Handmade Cameras!

You heard. Today was Pinhole Camera Experimentation Day! Proper good fun, learning the basics of how cameras work and actually making a working camera out of a 500ml can! No batteries, no viewfinders, no flash, just a rudimentary camera that can make exceptional pictures when used properly.

How to make your own Pinhole Camera:

Step one. Get a 500ml can. Doesn't matter what it is or what's in it. Empty by any means.

Step two. Grab a can-opener or a penknife and take the top off the can (only the very top bit, past the 'shoulder' at most). MIND THE SHARP EDGES! I put some gaffer tape around the edge to protect myself.

Step three. Make a light-tight removable lid. How we did this was position a strip of paper around the top of the can about 8" long by 2" wide. Just make sure you can tape either end together and you can remove it like a sleeve. For now, keep it at the top of the can and tape a circular bit of paper to it to form a lid. Use plenty of gaffer tape or black insulation tape as it has light-blocking capabilities. You now should have a light-tight removable lid.

Step four. Make a pinhole about half way up the can. When I say a pinhole, I mean pinhole. Any bigger and the excess light will blur your picture. Now put some black tape over that pinhole to form a shutter.

Step five. Go to your dark room and grab a sheet of light-sensitive paper. Remove the lid and put the paper in so that the edges of the paper sit at either side of the pinhole so the light can reach it. Reinstall the lid and make sure your shutter tape is in place. Do all this in the dark as the light-sensitive paper will be ruined if it sees light.

Step six. Find your object of desire that you wish to photograph. Point the pinhole at the subject and remove the tape for 8-12 seconds depending on how much light there is. My day was quite overcast so I exposed the hole for 12 seconds. After your 8-12 seconds are up, quickly cover the pinhole with the tape. AT NO POINT MUST YOU REMOVE THE LID!

Step seven. Go to your dark room and develop your cheap and cheerful work! You will end up with a negative image. Scan it into your preferred Photo Editing software and invert it and adjust the brightness and contrast until you are happy. Print it, and admire. Job done!

My finished article.....