Two months back, I had enrolled for a weekend film course conducted by an Indian filmmaker called RV Ramani. During one of the classes, precisely, on 20 September 2020, we were discussing cinematography. Sir mentioned pinhole cameras and said, “Everyone should try making a pinhole camera.” That’s it. That statement was imprinted on my mind. While the class was going on, I was googling how to make a pinhole camera. I couldn’t resist my excitement as it appeared so fascinating to me. Soon after our weekend class, I spent a few days researching pinhole cameras.
What is a pinhole camera?
A pinhole camera is a camera without a lens. It is a light-proof box with a small hole or aperture on one side for the light from a scene to enter and project an inverted image on the opposite side of the box. This phenomenon is known as the camera obscura effect.
I discovered a lot of hobbyists who had made pinhole cameras for their photography experiments. My research streamed down to majorly 3 methods of making a pinhole camera.
A pinhole camera with butter paper
Using this method, you can create a basic pinhole camera. The images will be projected on the butter paper for you to view. However, it does not allow you to capture any photographs permanently.
A pinhole camera with photo paper
In this, a photo paper is used instead of butter paper. A negative image will be captured onto the photo paper, which then can be developed into the darkroom.
A pinhole camera using DSLR
This is the simplest method to try if you have a DSLR camera with an extra camera body cap. Punch a small hole in the cap and attach it to your camera. And lo! You have your own digital pinhole camera ready for capturing interesting photographs.
Which method did I want to try?
I was fairly interested in trying the second method, the pinhole camera with photo paper. I found a simple and useful tutorial that explained how to make one. In fact, they also depicted a way of developing the photos using natural products instead of chemicals. It all seemed really exciting and novel to me, and I was bent upon making this camera. While all the other requirements seemed achievable, the main item, i.e. photo paper, seemed slightly out of reach.
What is photo paper?
By definition, ‘A photographic paper is a paper coated with a light-sensitive chemical formula, used for making photographic prints.’
But, this paper was not easy to find. I looked up a few e-commerce websites but could only find photo paper used for Inkjet printing. Initially, I was unsure of the differences, but a quick google search led me to an article which had linked the kind of paper needed. I clicked on the link only to discover that the photographic paper is costly! On Amazon, a hundred sheets of resin-coated photographic paper cost around 20,000 rupees after a 70% discount. Even if I plan on buying a smaller pack of 25 sheets, it would still cost me anywhere between 3,000 - 5,000 rupees. I was utterly shocked and saddened upon seeing the rates. But the thought to make this camera was not leaving me.
Suddenly, it struck me that I could visit photo studios to buy photographic paper. After some days, I went to Matunga with my mom and purchased all that was needed to make a pinhole camera. My last visit was at the Kodak photo studio to buy photo paper. I crossed my fingers, entered the studio and asked the owner for photo paper. He immediately presented me with a white glossy sheet. I enquired more about the sheet and understood that it could only be used for Inkjet printing. I showed him the paper I had found online, and he seemed to recognise it. Apparently, Ilford is a famous company that manufactures black and white photo paper. He explained to me that this paper could only be developed in the darkroom using chemicals, but they are no longer available post the onset of digital photography. My mind was screaming internally. I thanked him for his time and exited the studio. My mother smirked, looking at my dejected face. I narrowed my eyes and strode to another photo studio only to be disappointed again. He asked me to try my luck at the Fort Area.
I told Papa about this, but he was not convinced to take me there. He instead suggested ordering it online. But the price of it was unsettling for me. After that, I left that thought aside for a few days when one morning, Papa called me to his room. He was suddenly ready to order the photographic papers for me. I guess he was kinder because it was my birthday the next day? I searched for it online once again. This time the price of the same 25 sheets of Ilford Black and White paper had increased to 6,000 rupees! Papa suggested that I ask my Sir and other classmates about it before making any impulsive purchases. I agreed and dropped a message on our class group. Below is an excerpt from our conversations.
[1:03 PM, 10/9/2020] Vaibhavi: Hey guys, so in one of the classes Sir was talking about pinhole cameras. Since then, I’ve been wanting to make one myself, but not sure which paper to buy for it. If anyone has made it before and done photography with it, can you guide me which paper should be bought for this purpose?!
[1:56 PM, 10/9/2020] Ramani Sir: Butter paper
[2:06 PM, 10/9/2020] Vaibhavi: But how will I develop butter paper? I wanted to capture the photos on the paper and develop it.
[2:06 PM, 10/9/2020] Prachie: Photo paper. https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/miww5/what_kind_of_photographic_paper_to_use_for_pinhole/
[2:11 PM, 10/9/2020] Vinodh: You can use 35mm film roll also for Pinhole camera.
[2:17 PM, 10/9/2020] Ramani Sir : That will be difficult. What you can do is shoot the image falling on the back of the butter paper using your mobile camera or any other camera.
