THE 7th DAY / Archive

 
PARTICIPATE | MANUAL | BLOG

CATSKILLS  PINHOLE CAMERA PROJECT


Create an image using Nicéphore Niépce's photographic method from 1816.

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make an exposure, fix the camera sturdily in position. The camera is water resistant. It is designed for taking exposures outdoors. (In fact it won't work indoors, unless left open for several months.) It is OK to tape the camera to window glass, or to put it on a window ledge as long as it faces a well-lit area outside. When selecting a subject keep in mind that vision angle is approximately 120 °. Exposure starts when the black tape covering the pinhole is lifted, and ends when the black tape is put back to cover the pinhole. Exposure time is minimum one week in the summer, and minimum two weeks in the winter. There is no danger of overexposing; only underexposing is an issue.

DISCLAIMER:
All images created for this project will be in the public domain.

ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE:

In May 1816 Joseph Nicéphore Niépce made a groundbreaking discovery. He placed a piece of silver nitrate––coated paper in a camera obscura, put the camera on the window ledge in his office, and left the camera with an open shutter for a few days. From the exposure to sunlight the silver nitrate changed its color, which resulted in a small picture—a negative of the scene outside Niépce's office. He called this process “Retina.” Niépce’s desperation must have been beyond expression when he held the first photography in his hands, but was not able to show it to the world—he could not find a way to stop the negative from darkening when brought into the light for viewing.
Nowadays we can save the image before it disappears by scanning it, and are able to change negative into positive by using computer software.
What is the role of the photographer who installs a pinhole camera and starts an exposure? It seems that he or she initiates a chance process, the result of which is left to fate. Instead of actively taking a picture, the photographer lets Nature do the work. Therefore there is no such thing as a "bad picture." All images are equally valuable documents.

