Discover the Ancient Technique That Turns Ordinary Objects into Timeless Art
July 13, 2024
Source: Reddit
Do you recall how each summer day had so many hours, and how a child could be happy with the simplest things as if it was the best thing in the world? Picture yourself, maybe as a kid or as a teenager, creating a camera out of a tin can and a piece of tape. You would sit and watch, with so much excitement, as the sun sets and paints the world in a way that looks almost fairy tale like. This was the crux of pinhole photography, a combination of the basic and the unknown, which inspired innovation and imagination.
Pinhole photography can be said to have been practice since the days of the camera obscura and is a historic form of photography. The camera obscura, an enclosed chamber with a small hole that creates a picture of the outside world, was understood by philosophers such as Aristotle as well as Chinese scholars since the 5th century BCE. In the renaissance period, this principle was applied by the artists such as Leonardo da Vinci in the perspectives and in the optics.
Moving on to the 19th century, the era of photography can be credited for the recognition of the pinhole camera. These early cameras, which did not have lenses, exposed light sensitive materials through a small hole and produced images that were although not as clear as the ones produced by today’s cameras, were soft and had a dream like quality about them.
As we live in the world where technology rules the photography sphere, pinhole photography is a sweet memory of the past. It is a very practical way of looking into creativity where the roles of patience and waiting could not be ignored. Every single picture was a story that depicted events that occurred within a day or two or even a week, unlike the present-day photos that are taken in a blink of an eye.
Pinhole cameras were widely homemade and provided the users with a feeling of creating something and being in touch with the physical environment. They were also an extension of the culture at the time, a period of time in which people had become perhaps more conscious of the slow, natural rhythm of the world. These cameras were not just a piece of equipment; they were partners in discovering, making us look at the world in a new, more patient way.
However, today, the popularity of pinhole photography still remains, as people who are interested in art, teaching, leisure, and many other spheres. The design remains appealing to many people due to its simplicity and the kind of outlook it gives to the artifact. Today’s photographers similarly employ such materials as beer cans for making pinhole cameras, which shows that classical concepts are not incompatible with the current aesthetic.
This is not a simple case of the revival of the past, this is about learning to embrace the flaws and to wait. Pinhole photography allows the viewer to look at the world in a different frame of mind; it makes us look at the world and pay attention to the lighting and the shading that we normally does not pay attention to in our daily lives.
In the technologically advancing society of today, pinhole photography is a technique that slows down the viewer. It is a celebration of the good old days; when one had to sweat, and even work some form of magic, just to come up with something beautiful. Therefore, on your next shopping trip, when you find yourself holding a simple tin can or a roll of photographic paper, you will know that you are holding history in your hands in a way. This is the sweet reminiscence of the past, and it is a beautiful message to convey that nothing is quite as fantastic as the basics in life.