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Step by step guide for turning your Pinhole Cream Ale Cans into a camera! (:
Making The Camera
Supplies:
- Two Cans
- Can Opener
- Sharp Knife
- Electrical or Duct Tape
- Pin!
- 5x7" Photographic Paper
1. Using a can opener remove the top of one can. Recycle the top bit. Be careful please, the cans are very sharp!
2. Now grab the other can and cut all the way around about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Take your time & be careful!! You can recycle the top part that we cut, we only need the bottom bit.
3. Now! On the can that we've removed the top, use a pin to puncture a tiny hole on the can right above the expose icon.
4. Cut a piece of tape about 2 inches long (Electrical works best). Fold over one end of the tape and stick it to itself. The folded bit gives us something to grab when it's time to expose.
Seal the tape over the pinhole.
5. Time to load our camera! The "Film" we'll use is actually light sensitive photographic paper. We want to use specifically 5x7 inch sheets. Here's a link to our recommended brand: Illford 5x7 Glossy Photographic Paper.
STEPS 5 & 6 NEED TO BE DONE IN THE DARK!
USE A CLOSET OR BATHROOM WITHOUT WINDOWS!
Now! Grab the can that we've used the can opener to cut the top off. With the 5 inch side vertical, curl the photo paper and place inside the can. The 7 inch side will just barely wrap around the inside. The gap in the paper is where we need the pinhole to be. THIS IS CRUCIAL so that when we expose the paper isn't covering the pinhole.
5" Side
PINHOLE!
6. Place the bottom half of the other can that we cut over the open end of the can that we loaded with paper. Make sure it's a snug seal, then wrap tape around the gap. We're ready to expose!
7. To expose the camera needs to be very still. We'd recommend putting the can on a flat surface with the pinhole facing the subject. Then place one hand on top of the camera and press down so that the camera is sturdy in place, and try not to move this hand as much as possible.
With your other hand, grab the bit of tape that we stuck together and peel back the tape, revealing the pinhole to the subject. Exposure times can be experimental lasting from 4 seconds to years!
The exposure time would be the amount of time the pinhole is uncovered. We'd recommend starting on a sunny day with a casual 20-30 seconds. So, after you peel back the tape count 20-30 seconds then reapply the tape over the pinhole. Do not open the camera or remove the tape covering the pinhole until ready to develop. At this point the paper is ready to develop!
DEVELOPING!
Supplies:
- 500ml Water
- 10 Grams Dried Mint
- 10 Grams Baking Soda
- 2 Grams Vitamin C Tablets
- 5ml Lemon Juice
- Coffee Filter
- Tray
- Tongs
We can make our own developing solution using household ingredients and items! The development process also needs to be done in the dark, but you can use a red light or even the red light from a bike light to see what's going on.
We thought it would be easier explained by watching this incredibly helpful YouTube video: How To Develop Your Own Pinhole Camera Photos. Good luck and most importantly have fun!
EXAMPLES!
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