My experiments with Camera Obscura (The Pin Hole Camera)

Although photography has technologically advanced and is advancing exponentially, the pace at which a photographer has to catch up with the changing medium and techniques is quite high. Caught in the technology  race trying to under stand the digital photography from every different angle sometimes becomes mundane.

In such a situation I decided to step back and see where it all began. The “Camera Obscura” or the in other words the pin hole camera was the answer for it. Having read about it few days back and with an inquisitive mind of a child I decided to test it my self along with my nephew Anchit who is a 2^nd standard student. 

First we decided the room in the house which would become the dark chamber “the light proof room. The window was chosen and the view out side the window was just right. Next question was how to seal all windows. There came an answer with black chart papers.

The view out side room

Black Chart papers being cut

Immediately went out and got couple of black chart papers took the measurement of the windows and made a custom fit size to seal all windows. All doors of the room was locked and light leaking through the gaps of the door were sealed using blankets.

Both windows closed with chart papers

Cut a hole on the sheet through with the light would be beamed. Made a pouch which would hold the different size apertures. Bigger the aperture brighter the image but blurry. Smaller aperture was determined which would give optimum sharpness and the brightness to the image formed on the wall.

The Pin hole through which light will come in

Now we were all set. Thrilled with what we were going to see, I felt like I travelled back in time some 200 years. Going to witness what we all call the Photography, where it all began.

Anchit(Left) and Rithwik(right)
The actual image formed is upside down(inverted)

The image is inverted in post processing to show the right perspective.

Technology change, photography will evolve, but there will be times when we will be questioned about how it all began. Its always a nice feeling to retrospect.