Building a Pinhole Camera and Making Solargraphs

For Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, I thought it would be a good time to revisit the simplicity and potential of pinhole photography. It was a while since I made a camera, so it was nice to be inspired by Justin Quinnell’s pinhole resource and Heather Palecek’s article. Building a pinhole camera is very easy. Solargraphs require patience, but the result is a unique record of time and the movement of the sun, produced with the most minimal of photographic tools. I will show you how. If you prefer video, watch here.

Writer and photography / Malin Fabbri

A basic camera can be constructed from everyday materials – lightproof containers, tape, and a small pinhole. The only essential material you may need to buy if you don’t have it is darkroom photographic paper (not inkjet paper), which serves as the light-sensitive surface for the image. Once built, the camera is placed outdoors to expose for a very long time.

Ordinary pinhole images can be taken within minutes, and it is possible to produce an image within a day, using way longer exposure times transform the process into “solargraphy”. Leaving the camera in place from the vernal equinox to the autumnal equinox (late March to late September) can give very interesting results and effects. The paper records the sun’s path across the sky. Over time, this creates layered arcs and atmospheric effects that reflect both duration and environmental change.

Building a pinhole camera and making solargraphs, step by step

Supplies for making a solargraph: 2 drinking cans, can opener, electric tape, duct tape, scissors, a needle and photographic paper.

When making a solargraph pinhole camera, start by opening the top of the first can. — Start by opening the top of the first can.

Pinhole camera making, no sharp edges. — Make sure there are no sharp edges. **If you want to reduce reflection, you can also spray the inside of the can with matte black paint.**

Building a pinhole camera from a beer can. Take the second can and cut it into a lid. Place duct tape around the edges, both to remove sharp edges and also to keep it more light-tight. — Take the second can and cut it into a lid. Place duct tape around the edges, both to remove sharp edges and also to keep it more light-tight.

Making the hole for the pinhole camera. Make a hole by lightly punching in a needle. Sand the inside of the can if the edges are rough (optional). — Make a hole by lightly punching with a needle. Sand the inside of the can if the edges are rough (optional).

A simple shutter for a pinhole camera. Make a very simple shutter for the pinhole camera by placing a piece of electric tape over the hole. — Make a very simple shutter for the pinhole camera by placing a piece of electric tape over the hole.

Place a piece of black & white darkroom photography paper inside the can. For a beer can, a 5 x 7 inches / 12 x 18 cm is a good size paper. — Place a piece of black & white darkroom photography paper inside the can. For a beer can, a 5 x 7-inch / 12 x 18 cm sheet of paper is a good size. I usually do this in the darkroom to not risk fogging (ruining) the rest of the papers.

Close the lid of the pinhole camera by placing the lid on top of the camera and taping it with duct tape.

Find a place where the pinhole camera can be left alone for a few months. Secure it with electrical tape.

Remove the shutter (the electrical tape) of the pinhole camera to start exposing the paper and making the print.

Plumber's band is also good for securing the pinhole camera. — Plumber’s band is also good for securing the pinhole camera.

Or use duct tape to hold the camera in place.

Now you wait. And wait. And wait. Normally, I would recommend keeping the image developing for a couple of months, but I had to take mine down to get this article done in time for Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, so they are, in my opinion, a little underexposed.

One the camera is ready to take down, place a piece of electrical tape over the pinhole first. — Once the camera is ready to take down, place a piece of electrical tape over the pinhole first.

Once you take them down, take the camera inside to take out the photopaper. Avoid direct sunshine and even too much daylight. Scan or photograph the image and then keep it in a black bag, or it will keep exposing. Note that the image is reversed, so you have to flip it on the computer to make it correct.

For these solargraphs, I used 25-year-old Ilford photo paper. Saying that it is better to use FRESH PAPER. The paper is Ilford Multigrade RC (Resin Coated) de Luxe. Pearl (sort of semi-glossy). If you go out and buy a paper, get a PEARL or a MATTE paper, i.e. not glossy (shiny), and the solarmovements will probably be smoother and not so black.

I used Ilford RC Pearl, 25-year-old paper. If you want to try this, instead use fresh paper that has a matte coating. It will probably give you good results.

This pinhole camera was turned away from the sun, which is why it did not record the sun's movement across the sky in the same way as the other solargraphs. — This pinhole camera was turned away from the sun, which is why it did not record the sun’s movement across the sky in the same way as the other solargraphs.

The image above in real life. Looking closely, you can see a very faint outline of the house.

The sun's movement recoded as strong black lines. The branch from the tree above got recorded too. — The sun’s movement is imprinted as strong black lines. The branch from the tree above got recorded, too.

Solargraphs can come out very unexpectedly. The black & white paper has turned pink in this case!

This solagraph also include vertical black lines for some reason. The month they exposed it was a mix of weather, sun, storm, blizzard, ice, so quite a bit of moisture got onto the paper, despite it being inside the can. — This solagraph also includes vertical black lines for some reason. The month they exposed it was a mix of weather, sun, storm, blizzard, and ice, so quite a bit of moisture got onto the paper, despite it being inside the can.

You can of course invert the solargraph in the computer to make it a positive instead of a negative. — You can, of course, invert the solargraph in the computer to make it a positive instead of a negative.

This solargraph is exposed for the same amount of time as the others, during the same time period and on the same photographic paper. Despite this, it came out orange brown as opposed to pink. — This solargraph is exposed for the same amount of time as the others, during the same time period and on the same photographic paper. Despite this, it came out orange-brown as opposed to pink.

See the video here

Good luck, have fun and don’t forget to send in your print to Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day for their collection!

Malin Fabbri is the editor and founder of AlternativePhotography.com, author of several books on alternative photographic processes, and experiments with a variety of techniques such as anthotypes, cyanotypes, photopolymer gravure, chlorophyll prints, lumens, cyanograms, photosynthesis, pinholes and solargraphs.