I had an idea.

**Mon Chat** · June 3rd, 2008, 01:38 PM

For all you camera folks... would it be possible to make a camera obscura with a sheet of developing paper, so that when you let light into the hole it developed the inside of the camera?

be a bit of a bum to process, but i think it might be quite cool.

has this been done?

**luverly_marie** · June 3rd, 2008, 01:51 PM

It's called a pin-hole camera lol. It's basically a camera obscura that uses developing paper too.

I made one once in the fifth grade out of an oatmeal cylinder.

If you google it, I'm sure you'll get some good information. I was able to do this a while back from a magazine I read, I don't have it anymore though.

**DavePalumbo** · June 3rd, 2008, 01:55 PM

wait, are you talking about a camera made out of the developing paper itself? Like, a single use pin-hole camera that becomes a printed image? Don't know if it's been done, but I like the idea

**Mon Chat** · June 3rd, 2008, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by DavePalumbo

wait, are you talking about a camera made out of the developing paper itself? Like, a single use pin-hole camera that becomes a printed image? Don't know if it's been done, but I like the idea

yeah! thats exactly what I meant, Im afraid I fail at forums.

**luverly_marie** · June 3rd, 2008, 02:13 PM

I get you now too, I don't think I've heard of it at all. Only the pin-hole camera, and then you have the paper.

Do you have a sketch of how it's work? Still trying to work it out in my mind logically XD

**Mon Chat** · June 3rd, 2008, 02:22 PM

like this... frankly im not sure that makes it any clearer...

but i understand it :/

**~Faust~** · June 3rd, 2008, 02:38 PM

How would you make sure the paper doesn't get affected by the light BEFORE the folding?

**daestwen** · June 3rd, 2008, 02:40 PM

theoretically, it could work. but i would make the box, take it into the dark room, THEN fold the paper (you'll need to cut it/use a couple sheets) into the shape of the box, put the whole in, slide something over it and then leave the dark room... I'm not sure that the paper is thick enough to not get any light pollution if you use it as the box...

**DavePalumbo** · June 3rd, 2008, 03:03 PM

I was thinking the same thing, you'd need a protective box over the device when it's not pin-holing. Build it in a dark room, perhaps there's even something you could wrap around it to keep the light out, like red cellophane? That probably wouldn't quite do it, but something along those lines

**egerie** · June 3rd, 2008, 03:20 PM

I don't think this would work (since the optics won't be focused), but that would be something interesting to build... In total darkness!

Edit: I shouldn't let thread windows opened for hours before answering.......

**Mon Chat** · June 3rd, 2008, 04:42 PM

well, the paper is pretty thick, i guess it would take a few trys.

**Matsign** · June 3rd, 2008, 06:35 PM

Do It!

**Flake** · June 3rd, 2008, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Matsign

Do It!

^
This.

Try it, it might be a disaster or it might be interesting. Or it might be an interesting disaster.

I remember someone else (Gilead maybe?) describing a technique that I was sure would end in ugly fail, watercolour washes over charcoal or something and it actually turned out looking cool.

We could sit here discussing it all day but there's only one way to find out.

**Molly** · June 3rd, 2008, 09:06 PM

Yes of course its been done

,....

I think Iwas about 9-10 yrs old. we had undeveloped photo paper, smeared it with nivea had cream into funky lame patterns, exposed it, and got a pretty picture. I have no idea if this is anyway related/significant etc, but it was THE FIRST most basic form on photography I had encountered....

mx