ƒ/D Interviews Jana Obscura

Today we’re excited to bring you our interview with Jana Uyeda, AKA Jana Obscura. You can’t get very far in the pinhole world without crossing her path in one way or another. She is a vocal proponent of the pinhole format on social media as well as on the podcast she co-hosts, The Pinhole Podcast (archives, Twitter). Read on to learn about her vision in pinhole, how she built community around pinhole, and get introduced to anamorphic pinhole. Afterwards, be sure to check out her website, Instagram, and her Flickr page for additional pinhole and other photographic goodness.

How did you first come upon the world of pinhole photography? What convinced you to stay?
I learned about pinhole photography through Jeff Soderquist who purchased a Zero Image 2000 at Blue Moon Camera in Portland. There were also a number of pinhole groups sharing images on Flickr and I was inspired by the wide angles, the distortions and the unique character of pinhole photography. At the time I was experimenting with film and plastic cameras but when I saw the possibilities of pinhole, I got hooked.

You often accentuate perspective in your pinhole photos. Is this intentional for your pinhole work? Or subconscious?
I would say it’s due to necessity, or maybe it’s a necessity due to my laziness. I rarely carry a tripod with me, in fact it’s one of the reasons I enjoy pinhole photography. The cameras are smaller, light weight and I don’t need a lot of gear to shoot. I also don’t carry light meters or paper or notebooks either, I just bring my camera, film and a mini tripod. This means I spend a lot of time shooting from the floor looking up or using flat surfaces as a makeshift tripod. It is also my experience that many places don’t allow tripods, so my use of floors and handrails means I’m capturing extreme perspectives.

[singlepic id=356 w=600]Sagrada Familia, ©Jana Uyeda 2016[/singlepic]

 

What other aspects of pinhole do you find yourself trying to exploit?
My first experiments focused on stillness and movement. Since pinhole is a longer exposure, I was looking to frame motion within a motionless environment. A passenger standing against the rails on my water taxi commute, plates on a lazy susan at a dim sum restaurant, shopping carts at Costco and flags waving in the wind. It was challenging because I had to be very aware of the exposure time and my subject. If the exposure time was too long, the subject in motion would ghost out of the image entirely.

[singlepic id=352 w=600]Dim Sum, ©Jana Uyeda 2016[/singlepic]

 

Subjects ghosting out are exactly why I started experimenting with what I called multi-lapsing – multiple exposures timed when people were in almost the same place to build up one exposure. Which reminds me, I need to do more of. What do you feel the challenges of pinhole add to your creative thought pattern? Do you find anything you’ve learned in pinhole changing how you shoot in other formats?
I think the challenges of pinhole make me more adventurous. I know there are elements I cannot control and I cannot always anticipate how much the final image will capture, even if I know the angle of view for my camera. There were a few months when I experimented with infrared 4×5 pinhole which I thought would be insane and it turns out, it was insane – in a good way! To your other question about pinhole changing how I shoot other formats, I can genuinely say I’ve become a dedicated medium format shooter since I started with pinhole photography. When I shoot with my Rolleiflex I find myself using that lower angle to emphasize perspective, something you noticed from my pinhole work. I’m realizing that perhaps I’m more comfortable with the Rolleiflex because the TLR allows me to shoot from a lower angle. In my photography school I’d worked with 35mm almost exclusively, but since I started shooting pinhole I’ve made investments in developing and scanning equipment. I have a workflow based on 120 film now.

[singlepic id=357 w=600]4×5 IR, ©Jana Uyeda 2016[/singlepic]

 

As if pinhole photography isn’t obscure enough of a photographic form, you tend to work quite a bit in anamorphic pinhole. For the folks who are interested in anamorphic, what do you feel are the best subjects to start shooting anamorphic and learning the format?
Thanks for the reminder, I need to shoot more this summer. For those interested in anamorphic pinhole, I would recommend looking for straight, horizontal lines to learn about exposure, angle of view and how to work your camera. Anamorphic is a lot of fun but it takes a few rolls to understand how to position the camera and expose it correctly. Underexpose and your image will have dark bands with no shadow detail. Overexpose and the image will have blown out bands where the light hits the film plane. I have been most successful with BW film but there are so many talented photographers doing amazing work with C41. I started shooting fences and rows of books in the library which helped me “see” and then I tried shooting more deliberately for that anamorphic bend.

[singlepic id=354 w=600]Palm Trees, ©Jana Uyeda 2016 (anamorphic pinhole)[/singlepic]

 

[singlepic id=351 w=600]Chairs, ©Jana Uyeda 2016 (anamorphic pinhole)[/singlepic]

 

Is there any subject matter that you try to shoot with pinhole and just can’t seem to get the shot? Why not?
Sunlight and sunbeams. This isn’t a big deal since I live in Seattle, but when the sun comes out and I point my camera in that direction I get crazy light sprays across my image. There are pinhole photographers who do gorgeous work with sunlight and it creates this lovely rainbow of light on their image. I just can’t figure it out.

