Date: 1994

Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Science/Process Skills

Time Required: 5-10 class periods

Major Objectives:

• To understand the photographic process including camera operation and lights effect on photographic emulsions at a very affordable rate.

1. One three pound coffee can per 2 students (empty can with plastic lid intact)
2. Black construction paper
3. Thin cardboard (black)
4. Masking tape
5. Thin gauge aluminum (offset press type)
6. Large nail
7. Hammer
8. Needle or pin
9. Very fine grit wet/dry sandpaper
10. Shoebox
11. Darkroom (a room that can be made light tight)
12. Safelight
13. Processing trays(3)
14. Paper developer (Kodak Dektol)
15. Stop Bath (Kodak Indicator Stop Bath) Optional Step
16. Fix (Kodak Fix)
17. Photographic Paper (Ilford B&W RC Paper, no printing on back)

Activities and Procedures:

1. Introduce students to photography.
2. Demonstrate that a 'real' camera and lens are not need to create a photographic image.
3. Use a large refrigerator box with a small hole placed in one side to demonstrate how a pinhole camera works. Students can actually climb inside box and see inverted image opposite hole.
4. Show students other examples of pinhole camera photography. Filmstrips, magazines (photo), books.
5. Discuss with students: exposures, camera steadiness, pinhole size, positive and negative prints, and composition. Display results.

Construction of Pinhole Camera:

1. Remove plastic lid from can
2. Find center of bottom of can and mark
3. Punch hole at mark with large nail
4. Cut 2 circular pieces of cardboard to fit inside lid and bottom of can.
5. Cut small hole in one piece of circular cardboard that fits inside bottom of can so nail hole is fully exposed.
6. Use black construction paper to build light baffle inside can. Just tape black construction paper to inside of can to prevent light from reflecting around inside of can. This is also the purpose of the black circular pieces of cardboard.
7. Find center of 1"x 1" piece of aluminum and punch small pin hole in center.
8. Lightly sand opposite side of pin punch to remove any burrs.
9. Tape aluminum square over nail hole. Make sure pinhole is centered on nail hole.
10. Construct sliding shutter that will stay open and closed as it is adjusted.
11. Load photographic paper (cut to 4"x 4") into camera lid by taping emulsion side towards pinhole. Do this in complete darkness or under safelight conditions.
12. Make camera mount out of shoe box. Cut 'V' shaped grooves in long sides of shoe box so camera will not move during exposure.
13. Make test exposure starting with 2 minutes under sunny skies.
14. Process paper. You should now have paper negative.
15. Examine for correct exposure.
16. To make positive image, place unexposed paper under negative and expose to light source. Process.