Why pinhole?

A pinhole camera is both a very simple and at the same time a very impressive tool. The camera can be almost any shape, as long as it has a light tight space with a little hole in it, and a piece of light sensitive material inside, so that you can save what the camera sees.

The principle of pinhole photography is older than photography itself; the same technique can be used to project images onto a wall to use as a guide for painting. And painters did indeed use the Camera Obscura in this way.

Pinhole photography was rediscovered in the 1960s, when a number of photo artists took up the technique, at roughly the same time, although independently, and started investigating the primitive, dreamlike and not just a little chance-based characteristics of pinhole photography.

It became a way of protesting against the increasing mechanization and automation of modern society. The photographers sought their roots, the basic principles of photography. This is probably one of the reasons many pinholers today state as their reason for doing pinhole photography in the first place.

Taking pictures with a pinhole camera is taking a huge leap away from the high-tech hype of modern photography and it is also a good way of removing stress from your life.

Pinhole photography requires time, the camera wants us to stop and take a second look. It leads us as far away from ”the decisive moment” as you can possibly get. The exposures range from about half a second to half a year or so. Depending on what kind of image you want.

Don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you have questions or ideas: lena@pinhole.se.

Källberg Text & Form