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Practice

This page shows you the cameras, photographic papers and techniques that I use. It'll grow as I do.

See below for details of cameras or...

Click Here for a review of Harman Direct Positive Photographic Paper

This is the wooden and cardboard box. I have tried many pinhole cameras over the past 8 years but this is the one that consistently creates the best results. I brought it from a town centre shop for £20 - the price included the equipment needed to develop the pinhole photographs - because at the time I knew nothing about this style of photography. You can easily make your own though. It is basically just a light-tight box with a basic wooden shutter, behind which is a pinhole made into either cardboard or, in this case, a piece of tin can. The black tape is to make sure that no light can enter the box, the elastic band is to keep the lid in place and the handdrawn lines at the side of the camera act as viewfinder lines, helping me see the angles and how to aim the camera.

 

This is the 1950's Box Brownie, converted for pinhole purpose by placing a piece of tin can with a pinhole in it behind the lens. Because there is a lens the exposure times for this camera are half that of the wooden box. The images it creates are also sharper, which works well in some cases.

 

The wooden box camera has a lid, lift it and inside is a cardboard box.

The job of this cardboard box is to keep the photographic paper in place inside the camera.

 Apart from the cardboard box, the inside of the camera is empty.

The lens was made of a pinhole punched through cardboard, but that fell apart last year, so now it's got a piece of tin can there instead now.

The can is fixed to the inside of the box with electricians tape. I've put lots on to cut down on possible reflections.

The cardboard box looks like this at it's front end. The size of the hole doesn't matter, as long as it's large enough to let the light from the pinhole through.

The back of the cardboard box looks like this.

It fits into the wooden box like this.

I use Ilford paper in my cameras. It's the best. I used to use Multigrade but now I use the Harman Direct Positive. Bear in mind that loading and unloading the paper has to be done in the dark, or under a safelight.

Use glossy paper, so you can feel what side has to face the front of the camera. The paper slots easily between the cardboard and the wooden boxes.

Like this.

 As long as the paper is cut to the correct size (this cutting has to be done in the darkroom, which in my case is the bathroom with towels over the windows) it'll sit nicely in the camera.

The Box Brownie has viewfinders on the side and top. They aren't totally accurate but give a fair idea of where to aim. There is a lever at the side that operates the shutter.

The pinhole is punched into a piece of tin can, and fitted behind the lens. The further back from the lens you fit it, the more vignetting you get.

If you cut the paper to the correct size it'll rest on the lip of the camera and give you a small border, as well as letting you close the back door easily without it falling either out or into the camera.