[singlepic id=353 w=600]IR Mess, ©Jana Uyeda 2016[/singlepic]

 

I hear ya – I lived in Seattle for a couple years and from November through June the sky in particular can be a real challenge. How does your creative process tend to flow? Are you looking for something in particular? Or do you come across something that seems interesting and try to find how to shoot it?
I look for interesting subjects that I can really get close to. Since pinhole has such a wide angle of view, I feel I lose too much detail when I shoot a broad landscape scene. When I shoot sunrise shots near the water I look for rocks or other items of interest that I can incorporate in the foreground. If I’m shooting a carousel or flags on a boat I look for something stationary and often I’ll place something deliberately in front of the camera. When I’m travelling I let people fill the space because the shape of their motion is perfect. Maybe a good challenge to myself is to shoot broad, sweeping landscapes and find a new way to make those pinholes more interesting to me. I saw some Hiroshi Sugimoto prints in person recently and I’m inspired to shoot simpler. I’m going to try that this summer.

[singlepic id=355 w=600]Pont del Petroli, ©Jana Uyeda 2016[/singlepic]

 

Besides your personal photography, you regularly contribute to a number of other publications, help run Pdexposures, and co-host the Pinhole Podcast. It sounds exhausting! What was the least expected benefit from doing all this?
The community. Connecting with like-minded photographers from across the globe is the most surprising and the greatest benefit. Beyond Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day there are postcard exchanges, meetup groups, gallery shows, DIY classes and art projects. Pinhole is not something I assume most people know about outside of their high school b&w photo class, but I feel there’s a growing trend towards embracing this form of photography. Social media plays a big part in bringing the community together, though I think most pinhole photographers also have stories about random interactions with a fellow pinholer in person. We’re weirdos and we’re out there and it’s awesome.

Do you have any recommendations for people who’d want to start up a pinhole club in their local area?
Yes, just do it! I met Todd Schlemmer through Twitter years ago and even though he lives in Seattle, I’d never met him until Twitter brought us together. He’s been building various 3D printed pinhole cameras and eventually started a meetup for local pinhole folk to connect. It’s been great. I get asked questions all the time when I’m waiting patiently for my exposures and I hope I’ve encouraged people to try pinhole. I usually end up chatting with a mix of film photographers, students, and creative builders then invite them to join us on our next stroll. Blue Moon Camera in Portland does a fantastic job of promoting pinhole photography as well which sustains a network of artists in the northwest. So my recommendations would be, use social media, connect and join photography meetups in your area.

[singlepic id=358 w=600]WPPD 2014, ©Jana Uyeda 2016[/singlepic]

 

 

Inspiration Week of 6/6

This week for our pinhole collection we set on a small exploration of the spaces we move through in a day. Have a look and know that great imagery can be made wherever you are, in whatever space that may be. If you need more inspiration to get you going, have a look at some of the work we’ve shared before.

kmym
[singlepic id=347 w=600]kmym, ©Aya Tani 2016[/singlepic]

Aya Tani is a Japanese photographer who made this striking image of Kumiyama junction at night. We selected this image for the way the dominating angle of the white lights through the middle pulled the image together. You can find more of Aya’s great work on her Flickr page, or follow her blog.

 

WWPPD2016 n6
[singlepic id=350 w=600]WWPPD2016 n6, ©Stefano Scappazzoni 2016[/singlepic]

Stefano Scappazzoni captured this image of a floating bridge in the port of La Spezia, Italy for World Wide Pinhole Day 2016. He made the image with Rollei CR200, but cross processed to enhance the painterly mood of this subtle portside scene. You can find more of Stefano’s excellent imagery on his Flickr page, his blog, his other blog, 500px, or Twitter (he’s a busy busy guy).

 

otworek z widokiem
[singlepic id=348 w=600]otworek z widokiem, ©Agnieszka Czaplicka 2016[/singlepic]

Agnieszka Czaplicka made this longing scene on photo paper in Warsaw, Poland with her homemade pinhole can camera. She made an excellent example of how pinhole allows you to make images that truly draw you in with such minimal materials. More of her work can be found on Flickr.

 

Pinhole
[singlepic id=349 w=600]Pinhole, ©Antero Särkelä 2016[/singlepic]

To create this photo, Antero Särkelä suspended his homemade 4×5 camera loaded with Fomapan 100 in the rafters and exposed it for 2 hours. We selected this photo because we were inspired by the creative placement and the unusual view of the room below – well done! To see more of Antero’s work, check out his Flickr page.

 

 

Smartphone Apps – Revisited

About this time last year we put together a piece showcasing a handful of the many apps that are available for pinholers with smartphones. So as things tend to go in cycles, we thought a year was a good time to look back and see how things may have changed.

