Sneaky Light
An exhibition of pinhole photographs taken with household objects and containers.
March 21 - May 5
Beau Photo Gallery Space
Opening Reception
March 23rd 4:30 - 6:30pm
Does a photograph need to be taken with a camera?
If photography is to draw with light, what other methods are there for creating an image? What if photographs could be taken using ordinary containers or objects you find around the house? Pinhole cameras can be made from anything that has a light-tight space to put the film or paper and a place to attach a pinhole to let the image in. The ‘camera’ can take any size or shape, and may not look as though it is recording an image. This does give it a sneaky quality, and may seem like a questionable thing to do, but most pinhole cameras require long exposures, capturing a period of time rather than a moment in time, therefore blurring any movements and obliterating evidence of any goings-on that may have occurred. Sneakiness aside, home made pinhole cameras have a sustainable quality. By re-using containers that might ordinarily be recycled or discarded, we give new life to them as cameras. Going one step further with creating more sustainable images, the paper or film could be developed in an alternative developer like Caffenol, or a developer made from cacao husks or other plant material.
Pinhole photography is drawing with light at its most basic. The properties of light passing through a pinhole have been known for centuries, and have been documented as early as 500BC. Pinholes have been used to observe solar eclipses, as drawing aids, and as entertainment when the image is projected onto a large screen. Lenses were also used in camera obscuras as they let in more light. Since a way to fix the projected image was discovered in the 1820s and photography was born, people have experimented with pinhole cameras. Today we make pinhole cameras with everything from cardboard boxes to washing machines, beer cans, and even our own bodies. The ‘camera’ becomes part of the image and opens a new world of possibility.
Flic Film makes kits specially for pinhole photographers that includes smaller amounts of chemicals and 10 sheets of pearl paper. Flic generously donated paper developing kits for the February 11th workshop participants to take home and continue their pinhole explorations. Flic Film is a small Canadian company supplying analogue photographers with specially formulated chemicals, film and other supplies. Beau carries a good selection from Flic Film so come by and see what we have in stock, or check Flic Film on our online shop.
Capture Festival Pinhole Photo Walk
As part of the Capture Festival and in honour of Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day on Sunday April 30th, we are having a pinhole camera photo walk! Join us for a short tour of our current exhibition ‘Sneaky Light’ for some inspiration, and then we’ll head to the park where we will set up a darkroom tent and you can go out with your camera loaded with supplied paper, then return to process your negative. Paper for 3 – 4 negatives up to 5×7 size, and processing chemicals will be supplied. Limited to 10 people. There is a $10 fee to cover supplies.
Registration is required. You can register on our website by purchasing a ticket – https://www.beauphoto.com/product/pinhole-camera-photo-walk/
For details on this and other analogue workshops that are coming up at Beau, visit – https://www.beauphoto.com/summer2023workshops/
Pinhole Camera Making Workshop
Join us for a Pinhole camera making workshop April 8th from 2pm – 4pm! See details here, as well as information about our other upcoming workshops – https://www.beauphoto.com/summer2023workshops/