"An aperture is an opening -- a place of transformation, symbolically feminine," 

                                                                             Eric Renner, "Pinhole Photography, Rediscovering a Historic Technique"

Pinhole photography has always intrigued me as have the alternative methods of photography. This strange inquisitiveness, years ago, led me to dismantled an old broken 35 mm camera because I just had to see what was in there. Never did get it put back together without leftover parts and It remained in non working condition and was later lost in a  move. I guess the parts were something important. Well, that was a long time ago. Over the years the simplicity of necessity for image capture still mesmerizes my curiosity.

Three years ago I began to pursue this thing called "pinhole photography" again.  Finding new information on the web and in written material was a step going forward. Until that time I had experimented with a paper negative process and was never fully satisfied with results and considered that a step backward.  I wanted my image to be created upon "real" silver based negatives for I wanted to enlarge or contact print them.

With help from fellow photographers who have traveled down the path I was about to pursue, I had obtained valuable tips and information. I procured a hand drill and very small drill bits to make my own pinholes.  Aluminum pie plates sacrificed their bottoms for the creation of those pinholes. The pinhole "gods" were guiding me.

I began using my Toyo 4 X 5 field camera and used a hand drilled pinhole.  Shortly thereafter I  made a new hand drilled  pinhole and inserted it onto  a heavy piece of matte board that fit into my Hasselblad camera body. The selection of images in the portfolio are made using this pinhole and my Hasselblad camera body.

I have welcomed my enthusiasm about the "hole" thing and I  am eager to begin new alternative contact printing methods using the pinhole, camera and negative.

NOTE: Images are of low resolution for internet viewing purposes.   Please consider that tonal values are approximate.    

Suggested reading:

"Pinhole Photography, Rediscovering a Historic Technique," by Eric Renner

"A Non-Silver Manual,"  by, Sarah Van Keuren

"Adventure with Pinhole and Home-Made Camera's,"  by, John Evans

Additional information is available on "Link" page

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