A Tribute to the First Unfixed Photograph

by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, 1816

A Tribute to the First Unfixed Photograph

by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, 1816

In May 1816, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce attached a piece of paper coated with silver nitrate to the back of a camera obscura – the original version of today’s pinhole camera. He placed the camera at the window of his study and called the experiment “Retina.” After several days of exposure, he removed the paper. Wherever light had struck the surface, the silver nitrate had darkened more intensely. A first negative image had formed: a small, upside-down representation of the outside world. But it was a fleeting image. When the camera was opened, the paper continued to be exposed to light, and the image gradually faded. Niépce was holding the world’s first photograph in his hands – but he had no way to fix it. Time became a tangible medium for him: made visible through light, shaped by impermanence and slowness.
This story stands at the heart of our project. With every pinhole camera manual we provide, participants are invited to relive this foundational moment in photography – but now with the ability to preserve their images permanently.

Die erste erhaltene Fotografie von Joseph Nicéphore Niépce aus dem Jahre 1826

Saint-Loup-de-Varennes from Nicéphore Niépce.
The first photo from 1826.

The Pinhole Camera Manual with Historical Context

The 7th Day is a tribute to this very first photographic experiment. With each of our pinhole cameras, we include a detailed pinhole camera manual. Inside, you’ll find a sheet of light-sensitive photographic paper loaded into a camera obscura, along with instructions on how to have your image professionally digitized by us. Just like Niépce in 1816, you decide what the photograph will capture. But unlike back then, you now have the ability to preserve and share your image permanently.

 

The Pinhole Camera Manual with Historical Context

The 7th Day is a tribute to this very first photographic experiment. With each of our pinhole cameras, we include a detailed pinhole camera manual. Inside, you’ll find a sheet of light-sensitive photographic paper loaded into a camera obscura, along with instructions on how to have your image professionally digitized by us. Just like Niépce in 1816, you decide what the photograph will capture. But unlike back then, you now have the ability to preserve and share your image permanently.

 

Pinhole camera manual, step by step

Aufgeschnittene Kamera mit digital hinzugefügten Linien zur Veranschaulichung des Bildauschnittes

The pinhole camera used in The 7th Day project is a classic Camera Obscura (from Latin: camera = chamber, obscura = dark). You’ll receive a recycled film canister, already loaded with light-sensitive photographic paper.

The viewing angle of the pinhole camera is approximately 60 degrees. To better estimate the final image section, imagine a line running from the bottom edge of the photo paper through the center of the camera and out into the space in front of you. Everything within this yellow-marked area will later become visible on the photo paper.

This part of our pinhole camera manual helps you visualize your composition before exposure begins.

Lochkamera mit einem Haus im Hintergrund

The exposure process of your pinhole camera begins as soon as you carefully remove the small piece of tape covering the hole. This allows light to pass through and reach the photo paper – and the exposure starts. If the tape was accidentally removed too early, you can reattach it briefly.
Short phases of unintended light usually only affect the image slightly.

Now choose a suitable location for your Camera Obscura. Make sure to fix the camera in place securely – whether outdoors on a fence or pole, or indoors on a windowsill. For outdoor shots, an exposure time of around 7 days in summer is sufficient; in winter, plan for about 14 days. Indoor exposures generally require much longer – often several weeks or even months.

Good to know: Overexposure is not possible with this technique. The longer the photo paper is exposed, the more intense and detailed the final image will be.

Gezeigt wird ein Negativ und ein Positiv des selben Bildes

Once your desired exposure time is complete, open the pinhole camera in dim light and carefully remove the exposed negative (photo paper). Place it in the provided black envelope to prevent further exposure, and send it back to us in the white return envelope.

As soon as we receive your exposed negative, the next step in our pinhole camera manual begins: the digital development. During the scanning process, a continuous beam of light exposes the photo paper further—this destroys the analog negative, but simultaneously transforms it into a digital image file.

This file is then converted into a positive and professionally edited. The final image is published in our digital archive, where it is saved under your personal image number. You’ll find this number both on the participation kit and on the return envelope included with it.

3000 kleine Bilder nebeneinander von Teilnehmer aus dem Projekt The 7th Day.

As a participant in the project, you’ll gain access to the complete digital archive, which contains thousands of images submitted by people from around the world. There you’ll also find your own image, which you can view, share, or download at any time. All images in the archive (except your own) are available under a non-commercial usage license – perfect for private use or educational projects.

To help you create your own image easily and safely, every participation kit and refill set includes a printed pinhole camera manual. It guides you step by step through the process of placing your camera, managing the exposure, and sending in your negative.

FAQ's

Frequently ask questions

The camera is a simple pinhole camera, or camera obscura. It works without any lens or electronics. Light enters through a tiny hole and hits light-sensitive photo paper. The longer the exposure, the greater the contrast in the image. The picture forms slowly and entirely through analog means.

The colorful lines are caused by the movement of the sun during the exposure period – a phenomenon known as solargraphy. The sun’s daily path is recorded as a light trail directly on the photo paper. Depending on weather, time of day, and exposure length, these lines may appear continuous or broken. Their color and intensity depend on the photo paper used and the lighting conditions. These sun trails give many of the project’s images their distinctive appearance.

No. Participation is possible without any experience. You don’t need technical knowledge or a background in photography. Just place the camera and send it back to us after exposure – we’ll handle the rest. Because it’s so easy, the project is also a great activity to do with children.

In summer, 7 days are usually enough; in winter, around 14 days. Indoors, longer exposures are required – often several weeks. Overexposure isn’t possible with this method. The more time, the more light is captured. Patience pays off.

Yes, you can. Exposure time will be significantly longer. Be sure to place the camera in a stable position. Window sills with indirect light work especially well.

Then exposure starts earlier than planned. In most cases, that’s no problem. The tape can usually be reapplied. Sometimes it comes off during transport – again, not a big issue, as the packaging is semi lightproof and protects the paper from overexposure. Just make sure to store the camera in a dark place until you’re ready to begin the actual exposure.

No, the original negative is destroyed during scanning. The scanner uses a light bar that fully exposes the photo paper. This happens as the digital version is created. The final image is the only version that remains. Because this process cannot be repeated, great care and experience are essential when digitizing.

Yes, you may use your own image commercially. We just ask that you credit the project The 7th Day and your image number when doing so.
You’ll also gain access to the full archive, where thousands of images by other participants are stored. These may only be used non-commercially – for personal or educational purposes. For all other uses, please contact the original creator for permission.

Animals, weather, or dust may affect your result. Birds might peck the pinhole or spiders could build webs in front of the camera – these unexpected interactions will influence the final image. This is not a flaw, but part of the process. Nature, time, and surroundings play an important role in making each photo unique and often surprising.

It depends on several factors: season, light direction, and especially the photo paper used. We use different types of paper, each reacting differently to light. The duration and intensity of the exposure also influence contrast and color – sometimes dramatically. That’s why the results often have striking, unexpected hues.

Yes, some cameras in the project have been exposed for up to 8 years. The image quality doesn’t deteriorate – the paper reacts gradually and continuously. The key is that the camera remains securely in place. Long exposures are not only possible but welcomed.

Open the camera in dim light. Place the photo paper into the black envelope provided. Then put that into the white return envelope and mail it to us. We’ll scan your image professionally and upload it to our digital archive.

Still have questions?
Send us an email at: post@the-7th-day.de. We’re happy to help!