. When the color temperature is low, there is more red. (Hillary Bautch)


Chapter 15---Which kind of chemicals do we use in the darkroom to develop our film



EVERYONE: Post your best picture that you have taken this semester!

By Tracey Hummel

Dara Love

By Katrina Officer

By Claire Odorico

This is one of my favorites that I took this semester!
Brita Ness

Hillary Bautch

Ali Bailey