The practice of using a smartphone as a tool to aid in your pinhole photography has become rather commonplace. Everyone has their favorite apps to use. But just as the pinhole camera gives you a new way of seeing, we’re here to round up some of the changes in the landscape and show what you might be missing. (full disclosure, ƒ/D participated in Beta testing and feedback with several app makers reviewed below)

Do Meter Apps Work?

One quick note before we discuss apps individually. The most common question regarding light meter apps I get is “Do they actually work?” After a few years of using apps for my own pinhole photography, I can confidently say “mostly, if used right…” First, they do work in general, and it makes sense that they would, as they’re just reading the exposure value that the device’s camera reads and converting it into an exposure value that would work for pinhole. Light, conveniently obeying physics, should have universal values. Where pinhole meter apps fall down is in tricky lighting situations, such as backlit translucent materials, or direct light reflections.

This brings me to my second point, about using light meter apps “correctly” – learn how to use the spot meter function correctly and always use it. The problem with apps as light meters is the pesky variable brightness of a smartphone screen. Without the spot meter function, you will invariably run into situations where an exposure on the app only looks right because of the auto brightening feature of the phone, but your exposure will come back dark. I’ve had entire rolls turn out thin because of this. Use the spot meter and measure an area in the scene that you want to come through as a middle value and expose for that. Or take it one step further and learn the zone system and use the app to grab your III and VII values (it can be done, I do it regularly).

If you’d like to really dive down the rabbit hole, I recommend this article by Ryan Walters – he uses the Pocket Light Meter app mentioned below, but the same principles apply to all smartphone meters. To get the most out of any light meter, smartphone or not, I recommend learning the Zone System. A quick Google will give you more links on it than you could read in a year – find the one that makes sense to you and check it out. Note that I said to “learn the Zone System” – while I personally apply the Zone System regularly, I think what’s more important than using it is understanding it because of what it teaches you about how light meters, exposure, and film latitude all play together.

Exposure Meters

Pinhole Master (iOS only $3.99)

[singlepic id=346 w=225 float=left] [/singlepic]Pinhole Master is the new kid on the block, having just made it’s V1 debut in the last few weeks. Like other light meter apps, the camera view dominates the app interface. Tap once on the screen and you get a spot meter, tap again to move it to another place in the view. The app includes heads up info on EI, EV, compensation, aperture, and film.

It’s not till you use Pinhole Master that it becomes clear what makes this app different – it’s strengths are in the experience. Instead of an aperture value and film speed, the app displays the camera and film name. If you have a repertoire of cameras and films that you cycle through, this is a nice double check while in the field. Additionally, EV readings are in tenths of a value, which is very useful when shadow values count. The timer is a nice big wheel, easier to read than count downs, and the log includes map and geotagging info. Film entry is a double edged sword: on the one hand there are no preconfigured reciprocity curves (but they might be coming soon), but on the other hand, reciprocity entry is done in an easy to understand way. Another very important feature is the ability to set sensor boundaries in the app settings. This is important so that if something wonky is happening with your camera, or the reading, the app tells you, rather than leading you astray. Finally, the app natively supports the Lumu incident light meter tool, which I haven’t tried personally, but have seen some very promising data on.

 

 

Pinhole Assist (iOS only $2.99)

[singlepic id=345 w=225 float=right] [/singlepic]We reviewed Pinhole Assist (available on the app store) last year as the clear frontrunner in the dedicated pinhole app category. V4 of the app was just released earlier this month, and includes some very important updates. To me, an important update is the breakup of EV values into thirds – like we see in Pinhole Master, this important detailed info helps determine some borderline exposures. Pinhole Assist V4 now provides easy access to a number of predefined cameras in addition to it’s existing set of films and reciprocity curves. It’s a solid update to the heavyweight contender in the pinhole app marketplace.

 

 

Pocket Light Meter (iOS Free, Android $0.99)

[singlepic id=209 h=200 float=left] [/singlepic]Pocket Light Meter, while a solid app for the simple feature set it delivers, has not been updated since before last year’s article. It is available for both iOS (app store) and Android (Google Play). But it’s lack of updating isn’t a knock – Pocket Light Meter is there in absolute simplicity, ideally suited for those pinhole photographers that stick to one camera and one film.

 

 

Reciprocity Management

Reciprocity Timer (iOS only $1.99)

[singlepic id=211 h=200 float=right] [/singlepic]Reciprocity Timer also has not been updated since before last year’s article, though I’m told by the developer that they hope to make an update in the near future. Reciprocity Timer’s strength is in it’s extensibility – from the films covered to built in filter compensation, it covers everything from the film side and is worth a look.

 

In the Darkroom

Massive Dev Chart (iOS $8.99, Android $8.99)

[singlepic id=210 h=200 float=left] [/singlepic]Massive Dev Chart (iOS, Android) made one small update this year since my article last year to add some more film and developer combinations. If you’re a film fanatic and want to develop your own film, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better app.

