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I have from time to time mentored grade school kids about photography.
One of the best tools I can think of is to get them to build a camera from scratch with thier own two hands.
Of course the pinhole camera is the
obviouse choice for this project.
I have built many pinhole cameras over the years, mostly 5x7, 8x10 and 4x10
models.
For the kids, I have them build 4x5 single shot cameras using black FoamCore and Black Gaffers Tape.
This is just a simple box within a box, very similar to the boxes that large format film comes in. The "Lens"
is metal shim stock from the hobby store, with a tiny hole poked in it with a needle (some pin hole artists are
very picky about the cleanliness of the hole, but hey forth and fifth grades, want speed at this point). The 4x5
film is held in place with clear photo corner tabs. Since we are shooting black and white, and higher contrast is
preferable, I have the students place pieces of red Rosco Cine-Gell over the backs of the pinhole.
Most of the
exposure and scientific details about pinhole cameras is available from a very good website, the "Pinhole Camera
Design Center", which seems to have all of the answers
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An 8x10 pinhole camera
A 4x10 panoramic pinhole camera
The 4x10 camera disasembled, showing the components
Ordinary picture album corners are used to secure the film to the backer board.
Thin brass shim stock is used, and Gaffers tape forms the shutter. Red cine-gell is placed on the inside to increase contrast.
Shot using a 4x5 pinhole camera. |