  • catskills 080/12 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 208 visits catskills 080/12 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/11 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 192 visits catskills 080/11 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/10 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 204 visits catskills 080/10 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/9 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 195 visits catskills 080/9 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/8 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 203 visits catskills 080/8 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/7 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 200 visits catskills 080/7 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/6 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 196 visits catskills 080/6 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/5 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 212 visits catskills 080/5 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/4 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 196 visits catskills 080/4 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/3 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 195 visits catskills 080/3 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/2 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 206 visits catskills 080/2 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 080/1 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 205 visits catskills 080/1 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 159/2 Paul Savage 0 comments - 195 visits catskills 159/2 Paul Savage
  • catskills 159/1 Paul Savage 0 comments - 201 visits catskills 159/1 Paul Savage
  • catskills 160 Kathleen Green 0 comments - 187 visits catskills 160 Kathleen Green
  • catskills 207 Robin Halpern and Hank Blumfarb 0 comments - 325 visits catskills 207 Robin Halpern and Hank Blumfarb
  • catskills 206 Robin Halpern and Hank Blumfarb 0 comments - 334 visits catskills 206 Robin Halpern and Hank Blumfarb
  • catskills 205 Anna Lasota 0 comments - 319 visits catskills 205 Anna Lasota
  • catskills 204 Jenny Neal 0 comments - 324 visits catskills 204 Jenny Neal
  • catskills 203 Laura Sue King 0 comments - 314 visits catskills 203 Laura Sue King
  • catskills 162 Harret Grossman 0 comments - 320 visits catskills 162 Harret Grossman
  • catskills 161 G. Herz 0 comments - 309 visits catskills 161 G. Herz
  • catskills 156 Alan Powell 0 comments - 322 visits catskills 156 Alan Powell
  • catskills 152 Laurie Kirby 0 comments - 320 visits catskills 152 Laurie Kirby
  • Image 4073 0 comments - 303 visits catskills 150
  • catskills 146/2 Grant Worth 0 comments - 309 visits catskills 146/2 Grant Worth
  • catskills 146/1 Grant Worth 0 comments - 317 visits catskills 146/1 Grant Worth
  • catskills 124 Katie Palm 0 comments - 313 visits catskills 124 Katie Palm
  • catskills 116 Rosalind Dickinson 0 comments - 327 visits catskills 116 Rosalind Dickinson
  • catskills 112 Gloria Mirsky 0 comments - 308 visits catskills 112 Gloria Mirsky
  • catskills 110 Gary Schoen 0 comments - 264 visits catskills 110 Gary Schoen
  • catskills 106 Rosen/Kirson 0 comments - 288 visits catskills 106 Rosen/Kirson
  • catskills 103 Katie Palm 0 comments - 262 visits catskills 103 Katie Palm
  • catskills 165/2 Annie Schwed 1 comment - 298 visits catskills 165/2 Annie Schwed
  • catskills 165/1 Annie Schwed 0 comments - 281 visits catskills 165/1 Annie Schwed
  • catskills 140 Pereira Family 0 comments - 294 visits catskills 140 Pereira Family
  • catskills 139 Andes Central School 0 comments - 290 visits catskills 139 Andes Central School
  • catskills 138 Andes Central School 0 comments - 307 visits catskills 138 Andes Central School
  • catskills 137 Andes Central School 0 comments - 289 visits catskills 137 Andes Central School
  • catskills 136 Andes Central School 0 comments - 274 visits catskills 136 Andes Central School
  • catskills 135 Andes Central School 0 comments - 278 visits catskills 135 Andes Central School
  • catskills 134 Andes Central School 0 comments - 283 visits catskills 134 Andes Central School
  • catskills 133 Andes Central School 0 comments - 277 visits catskills 133 Andes Central School
  • catskills 132 Andes Central School 0 comments - 275 visits catskills 132 Andes Central School
  • catskills 131 Andes Central School 0 comments - 283 visits catskills 131 Andes Central School
  • catskills 130 Andes Central School 0 comments - 269 visits catskills 130 Andes Central School
  • catskills 129 Andes Central School 0 comments - 276 visits catskills 129 Andes Central School
  • catskills 128 Andes Central School 0 comments - 285 visits catskills 128 Andes Central School
  • catskills 127 Andes Central School 0 comments - 256 visits catskills 127 Andes Central School
  • catskills 126/b Andes Central School 0 comments - 255 visits catskills 126/b Andes Central School
  • catskills 126/a Andes Central School 0 comments - 258 visits catskills 126/a Andes Central School
  • catskills 123 Andes Central School 0 comments - 268 visits catskills 123 Andes Central School
  • catskills 122 Andes Central School 0 comments - 272 visits catskills 122 Andes Central School
  • catskills 121 Running Water 0 comments - 266 visits catskills 121 Running Water
  • catskills 120 Andes Central School 0 comments - 262 visits catskills 120 Andes Central School
  • catskills 119/2 Susan Mayr 0 comments - 263 visits catskills 119/2 Susan Mayr
  • catskills 119/1 Susan Mayr 0 comments - 275 visits catskills 119/1 Susan Mayr
  • catskills 114 Andes Central School 0 comments - 254 visits catskills 114 Andes Central School
  • catskills 155/1 David Yates 0 comments - 310 visits catskills 155/1 David Yates
  • catskills 145/3 Monika Wyndham 0 comments - 308 visits catskills 145/3 Monika Wyndham
  • catskills 145/2 Monika Wyndham 0 comments - 297 visits catskills 145/2 Monika Wyndham
  • catskills 145/1 Monika Wyndham 0 comments - 287 visits catskills 145/1 Monika Wyndham
  • catskills 144/3 Leigh Melander 0 comments - 285 visits catskills 144/3 Leigh Melander
  • catskills 144/2 Leigh Melander 0 comments - 290 visits catskills 144/2 Leigh Melander
  • catskills 144/1 Leigh Melander 0 comments - 282 visits catskills 144/1 Leigh Melander
  • catskills 068/1 Richard Tazzara 0 comments - 279 visits catskills 068/1 Richard Tazzara
  • catskills 049 p2/8 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 342 visits catskills 049 p2/8 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 049 p2/7 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 280 visits catskills 049 p2/7 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 049 p2/6 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 290 visits catskills 049 p2/6 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 049 p2/5 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 279 visits catskills 049 p2/5 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 049 p1/4 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 291 visits catskills 049 p1/4 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 049 p1/3 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 284 visits catskills 049 p1/3 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 049 p1/2 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 269 visits catskills 049 p1/2 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 049 p1/1 Kate Hamilton 0 comments - 267 visits catskills 049 p1/1 Kate Hamilton
  • catskills 043/9 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 283 visits catskills 043/9 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 043/8 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 304 visits catskills 043/8 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 043/7 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 290 visits catskills 043/7 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 043/6 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 302 visits catskills 043/6 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 043/5 Tona Wilson 0 comments - 274 visits catskills 043/5 Tona Wilson
  • catskills 072a/2 Michelle Sidvane 0 comments - 360 visits catskills 072a/2 Michelle Sidvane
Powered by Piwigo | Contact webmaster - By purchasing a participation set, you receive a non-commercial right of use for the entire archive. When using pictures (FB, print media etc.) we ask for a reference to the author (name with picture number) and the project name (THE 7th DAY). If you are the author (photographer) of a picture, you are allowed to use it commercially. In this case, a reference to the project (The 7th Day / P. Zajfert) must be made.