Ramani Sir was not in favour of the photo paper and suggested I make a basic one with butter paper while a few others sent me information which I previously knew. I then turned to another filmmaking group for help and sent the same message there as well. One of my friends from that group, Aranya, messaged me. My talk with him was very enlightening. He told me how I can convert my room into a pinhole camera to create a camera obscura! Even he was of the opinion that I shouldn’t invest in photo paper. After the confirmation by a few trusted ones, I finally decided to drop my idea of making a pinhole camera using photo paper. But, it was now replaced by the idea of converting my room into a pinhole camera!
There was a long gap until I actually started working on it. Sometimes it was raining, sometimes it was cloudy, I had to keep a look out for sunny days as the best imagery would be created then.
Once November started, the monsoon season ended. It was still not very sunny but I had not much choice left now. The best time to make this has to be the summer season. But there is an absence of patience in my life.
How did I convert my room into a pinhole camera?
A brief overview:
The idea is to treat your room as a box which needs to be completely dark. For that purpose, all the windows of your room need to be completely covered. Next, you would need to make a small hole in the paper so that light can enter your room. The wall on the opposite side of the window should be light coloured. If not, you can cover it with a white bed sheet. As your eyes adjust to the darkness, you will see an inverted image form on the wall.
A detailed explanation
Attention: Watch the process video below.
Requirements:
Black chart papers/ black garbage bags/ black plastic sheets
Note: The material should be opaque black so that absolutely no light can enter the room.
Black electric tape
Note: Do not use any other transparent tapes as they will not block light. That’s why black electric tape is the most suitable option.
Metal washer
Note: Metal washer is for the aperture. You can easily find these at a hardware store. If not then, you can simply make a hole in the cardboard itself and stick it onto the window.
Thin cardboard
Pen/ pencil
Scissors
Cutter
White bed sheet
DSLR (if you wish to capture the images)
Method:
Cover all the windows in the room with black chart papers. It is advisable to do it during daytime so that you can switch off the light to understand if there are any uncovered gaps.
Different sizes mean different apertures. Depending on the size of the hole, the area on the walls will be covered. But bigger the hole, blurrier the image.
Take a thin cardboard, I used the outer cover of an old scrapbook. Trace the inner and the outer circle of the washer. Cut out a box around the inner circle and paste the washer on the cardboard. Your aperture is ready!
Cut out a small opening in your chart paper stuck on the windows. Stick this cardboard piece on that opening.
If the wall on the opposite side is dark coloured, hang a white bed sheet. You do not need to follow this step if it is white or light coloured.
You are inside a camera now! Switch off the lights and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Soon, you will see an inverted image of your outside view projected onto the opposite wall!
Watch the process video for a visual reference and better understanding.
To be honest, once the camera was ready, I was really jittery if it would work or not. My parents were not too happy with my antics and if it did not work, it would definitely annoy them more. My brother was with me at the time when I was going to capture my first shot. I set my DSLR on the tripod, literally, blindly aimed at the bed sheet and pressed the shutter release button. After a long 10 seconds wait, I saw the image and jumped with joy! It worked! I excitedly showed the image to my brother and he was also equally thrilled to see it.
Then I rushed to my parents’ room to call them to witness my experiment and both of them were happy to experience it as well.
Going against my Papa’s wishes, I kept the room dark for another 3 days until I was fully satisfied with it. I even changed the position of the aperture to observe the changes. Here are some outcomes by the pinhole camera which I captured using my DSLR.
After a few shots, I tried using a smaller aperture. That led to a sharper image but I had to increase the shutter speed to capture it.
I am inside a camera!!! Also, I tried taking some monochrome shots.
This image was projected onto the left wall in the room.
The second image is rotated and flipped.
Inside a camera again! Hi there, Vaibhavi and Gaurav!
This image was projected on the ceiling. Click on the arrow to see the corrected image. It is the Gurudwara building.
This is one of my favourites. I only have a telephoto lens with me. No wide angle lens. So, I kept tilting the camera up and clicked various images. After that, I combined all the images to form into a single panaroma shot. The below image is also rotated and flipped.
These are few of the many shots that I clicked. I was so happy and excited to have done this! Even though I was having fun, my parents surely were not. Since the room was fully packed for 2-3 days, no one could use it during the day time. We had to sleep with the AC on, otherwise, we felt claustrophobic. These were some of the drawbacks.
When I went to sleep at night, I realised that I was sleeping inside a camera! That is undoubtedly one of the best moments of my life. I am not sure how many would be enthralled by this idea, but it certainly made me feel overjoyed! My room’s profile was completely altered in a few steps!
Some of you reading this blog would be wondering why would someone want to take so much effort to capture an image which you can otherwise easily capture from your window. Well, because the same image becomes way more exciting when you capture it inside a pinhole camera. It also helps you experience history! I am also sure many of you must’ve read about it in your science textbooks and would’ve made your own pinhole cameras as a child! But I certainly did it for the first time and absolutely enjoyed the process as well as the outcome.
PS: I am grateful to all those who helped me achieve this! Especially my little brother, Gaurav who helped me in the process and equally shared my excitement!
Vaibhavi
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