 

Inspiration Week of 5/30

This week’s inspiration sharing a small set on account of the work we’ve been doing on some larger features. As some of our readers know, we’ve been reaching out to find what you want to learn. Have an article idea? Connect to us on Facebook and send a message! In the meantime, if you need more pinhole goodness to fill your appetite today, check out our Spring recap!

Horseshoe Bend
[singlepic id=342 w=600]Horseshoe Bend, ©Mike Hawley 2016[/singlepic]

Mike Hawley is a professional photographer and camera operator out of Vancouver, CA. This pinhole photo of Horseshoe Bend is but one example of a fine repertoire of pinhole photos that he has on his Flickr site and personal website. We’re looking forward to bringing a larger set of Mike’s work in the near future.

 

Smoked Ribs
[singlepic id=343 w=600]Smoked Ribs, ©Kier Selinsky 2016[/singlepic]

This photo was taken by yours truly, at Cleveland’s West Side Market, which is America’s oldest operating indoor market. I have a weird obsession with markets – I don’t know why. If you’ve never tried pinholing in a crowd though, give it a shot sometime. The funky camera and long exposures draw strangers in to talk with you about what it is you’re doing. I’ve explained pinhole photography to everyone from kindergartners to cops to retirees to homeless folks – it really gets you some interesting conversations.

 

More Exploring
[singlepic id=344 h=600]More Exploring, ©Howard Moiser 2016[/singlepic]

Howard Moiser hand held his pinhole camera to make this shot while on his mountain bike. He was on an easy portion of singletrack near Stewarton in Ayrshire, Scotland. Howard can often be found exploring tracks first by mountain bike, and then later retracing by foot to explore further. He almost always has his pinhole camera along for these jaunts, finding his pinhole subject matter as he goes along. You can find more of his exploratory pinholes on his Flickr site

 

Spring Wrap-up

After taking a months long hiatus, ƒ/D was roaring back this Spring with fresh pinhole imagery and artists. Here’s a quick recap of what we published:

Bronze Statue - Shikiko Endo - thumbInspiration posts – every week we seek to bring some fresh inspiration to help you see the world in a pinholy way. View all of them here.

 

 

Untitled, ©Jean-Christophe Denis

JC Denis’ Studies in Motion went in depth in how to look leverage pinhole with motion.

 

 

Martin Martinsson brought us into his Movements collection and showed his fantastic eye for space.Coloured Underpass - ©Martin Martinsson

 

 

Test-of-Time-11-thumbIn her Test of Time series, Corine Hörmann showed us how to take the long exposure to the extreme end, and the wonderful world we find there.

 

 

letting go of the cameraWe learned from Brooks Jensen‘s book: Letting Go of the Camera, and how to see more freely.

 

 

sd_pinhole_still_from_a_dream - thumbSteven Dempsey took us to a cinematic place in pinhole and showed us how to create tension in the imagery of transition.

 

 

The Southern Customs - thumb - Olle PursiainenFinally, Olle Pursiainen brought us to his native Finland and inspired us with his images of the rural landscape near his home.

 

 

We hope that you’ve enjoyed all of these wonderful works this Spring as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing them to you! And we look forward to bringing you much more in the months to come!

Inspiration Week of 5/16

This week ƒ/D brings some more photos that I’ve been very excited to see. If there’s a common theme to these, I’d say that they’re all moments in transition. Vignettes of a story – a day at the pool; traveling cross country; the vanishing sun at the beach; the setting of another day in the backyard; or a deep, full breath in the expanse of nature. When you’re done enjoying these, I’d invite you to take a gander at the inspiration we’ve shared in the past.

 

Nerja, Avril 2016
[singlepic id=337 w=600]Nerja, Avril 2016, ©Nicolas Dollman 2016[/singlepic]

Nicolas Dollman took up pinhole photography to free himself of the technical minutia of other forms of photography, so that he could simply focus on the exposure. Furthermore, Nicolas describes the idea of photographing moment – telling a story – in time as opposed to a single instant as “poetic”. The practice introduces a bit of meditation and mindfulness to his photography, keeping him in the moment. Indeed – I love this photo because of the hint of a moment in the two figures at the end of the pool. He made this image with a Zero Image 6×9 with a red filter and TMAX 100. To enjoy more of Nicolas’s excellent work, head over to his Flickr page.

 

Self Portrait
[singlepic id=338 w=600]Self Portrait, ©Craig A Coss 2016[/singlepic]

Craig Coss made this image with a Holgamods Da Vinci Mini Pinhole with a Polaroid back loaded with Fuji FP-100c. If you can’t tell, he’s on a train. Self portraits with the pinhole can be amazingly powerful. The trick is to work the angles and wide angle to your advantage – a standard self portrait setup will not do in pinhole. Craig really nailed it with this one! You can find more of his dynamic work at his Flickr page.

