Pinhole Photography - wrestling with raw science

I started experimenting with pinhole photography in 2010 because I saw pinhole cameras in a couple of shops and then started noticing pinhole images online. I decided I wanted to join in the fun and spent several evenings making my own camera from cardboard. I was amazed to find that a litte box made of cardboard and glue was really capable of capturing an image and quickly became hooked.

I tried to make a larger camera to carry medium format film but failed to devise a workable film winding system. For this reason, I have invested in two craftsman-made wooden cameras - one from Poland, one from France. These cameras have machine-drilled pinholes, which produce strikingly clear images. A tiny part of me initially thought of machine-made pinholes as a bit of a cheat but I've since let go of that view since each camera seems to have its own character and feel.

One of the great things about pinhole photography is the fact that a good pinhole produces infinite depth of field and can cope with extreme close-ups. The image at the top of the page is an example of a toy photographed at very close range. The group effect and multi-colours were achieved in camera through multiple exposure and partial advancing of the film between each exposure. You can read more about this technique by visiting my blog.

The image on the right is a shot of Portree Harbour, Isle of Skye, taken with a homemade pinhole camera on 35mm film - I like to take holiday snaps with a pinhole camera whenever I have time.

Giclee prints of both images on this page are currently for sale at The Arterie, in East Dulwich, South East London.

For more, visit my Flickr photo stream and my blog.