☐ eye of a needle

yesterday I assisted in a workshop called

the unpredictable guide to constructing a pinhole camera

at coexist arts:

for those not in the know ~ 

pinhole camera =

an optical device that projects an inverted image onto

photosensitive paper:

first we selected a box to become our camera:

any size container can be used as long as it is light tight:

to make it so

we painted the inside of our boxes in matt black paint:

then deciding which end of our box we would place our pinhole:

we cut a piece of tin and pierced it with a needle:

the size of pinhole can vary:

we cut a hole in the box and taped on our tin pinhole:

 then using gaffer tape we finished off our box cameras:

we headed to the darkroom to load them up:

in the almost dark but red light:

we 'tacked' a piece of photographic paper into the box:

*opposite end to the pinhole*

replaced the lid and sealed it all around with black tape:

remembering to also put a little piece over our pinhole

to act as a lenscap:

our cameras ready, we set out into the light to

take a picture and time the exposures:

by estimating camera length, diameter of pinhole

and lighting conditions:

you can experiment with the exposure times to

successfully get a paper negative image!

small but perfectly formed:

2 to 3 minute exposure, indoors:

Dawn used an old washing powder box and exposed

for 3 to 5 minutes outdoors:

she then made a contact print of the negative image:

*top left and bottom right*

really looking forward to creating cyanotypes on the 13th march: