Pinhole Photography

As I mentioned in the first post for the blog, our content, to begin with, will involve a bit of catching up; but I find it nice to already be asked to look back as we're approaching the first complete month our group of students and staff have been here together in Nürnberg. A highlight for various reasons recently was when all 12 students were given the task of making a Pinhole camera. If you search the term on Google or another search engine, "pinhole camera" you will come across pages upon pages of images of cameras made from everyday objects varying in the more common immediate nature of things like a matchbox, shoe box, or small trash bin; or you may be able to discover others of larger dimensions such as the time when a German Garbage man decided to make a pinhole camera out of a dumpster - http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/04/the-trashcam-project-german-garbage-men-convert-dumpsters-into-pinhole-cameras/

Rather than just give some basic information, I interviewed two students and will also display some picture below of the work that was done throughout the week. First, you will see answers from Anabel Martínez and then answers from Jordan Turner.(Anabel's answers will be italicized and Jordan's answers will be in bold.)

Photo by Anabel Martínez

(Benedetto)Had you heard of Pinhole photography before and/or seen photos that were taken by a pinhole camera prior to working on the project? I had never heard about Pinhole Photography before this assignment. What were your initial thoughts after the first day of taking photos as well the process of developing? I thought this is great! I love it! After a week of working with a pinhole camera, is there desire to continue using a pinhole camera? if yes, Why? For sure! I have a project in mind, already! I think if one shoebox can take this kind of pictures in a week, I am pretty sure that with more practicing and a better pinhole camera that the photos will be greater next time. What is at least 1(or at most 3) things you learned from this experience? - During this week, I realized that in order to take pictures with a pinhole camera; I need to see the place first and think about what I want the picture to look like because the light will be different throughout the day, and I may need to come back and take multiple pictures in order to get the best photo possible. - I also learned that every time that I took a picture in the same place, that it became more personal than if I had taken it with a digital camera. With my digital camera, I take many pictures and when I put them on my computer and have the ability to choose which one is best; I see that the connection is not the same.

Photo by Jordan Turner

So, had you heard of Pinhole photography before and/or seen photos that were taken by a pinhole camera prior to working on the project? Yes, I had heard of pinhole cameras before, but I hadn't really seen any photos from one. I didn't know much about them besides the fact that you could supposedly make one on your own.

What were your initial thoughts after the first day of taking photos as well the process of developing?
I thought it was crazy, but I was super excited about it! Just after a few hours of taking photos in constantly changing light, I realized how well you had to know and understand your little camera and lighting in order to actually have a picture develop.
After I developed my first photo it was completely white--nothing was shown! So I knew it could only get better from there, right? My second test shot was better...but

the third came out of the developer and I was shocked, to see so much detail in the photo! What a crazy thing we were doing. Twelve of us students walking around Nürnberg with cardboard boxes and photo paper, capturing history and hoping we timed it right. So much trial and error and a whole lot of learning--I loved it.

After a week of working with a pinhole camera, is there desire to continue using a pinhole camera? if yes, Why? Oh yeah, I'd love to. I love adventures, and that's what the whole process was from start to finish. Frustrating, exciting, hopeful, challenging, creative, tiring, thoughtful, unpredictable, and fairly limitless--a great adventure!

What is at least 1(or at most 3) things you learned from this experience?
2 things I learned:
1. Light, even just a little bit of light, changes everything!
2. Patience and perseverance are key (in both life and photography). It doesn't matter if you know what you want, you won't get it without perseverance, diligence, and/or a little bit of luck.
The lasting things are worth the hard work that they require.

Photo by Benedetto Manzella & Taylor Pool

Photos by Sabine Botte

The above photos are other examples from our class, and I found it particularly important to post the work of Sabine Botte that is shown directly above this text. The print shown at the top is positive that was later developed, and the print below it is the original negative that came out of the pinhole camera. It's a lovely process with analog photography, that is unfortunately lost when working with a digital camera when you have the pleasure of seeing your negative side by side with your final prints. 

Needless to say, amidst various challenges and successes; all 12 of us students were able to walk away with invaluable perspective that could've only been found by working with a pinhole camera that we actually built ourselves and then invested the time into crafting the ideal photo that we had to first envision with our minds eye. There will be continued times of hearing from other students whether it be through interview format as well as various essays that are being written as we study historical photographers. Over the next posts, I will share essays that have been written about photographers such as Diane Arbus, Micheal Kenna, & Richard Avedon.

Thank you all for reading!