TO PARTICIPATE
Want to make a Pinhole Project image? Ask us for a camera by emailing jenny.riffle@gmailcom. We’ll send you a handmade, loaded pinhole camera ready to expose. Directions for using your camera are below.
Before Janet passed away, she had made 25 Altoids tin pinhole cameras that she never had the chance to send out into the world. In Janet’s honor, her daughter Jess has generously offered to cover the materials and postage for these 25 cameras, so they will be sent to participants completely free of charge. We know Janet would be happy to see these cameras finally making images.
When your exposure is complete, replace the shutter cover and mail the camera back to the address on the Contact Us page. Be sure to include your email address. We’ll scan your image, send you a JPEG, and add it to the Pinhole Project Gallery and Archive. If you prefer not to have your image included in the archive, just let us know.
You can also make your own pinhole camera and submit a JPEG of your finished image to jenny.riffle@gmail.com to be included in the The Pinhole Project archive.
How to Use a Pinhole Project Camera
Pinhole photography is wonderfully simple, but there are a few things you can do to make your long exposure successful.
First, place your camera somewhere secure where it won’t move during the exposure. If you’re attaching it to wood, fasten it with pushpins or staples. If you’re attaching it to metal, concrete, or brick, use strong strapping tape or duct tape across the tabs. You really can’t use too much tape!
If you’re planning a very long exposure, especially through a rainy season or winter, try to place the camera somewhere with a little protection from the weather—under the eaves of a house, on a porch, or beneath another overhang. The cameras are fairly waterproof, and a little water inside usually doesn’t hurt, but keeping them dry is best.
Most importantly: remove the pinhole cover completely when you are ready to begin your exposure. Keep the cover—you’ll need to put it back over the pinhole before taking the camera down. You can tape the cover to the back or side of the camera while it is exposing so it doesn’t get lost.
It’s also fun to take a photograph with your phone or digital camera from the camera’s location, showing what you think the pinhole is seeing. When the exposure is finished, you can compare the two images.
Choosing What to Photograph
There are no bad pinhole images. You can point your camera at almost anything and see what happens.
Keep in mind that these cameras are very wide angle, seeing nearly 180 degrees. Having something prominent in the foreground can add visual interest and give the image a sense of depth.
Outdoor exposures can last for weeks or months. If you decide to expose your camera indoors, be prepared to leave it up for six months to a year. The photographic paper used in the cameras loves bright light and is much less sensitive to typical indoor lighting.
Check on your camera once in a while, especially if it’s in a public place. Pinhole cameras have been mistaken for all kinds of things and occasionally disappear. They can also fall down. If yours does, don’t worry—just put it back up. Those happy accidents can sometimes produce wonderful images.
When Your Exposure Is Finished
Before taking your camera down, replace the pinhole cover so no additional light reaches the photographic paper.
Return your camera to The Pinhole Project, where the image will be scanned and become part of the Project Archive. Then we will reload the camera and send it back to you, please include your return address.
Thank you for being part of The Pinhole Project and participating in the slow photography movement. We can’t wait to see what your camera captured.