How To ,make A Tabletop Camera Obscura

Fourth dimension travel dorsum to the very origins of modern photography by building your own camera obscura.

illustration of camera obscura — Analogy of a photographic camera obscura, displaying an image upside downwards on a wall in a night room.

A photographic camera obscura (too known every bit a pinhole camera) is a tool used to view the optical phenomenon known equally the "pinhole effect": light traveling through a small opening in a nighttime room or a box will project an prototype on the surface across from it.

The being of this outcome was known for hundreds of years, but in the early on 19th century camera obscuras became the footing for devices used to create the first photographs, and led to the invention of cameras as we know them today.

To learn more, check out our online exhibit on the History of 19th Century Photography.

In that location are several ways to make a camera obscura. Hither is a simple method that uses supplies y'all tin detect around your firm!

Photographic camera Obscura Tutorial

Stride one: Gather your supplies

Yous will demand:

A box that tin exist airtight (either with a hat or with tape)
A sail of white newspaper
Scissors
A pen or pencil
Some night-coloured, heavy-duty tape such as duct record, electrical tape, or hockey tape

Tip: You can use a box of any size, but nosotros found it easiest to piece of work with one that's at least 10 to 12 inches wide.

supplies for making a camera obscura at home

Step ii: Make the screen

Cut the piece of white paper to fit 1 side of your box; utilize the record to adhere it to the inside. This volition be the screen that your paradigm projects onto.

crafter attaches sheet of white paper to the inside of a box

Step 3: Brand some holes!

Y'all need to brand two holes in the side of the box straight across from your screen. 1 pigsty should exist small: just poke the tip of your pen or pencil through the box.

The second hole will be your viewing pigsty. This 1 can be bigger — but enough for you to be able to meet into the box.

Y'all want to place the holes far enough apart then that when you expect through the viewing hole, your head won't block the light from inbound the smaller hole.

crafter uses pen to punch pinhole in cardboard box to make camera obscura

crafter uses scissors to add viewing hole to camera obscura

Tip: If you make your holes as well large, or put them in the wrong spot, don't worry! Y'all can patch information technology upwards with some extra cardboard and record and effort once again!

Stride iv: Shut it up, tape information technology shut

Close your box and record information technology shut using the dark-coloured tape. When you look into your box you shouldn't be able to see calorie-free leaking in from the corners or edges.

Utilize a second or even a third layer of tape to make sure there is no extra light coming in.

crafter uses heavy-duty tape to seal cardboard box and prevent light from leaking into camera obscura

Step 5: Effort information technology out!

Your camera obscura will work best if you are in a dark room with the holes pointing toward a brilliant subject. For my experiment, I turned off the lights in the room and stood with my dorsum to a window.

crafter experiments with homemade camera obscura

When I looked into the viewing hole, I was able to see a tree projected upside-downwards on the screen! Information technology was pretty dim, only I could conspicuously make out the tree!

Yous can run across how the paradigm appeared below on the left. To the right is an actual photograph of the tree

Upside-down image of a tree projected inside a camera obscura

actual image of tree

When I put my telephone to the viewing hole to take a film, it blocked more light coming into the box. This made the epitome appear more clearly; I was even able to run into some colour!

DID YOU KNOW? A camera obscura can be used to look at the sun without damaging your eyes! These devices have been used for centuries to study solar eclipses, and are notwithstanding a pop way to safely view them today.

TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR Photographic camera OBSCURA

If you tin can't meet the epitome at first, there are a few tricks you tin can endeavor:

Move around! Carefully walk back and forrad, moving the camera up and down and side to side, until you see an image. Information technology might take a little practice, as the scene you are trying to see is behind you.

If all you see is darkness or a very dim paradigm, you tin try making your pinhole a little bigger. The epitome won't be as articulate, but it will be brighter.

Attempt turning off all the lights in the room, but leave one lamp lit. Stand with your back to the lamp, about v anxiety away.

Make a camera hood! Have yous ever seen a photographer in an erstwhile movie taking a photo from underneath a black textile? This is the same idea! Put a blanket over your head and part of your camera, leaving the pinhole uncovered. You should exist able to run across the paradigm more clearly.