 

Dusk Pano
[singlepic id=336 w=600]Dusk Pano, ©Ingrid Budge 2016[/singlepic]

I’m extremely jealous of Ingrid Budge’s eye. Last time we featured one of her photos, I stared at thing photo for at least an hour. She made this pano image on the west coast last year, although she doesn’t recall where. She used her trusty Sharan camera and “cheapo film”. Ha! Remember that next time you sweat the small stuff! You can find more of her inspiring work on her Flickr Page.

 

Walnut Tree
[singlepic id=339 w=600]Walnut Tree, ©Darren Constantino 2016[/singlepic]

Darren Constantino made this moody capture of a walnut tree in the back yard in April for Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. This is another example of the great results you get on pinhole when shooting into the sun. You can find more great pinholes from Darren on his Flickr page.

 

Bear Creek Lake Park
[singlepic id=335 w=600]Bear Creek Lake Park, ©Paul Bender 2016[/singlepic]

Paul Bender produced this deceivingly minimalist scene with his Zero Image 612D on a cold, rainy day in Colorado’s Bear Creek Lake Park. Paul’s story is one that we hear often: he spent time in digital, but it was pinhole that reignited his love of film and brought his photography “full circle”. The simplicity – the zen – of pinhole is a refreshing wellspring we can all appreciate. Paul has some more great pinhole photos on his Flickr account, and we encourage you to check them out.

 

 

Olle Pursiainen – Finland

Last year we were honored to bring you a sample of Olle Pursiainen’s work. He is a photographer who has a solid track record of producing dramatic imagery from his native Finland. As his Flickr and Lomography galleries show, he’s become very skilled at finding great images to collect in his own neighborhood. As we’ve seen before, Finland works very well in the pinhole format.  

Olle started his photographic journey while studying Statistics and Mathematics at University in the 1970’s. He learned to develop film and work a darkroom on his own, and continued analog until the early 2000’s. After a brief stint with digital, he went back to analog – preferring to stick with his roots. He’s often lugging several of his many many pinhole cameras – from small format to 4×5 – as well as point and shoots and SLR’s. I have the same problem – so long as there’s room in my pack, I’ll stuff it with another camera.

He is drawn to pinhole because of the “freedom to control everything and nothing.” Indeed, this is one of the largest attractions of pinhole, and has been mentioned by other photographers as well. In addition, Olle is drawn to the pinhole format by the “wide angles and warped perspectives,” which offer a degree of creative outlet unrivaled by any other photographic format.

After enjoying the scenes from Olle’s work below, you can find a lot more at his Flickr page and on his Lomography home.

 

Pack Ice
[singlepic id=329 w=600]Pack Ice, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

Brändö Sund
[singlepic id=325 w=600]Brändö Sund, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

Double Sun
[singlepic id=326 w=600]Double Sun, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

 

Sandö
[singlepic id=330 w=600]Sandö, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

Self Sufficiency
[singlepic id=331 w=600]Self Sufficiency, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

The Southern Customs
[singlepic id=333 w=600]The Southern Customs, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

Korsholm Church
[singlepic id=327 w=600]Korsholm Church, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

Observation Towers
[singlepic id=328 w=600]Observation Towers, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

 

Vaasa Mill
[singlepic id=334 w=600]Vaasa Mill, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

Silos
[singlepic id=332 w=600]Silos, ©Olle Pursiainen[/singlepic]

 

 

Inspiration Week of 5/9

Every week on ƒ/D we scour the web for some fine examples of pinhole photography to inspire you to get out and shoot some pinholes of your own. This week is no exception, as we bring you examples of great captures and a very happy accident.

After you take a gander at these, if you still more, we have you covered!

Salthouse 2015
[singlepic id=323 w=600]Salthouse 2015, ©Andrew Bartram 2016[/singlepic]

Andrew Bartram made this captured this minimalist scene using his Intrepid Camera fitted with a pinhole and a 1 minute exposure, then printed on Ilford MGRC. You can find more of his work on his Flickr page.

 

Bilbao’s Guggenheim
[singlepic id=321 w=600]Bilbao’s Guggenheim, ©Paco Casado Cepas 2016[/singlepic]

Paco Casado Cepas created this photo in bad weather, at the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, and without the aid of a tripod to steady his cylindrical tea can pinhole camera. The wind blew his camera off a railing during his 12 minute exposure. As Paco explains:

I was very surprised when I developed at home and saw such an interesting image. Chance, the unexpected, is from that moment not an enemy anymore to me. Actually I consider random exploring as part of the pinhole game, a different way of making images apart from the photography industry. Although we measure light, pinhole diameter and set up our cameras in a certain position, the intention of the photographer melts with the inaccurate and let something not expected ‘happen’. As Vilem Flusser wrote, “pinhole photography becomes less a program and more an act.”

You can find more of Paco’s work on his Flickr page.

