Ian Bramham's Photoblog
First Pinhole Camera Photo
Posted by Ian Bramham (Manchester, United Kingdom) on 18 May 2009 in Miscellaneous and Portfolio.
My daughter Anna made a film pinhole camera for a school Design Technology project so we tried it out at the weekend.
The first few photos didn't work at all which I expected as I knew it would take a bit of trial and error to get the exposure correct.
No prizes for composition but, even so, we were both really pleased with this photo.
Exposure details: 2 minutes exposure in clear bright mid-afternoon light.
Photographed on Ilford Multigrade Photo Paper cut to about 5" x 4" to fit the camera. Developed as a negative with Ilford chemicals in our kitchen utility room converted into a darkroom.
We then converted the negative into positive images using a contact print method but this degraded the image too much so I photographed the negative and inverted and mirrored it in Photoshop which gave a much better result with far more detail.
There's some photos of the camera itself here and here
She designed and made it herself out of wood with brass edgings. The sides of the camera are decorated with applied marquetry timber veneer.
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I've decided to enter the 'Cool Photoblogs' annual competition again this year. I'd really appreciate a vote from any of you who like my blog and who feel up to going through the registration process that is required in order to be able to vote: 2009 Photoblog Awards
For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to MY NEW WEBSITE where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.
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Links to the websites of other photographers whose work I love and who have all helped me enormously over a long period of time. I find the work of all 3 to be inspirational.
@Ana Lúcia: Thanks Ana!
Mirko Herzner from Germany
I guess this really worked out nicely. I love the strange object you have chosen for this unusual type of photography. Really adds another element of interest.
18 May 2009 8:09am
@Mirko Herzner: Thanks Mirko...it's a large seashell
MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany
It's a Talbot! Very cool and nice to see that you and your daughter are also mastering the old school technologies! :-)
18 May 2009 8:55am
Ravi from Bangalore, India
Cool shot and very well done with the Pinhole camera.
18 May 2009 11:02am
Scene by Sharon Photography from Kingston, Ontario, Canada
very interesting process - I think it turned out amazingly well. Thanks for explaining the procedure.
18 May 2009 12:18pm
Moridi from Tehran, Iran
Good effect.
She will be a good photographer.
Thank you.
18 May 2009 2:02pm
hugo poon from hong kong, Hong Kong
Oh Ian, that's really something! The tone, lighting, the grain... and that wonderful vintage feel in particular are sooooo lovely! Must be fun!:-) Feel so happy for you my friend...
18 May 2009 2:22pm
Magda from Vancouver, Canada
Wow! This is pretty amazing! Well done! It looks like both of you had a lot of fun! Wonderful project to do with your kids! :)
18 May 2009 5:19pm
Bookfool from Mississippi, United States
That's pretty sharp for a pinhole camera.
18 May 2009 9:34pm
Michael Rawluk from Williams Lake, BC, Canada
That is very cool.
I used to have a blast with pin-hole cameras when back inthe dark ages. I have even done some with the the Canon 5d.
19 May 2009 5:10am
Mike from Lichfield, United Kingdom
As far as pinhole cameras go, yours is quite posh!! When I clicked on the link I was expecting an old shoe box or something similar so I'm impressed ! I'd love to have a go at making one at some point but as ever it's down to time. I'll wait until one of my daughters gets given the task from school. After developing your own film I'm going to have to ask, have you got the bug to experiment more?
19 May 2009 6:13am
@Mike: Mike, this is really my daughter's photo as she did everything. As well as actually designing and making the camera she also cut the photo paper to size and developed it in the darkroom. All I did was suggest an exposure time (2 minutes in this case). I'm not sure I'm that keen to carry on experimenting with pinhole cameras as, with this type of design at least, you are limited to one shot at a time before you need to go back in the darkroom to reload the camera and develop the photo you've just taken. Holgas have always fascinated me - I'd like to try that at some time. I'd also love to give medium format (or even large format for the tilt-shift) with velvia a try at some point. Now I know how easy it is to manipulate a negative into a positive using photoshop you wouldn't even need prints developing by a lab - just the negatives so they could be scanned.
Laurie from New Jersey, United States
The links to the camera didn't work for me...brought me to a login screen. :(
But this is really fantastic.
19 May 2009 2:48pm
@Laurie: Hi Laurie...sorry about the link. Does this one work?: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianbramham/3538591749/
Ian
Ian Smith from London, United Kingdom
Very very well done to your daughter! The 'old' stuff is always the best, as theres so much more excitement of not really knowing how things will turn out : ) Its what makes photography fun - to experiment with 'new' things and develop ideas into images.
19 May 2009 5:15pm
Cricket-Tammy from Alabama, United States
Wonderful work. I really do like this image.
19 May 2009 5:56pm
Turnbill from Maine, United States
Neat! I made one of these a million years ago when I was in art school. After 100 attempts, I got exactly one good photo with it (raindrops on my apartment window and a streetcar both in focus). Learned a lot about DoF with it. I like this shot. The shell seems to be looming over the chair in a pleasantly menacing way. Very nice.
19 May 2009 10:42pm
Nataly from Santa Monica, United States
Congratulations, Ian! Great opening image and oh, you got seduced by film. I always new that there is no other way for a photographer.
20 May 2009 5:59am
dkc from Xanthi, Greece
Great shot...The first of many to come I think...She will be very successful!
20 May 2009 9:10am
Momo from Montpellier, France
very cool...love the homemade camera, nice work, and the lovely quality image it gives...you know you're only a step away from a holga ;-)
21 May 2009 11:17pm
Pinhole
120 second