Sunday, April 24th, 2022 was Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day! This event takes place every year, and I was thrilled to get together with my good friend, and like-minded photographer, Richard Rinker, to do some pinhole photography to celebrate the day. We both gathered with our many pinhole cameras down at Bemis School of Art at the Fine Arts Center. I will say, Richard is an expert Pinhole Camera Maker – he had cameras made from paint cans large and small, a 5×7 paper box, an old Agfa Clack camera, and an oatmeal box among others!
I brought out my trusty oatmeal box camera that I made years ago for a kid’s workshop I did, and a newer beer can camera I made recently. I use these two to make paper negatives. I also brought my beautiful, custom made Zero 612F gifted to me in 2009 by my dear friend Don Jones. He bought this for me when I managed his studio, to celebrate 6 years with him at that point, and had it engraved with my name. My camera is a limited-edition serial number 003/1000, and it shoots 120mm film from 6×4.5 up to 6×12 formats. You can look at the beautiful styling and production of these cameras at the Zero website,
Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day happens each year, and all who participate may upload their one favorite image, made on this day, to the worldwide gallery. Check out the submissions here:
My pinhole photo is submission number #280, and I made sure to get my entry in on the day of the celebration. I used one of my favorite paper negatives for the submission.
You can look back many years, and from countries all over the world, to see the submissions. And, you can see who submitted from your very own city for this year’s celebration. When you are perusing the website, also read about the numerous and creative ways each of these artists made their own pinhole cameras – from an antique lunchbox, to a Christmas cookie tin. You can use just about anything. Even an Altoids tin! This has me inspired to keep searching around my house for all kinds of camera options! My next idea, a camera with multiple pinholes!
I’ve attached the paper negatives and contact prints I made Sunday. As for the 120mm film that I shot, I will be processing it this week, and I’ve reloaded and I’m inspired to take advantage of any sunshine we get and shoot a few more rolls through my Zero…it’s been awhile as I’ve been in 8×10 Collodion mode for a couple years.
Hope you enjoy these abstracts from the Fine Arts Center! I love architecture, and given this is my favorite building in Colorado Springs, I had fun distorting it with the pinhole. The 5×7 print was made with the Oatmeal Can Camera, and the 4×5 prints were made with the Beer Can Camera (a tall Fat Tire can!). Mark this on your calendar for next year and start building those unique pinhole cameras!