 

Vibration
[singlepic id=324 w=600]Vibration, ©Nicolas 2016[/singlepic]

Nicolas Escoubeyrou captured the essence of this rowboat scene using his Noon pinhole camera loaded with FP4. Nicolas is using pinhole to aid his exploration of analog photography and various film formats. You can find more of his work on his Flickr page.

 

No Title
[singlepic id=322 w=600]No Title, ©Gabor Pal 2016[/singlepic]

Gabor Pal used to use software to manipulate or even damage his photos to create a mood, but now with pinhole he has no need for post-production manipulation. He made this scenic capture with his Zero Image 2000 and Portra 400. You can find more of his work on his Flickr page.

 

 

Inspiration Week of 5/2

This week’s set of inspiration bring depth and motion to the forefront. Whereas other photographers are often shying away from motion or seeking to freeze it, the pinhole photographer embraces it. Whether it’s a whisper of motion along a long pier, or the overwhelming tide of the beach, pinhole has a unique grasp on the sense of drama it brings.

After enjoying this set of inspiring photos, have a look at the numerous sets of inspiring photos from past weeks!

 

Pacifica Pier No 2
[singlepic id=320 w=600]Pacifica Pier No 2, ©Adam Weiss 2016[/singlepic]

Adam Weiss is a San Fransisco based photographer who captured this scene with his modified Agfa Clack on Fuji Acros 100. The Clack is about a 75mm focal length and ƒ/250 – they are very handsome old cameras that are well suited to a pinhole adaptation. Sometimes in order to make great photos we have to make great sacrifices, and in this instance Adam was hit by seagull crap shortly after taking the photo 🙂  You can see more of Adam’s photos on his Flickr page. In addition, he posts a new photo every morning on Instagram at @aweiss.sf. Adam added that: “I’m a regular visitor to ƒ/D–as a newcomer to pinhole photography, the site proved a valuable resource for information and inspiration. I’m very happy to see new content in recent days.”

 

Fair of the East
[singlepic id=318 w=600]Fair of the East, ©Emiliano Grusovin 2016[/singlepic]

Emiliano Grusovin is an Italian based pinhole artist, and he produced this shot with his Holga 120 Wide Pinhole Camera on Ilford FP4 Plus. The scene is of a fair in the eastern portion of his city of Gorizia at twiligh, which required an exposure of about 30 seconds. You can catch more of Emiliano’s great work on his Flickr page.

 

High Tide
[singlepic id=319 w=600]High Tide, ©Donald Tainsh 2016[/singlepic]

Donald Tainsh captured this stirring seascape using a camera he constructed from mountboard to hold 1/4 of a 5×4 sheet of Harman direct positive paper. He’s made eight of these cameras for a project that he’s producing, photographing the little harbors along the coastline of the Fifth of Fourth estuary on the East coast of Scotland. He’s titling the project “Little Harbours”, and this particular shot is capturing patterns and unseen shapes at the pier at North Berwick Harbour as the sea washes over at high tide.

Donald has been a pinholer for years and uses a variety of homemade cameras, bodycap/lensboard pinholes, and a Harman Titan. He finds himself drawn to pinhole’s unique way of portraying a motion picture through the passage of exposure time. Or as he describes, “In pinhole we record a continuum of moments as they pass into memory.” You can find more of his work at his Flickr page

 

Bronze Statue
[singlepic id=317 w=600]Bronze Statue, ©Shikiko Endo 2016[/singlepic]

Shikiko Endo is a Japanese photographer who made this dramatic capture using her pinhole converted Holga camera loaded with Fuji Velvia. The statue pictured is a famous Japanese comedian named Tora-San, and the statue is in Shibamata, a famous location for his movies. The status and the area are famous with his fans who make regular visits. You can find more of Shikiko’s work on her Flickr page and on her blog.

 

Steven Dempsey – Pinhole Through a Filmmaker’s Eye

Steven Dempsey is a storyteller. After years as a musician, he started a filmmaking company where he produced documentaries and music videos. Nearly a decade of producing films has ingrained in him the motion photographer’s sense of progress in a scene. He’s certainly not the first motion photographer turned still photographer I’ve seen, but you can always feel the transitional moment of a story when the work is done by a motion photographer.

Steven, who shoots his pinholes digitally with a body cap, has found that the unique properties of pinhole gives him a powerful tool to realize his storytelling vision. As you’ll soon see below, his photos are more like short, single frame vignettes. One can see the transition from scene to scene – a kinetic energy that is off camera, in the viewers’ mind.

I hope you enjoy this short conversation with Steven. Afterwards, we invite you to check out his website, his blog, and especially his Slate pieces on pinhole – Through a Pinhole and Pictures in Motion.

 

You and your wife are traveling the country in an RV – this is a dream for any photographer to have access to so much location. How do you make sure, in these new locations, that you find shooting locations that hold meaning for you?
I have always had a childlike wonder for the world around me. So many things inspire me no matter where I am. I crossed a threshold a few years ago where the camera became a part of me, like an extra limb or a new set of eyes. When I look around me, I see photographs in my mind before I even look through the viewfinder. The physical location is only part of the equation for me. The circumstances have to be right, whether it’s the light or the time of day, or if tourists are around making it difficult to capture the scene, etc.

When I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time a couple of years ago, it was more spectacular than I could have possibly imagined. There were thousands of people there for the sunset. I’ve never seen so many selfie sticks and iPads! I shot a handful of meaningless photographs and decided to spend more time just experiencing the place. The next morning I was there for the sunrise at 5:30 and I shared that spectacle with only four other people. This was my Grand Canyon! I wanted to capture how I felt right there and my response to the sun rising. I shot those photographs in black and white because it more closely approximated the wonderful simplicity of the canyon in silhouette.

These are the experiences I seek out when I arrive at a new location. I spend a little time snapping the usual iconic shots and then, when I relieve myself of that pressure, I begin to look around the area for more interesting details. I’m particularly drawn to compositions that are devoid of any modern elements. If I can help it, I won’t include people dressed in modern day clothing and I’ll also avoid cars or anything that can date the photo. Timelessness is a big part of my imagery.

Having said all that, I am sometimes more drawn to an abandoned town next to the big postcard view. Even an old chair can have the same impact as the grandest mountain, it just depends on the photographer’s perspective. It all boils down to authenticity, finding the truth in something…that’s what I’m after at the end of the day.

[singlepic id=310 w=600]Forgotten Abode, ©Steven Dempsey 2016[/singlepic]

 

You have a number of stories that you’ve put together on Adobe Slate, which seems to be a great storytelling platform. For other photographers considering it, what are the pros and cons that you’ve found so far?
The pros are easy to talk about. It’s portable because I have my iPad with me most of the time and I can write a story just about anywhere. I’m more inclined to actually write blog posts because of this convenience. Slate is also now available on the web so it can be accessed by anyone with a computer. Because Adobe includes templates, the look of all my stories is similar which almost feels like a kind of branding for me. The finished product is always elegant and I don’t have to worry about having to design and maintain my own blog, etc.

The big downside is that it is in a proprietary format and if, at some point, Adobe either goes out of business or chooses to stop supporting the app, what happens to all of my work?

The most important piece of advice I would give anyone considering using Slate or anything else like it is to make sure you have strong content. Story is king and it doesn’t matter how fancy a wrapper you put around bad writing, it’s still bad writing and will not engage an audience.

[singlepic id=316 w=600]Silhouette at the Water’s Edge, ©Steven Dempsey 2016[/singlepic]

 

You mention to me that you feel that in your prior venture, Americonic Films, you “said all [you] had to say with video and found a new passion in photography.” How did you know that it was time to find something new? What new things have you discovered in your creative expression since making the switch?
I had been working as a filmmaker for about eight years, concentrating on documentaries and music videos. Additionally, I was creating nature vignettes for myself. I noticed a trend in my shooting style where my personal videos were beginning to look more like photographs. I quit moving the camera around and found that I really liked the sense of calm it created. Meanwhile, in the real world, things were taking a nose dive. When the recession hit in 2007, people didn’t have the money to pay for videos. Project opportunities eventually dried up.

A friend of mine had just gotten the newly-released Canon 5D Mark II and wanted me to review it. I was only thinking of its video capabilities at the time but I began shooting photographs too. I kept the setting on black and white and soon became addicted to capturing stills. I barely used the video setting at all. As soon as I had to give the camera back, I ordered my own.

I remember one particular photograph that changed my life. There was an old broken paddle in my backyard (we lived by a lake at the time). It didn’t look like anything special but I shot it anyway. Later, when I looked at the image on my computer screen I was actually shocked. It had a magical quality to it, like the camera had transported it to another world. I stared at the black and white photograph on my screen for days. After that experience, I began “seeing” things on a more profound level and I knew photography was the next important chapter in my life.

I believe that, in order to make good pictures, It takes patience and skill. I think an artistic sensibility is also an important element. I watched an Ansel Adams documentary once and a commentator, talking about Adams, said, “A poet has access to the same words as everyone else. He (or she) just knows how to put them in the right order.” Similarly, a photographer extracts all the important elements from a scene and makes a unique photograph.

[singlepic id=314 w=600]Still From a Dream, ©Steven Dempsey 2016[/singlepic]

 

In Pictures in Motion, you talk about your transition from video to photography and the mental shift that that entailed. Specifically, you mention that the long exposure photograph “frees you from the shackles of split-second shutter speeds”. Do you find that, in pinhole, the challenge becomes finding subject matter that is made more meaningful by the passage of time?
I absolutely approach pinhole photography with a different mindset. I want to exploit what it has to offer. I don’t necessarily see the point in shooting a landscape that has no movement with a pinhole because it will just look like an out-of-focus photograph. This is more of an issue in the digital pinhole world. I have seen almost tack sharp images from photographers using large format film. So, with the limitations of my medium, I will include water or a person or clouds or something that is showing the passing of time. The blurring that occurs from long exposure motion also becomes the subject itself and is the focal point of my composition on many occasions.

[singlepic id=313 w=600]Self Portrait, Field, ©Steven Dempsey 2016[/singlepic]

 

You often take pinhole photos that include a self-portrait element. What was the creative impetus for this approach? What is your process in creating these photos?
I’m the best model I know! I show up on time and I do everything that’s asked of me 🙂 Actually, because of my lifestyle on the road and my preference for getting up at the crack of dawn, I don’t have access to other people so including myself is the most efficient way to do it. I feel like including a human element in my images elevates them and helps with their ethereal quality. I’ve always been interested in ghosts and distorted reality. Sometimes I want to give the impression that my camera has serendipitously captured something otherworldly, unseen by the naked eye. That kind of thing just gets my adrenaline going.

My approach is usually spontaneous. I’m not the kind of person who will go scouting out a location in advance, look at all the data on sun positions and the like. I’ll have some vague idea of where I want to go based on a cursory search on Google. I have an app on my iPad called “Stuck on Earth” and it’s basically a mapping software that includes geo-tagged photos from Flickr. You pull up your location and can see photos people have taken all around the area. If I see something of interest, I’ll make a plan to go there.

The first thing I do is determine the light level and what shutter speed I have to work with. I’ve determined that my current pinhole is about f/114 and I keep my ISO at the camera’s native 200 as much as possible. If it’s a sunny day, I’ll only have a second or two of exposure time, if it’s dull, I’ll have about five or six seconds. If I include myself in the shot, I’ll sometimes have to move slower or faster than is natural when I trip the shutter based on the motion effect I want. It’s a pretty free-flowing process so one idea begets another and sometimes I’ll yield three or four good ideas during a single shoot. Of course, having instant access to a digital photo gives me a great advantage. If something doesn’t look right, I’ll simply do it again. I wouldn’t have that luxury shooting film.

[singlepic id=312 w=600]Self Portrait, Dock, ©Steven Dempsey 2016[/singlepic]

 

In Pictures in Motion, you mention that you’ve “never been completely satisfied shooting images of beautiful scenery”. You expound on the point, mentioning that you don’t feel like they “belong to [you]”. That’s a very interesting thought and I almost sense some of what is described as “imposter syndrome” – where the individual senses a lack of legitimacy. Is that the root of your dissatisfaction? Or is it something else?
What an interesting question! I used to feel that way when I was a performing musician way back in the day. I would experience terrible stage fright and a feeling that I might be called out as a fraud because of my lack of confidence but I don’t feel that way about my photography.

What I was referring to in my blog post is a need I have to express my own individuality in my work…my own voice, if you like. I have the technical chops to produce a good conventional photograph but it doesn’t look much different to me than a hundred more like it on the web. Capturing a likeness of a place does not satisfy my inner creative appetite because when I look at one of these kinds of photographs a second time, it still looks the same as the first. There is not a need to use my imagination.

Shooting pinhole photographs is an entirely different experience. For me it’s all about using my imagination, from the moment I see a scene through capturing it through post production and finally to viewing the finished picture. It continually morphs with each step. My most favorite pinhole images keep telling new stories when I revisit them. It’s like layers of an onion being slowly peeled away. I find that this kind of abstract photography can mirror my state of mind. If I come to it with a particular emotion or feeling, it will influence how I see the image so it’s ever-changing. That doesn’t happen with a “regular” photograph. Like I said, a tree is just a tree. Sure there is some individuality in how I capture it but pinholing is in a different league. It is intensely satisfying down to the inner workings of my soul. Yes, seriously.

[singlepic id=311 w=600]Ferry House Ghost, ©Steven Dempsey 2016[/singlepic]

 

That’s interesting that you mention your pinhole photos changing to “mirror [your] state of mind.” It reminds me of the Ansel Adams line, “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” Do you find yourself looking to say something specific to your viewers with your images? Or do you perhaps prefer to stir yourself, and therefore, also stir your viewer?
I never consider an audience when I’m shooting. I’m only interested in stiring something inside myself.i don’t think this is selfish behavior, rather, it is pure expression. If I feel distracted by second-guessing what a viewer will think, the idea is already diluted.

[singlepic id=315 h=600]Pinhole Trail, ©Steven Dempsey 2016[/singlepic]

 


We applaud Steven in his willingness to share some insight into his ongoing pinhole work and I hope you’ve gained some insight into your own creative strides. Again, we encourage you to take a look at his website, his blog, and pay particular attention to his Slate pieces on pinhole – Through a Pinhole and Pictures in Motion.

 

Exploring the Art of Pinhole Photography