Did you ever think that the oatmeal container you open every morning when you make breakfast could be turned into a camera? Or that the mint tin sitting on your desk is capable of creating stunning images? In Pinhole Cameras, photographer and pinhole aficionado Chris Keeney shows you how to transform basic household containers—a shoebox, a coffee can, a matchbox—into amazing photographic devices.
| ||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Spiral bound, in a case designed by Deb Wood, Pinhole Cameras is as beautiful as it is informative. Whether following its instructions while at the workbench or enjoying the dreamy images within, Keeney has found success bringing a youthful pastime into adulthood." --ForeWord Reviews, July/ August 2011
"Pinhole Cameras: A Do-It-Yourself Guide is a fun tutorial for building your own pinhole camera out of just about anything. Starting with a brief history of the pinhole camera presented along with creative examples for construction, the book communicates both a sense of the creative options available as well as the importance of pinhole photography in the history of the medium. From shoeboxes to Altoids cans and even digital cameras, this guide explores a number of ways to get started making your own camera out of objects that are probably already laying around the house." --photo+eye, July 2011
"Pinhole Cameras: A Do-It-Yourself Guide is a fun tutorial for building your own pinhole camera out of just about anything. Starting with a brief history of the pinhole camera presented along with creative examples for construction, the book communicates both a sense of the creative options available as well as the importance of pinhole photography in the history of the medium. From shoeboxes to Altoids cans and even digital cameras, this guide explores a number of ways to get started making your own camera out of objects that are probably already laying around the house." --photo+eye, July 2011
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By pkeubanks
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Chris Keeney's pinhole book is the best of a recent crop of books about pinhole photography to come out in the last year or so. His information is solid though he leaves out a formula for the size of the pinhole, I like Abney's Rule: Diameter of the pinhole = square root of the focal length divided by 120, and doesn't mention pivot drills for getting the pinholes the exact size. Probably this would only matter to a purist like me so in the overall scheme of things, this may not matter much. He offers specific detailed information about how to convert a number of found objects into pinhole cameras and provides darkroom basics in clear, concise language.
The chapter on Practical and Creative Tips at the end of the book is very helpful and could only have come from someone who loves and uses pinhole cameras. The approach he takes is the approach of an artist not a curious tinkerer. That is doubly clear from the examples of pinhole photography, most done by the author. They are all gorgeous and worth the price of the book by themselves. The design of the book is unusual. It is printed on card stock and spiral bound, perfect as a classroom reference---there won't be any wearing this one out!
Good job.
The chapter on Practical and Creative Tips at the end of the book is very helpful and could only have come from someone who loves and uses pinhole cameras. The approach he takes is the approach of an artist not a curious tinkerer. That is doubly clear from the examples of pinhole photography, most done by the author. They are all gorgeous and worth the price of the book by themselves. The design of the book is unusual. It is printed on card stock and spiral bound, perfect as a classroom reference---there won't be any wearing this one out!
Good job.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By MSmith
Format:Hardcover
I am a 9th grade math and physics teacher at a project-based charter school. This is the second year that my students made pinhole cameras in our study of the properties of light and the electromagnetic spectrum. My first year was a complete disaster - only about 5% of my students took pictures that were recognizable. This year I was determined to get most of my students taking pictures that they could be proud of. I bought Chris Keeney's book, and had my students follow the instructions for making pinhole cameras using a shoe box and an oatmeal can. This year 95% of my students took pictures successfully!
Here are what some of my students had to say in thank you notes to Chris:
"Thank you for helping us out with the pinhole cameras. It really helped alot. We would have been really lost without you."
"Your book was uber helpful and interesting!"
"I would like to thank you for writing the pinhole camera book, that really cam in handy when creating our pinhole camera."
"Your book was very detailed and descriptive. It was very helpful."
"Without the references from your book I would have been completely lost."
"Thank you for showing us through your book, how to set up a pinhole camera properly. There was step-by-step instructions that went in depth with much detail. Thanks!"
"Your book really helped me understand how a pinhole camera works."
Here are what some of my students had to say in thank you notes to Chris:
"Thank you for helping us out with the pinhole cameras. It really helped alot. We would have been really lost without you."
"Your book was uber helpful and interesting!"
"I would like to thank you for writing the pinhole camera book, that really cam in handy when creating our pinhole camera."
"Your book was very detailed and descriptive. It was very helpful."
"Without the references from your book I would have been completely lost."
"Thank you for showing us through your book, how to set up a pinhole camera properly. There was step-by-step instructions that went in depth with much detail. Thanks!"
"Your book really helped me understand how a pinhole camera works."
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Reevo
Format:Hardcover
Chris Keeney, aka ck3, has always been a favourite photographer of mine. My interest in his work began with a love for the inspiring way he photographed his kids (it must have been around the time that my wife got pregnant I guess - five of six years ago - and I already envied the quality of his family album!). These photos were truly unique and he took this unique view of the world as his experiments moved from film camera tinkering to pinhole photography. It was clear from early on that he wasn't only interested in taking photos from off-the-shelf pinhole cameras but wanted to investigate the possibilities of the basic structure of the actual camera.
Pinhole Cameras is a document of this work and inside are nearly 200 pages of DIY camera goodness. It all starts, after the introductions and some photographic history, with a look into a pinhole camera's basic structure - primarily a box (and and how to choose one according to your needs and intended use) and secondly, and arguably the more important factor, is how to make an actual pinhole. (The latter can actually be purchase online but you're going to may one and not buy one, right?!) Everything you need to know is included too in a dedicated chapter. The rest of the book are full instructions for making seven pinhole cameras (nine if you count the DSLR body cap and the Holga conversion) from different objects that you may already have around the house; an oatmeal can, shoe box, coffee can, cigar box, mint tin and, my favourite, CK's version of the mighty Matchbox Pinhole. The instructions are clear and concise and include all the information that you'll need to create your own. Creating the cameras are only one part of the process though and there are some practical advice photography in general as well as setting up a darkroom, processing film and developing photographic paper.
Now I have to admit that, although I've experimented with the medium before when I created my Coronet Pinhole Rapide, I've not actually created anything from in this book. My interest is in the medium, the possibilities ad the examples of the photos that he's created within. It may be that I'll never use this book as it's intended to be used but hey, it's an excellent and engaging book in its own right, even if you just want to learn more about the medium. As a footnote, CK is also a conventional photographer that you should check out.
Pinhole Cameras is a document of this work and inside are nearly 200 pages of DIY camera goodness. It all starts, after the introductions and some photographic history, with a look into a pinhole camera's basic structure - primarily a box (and and how to choose one according to your needs and intended use) and secondly, and arguably the more important factor, is how to make an actual pinhole. (The latter can actually be purchase online but you're going to may one and not buy one, right?!) Everything you need to know is included too in a dedicated chapter. The rest of the book are full instructions for making seven pinhole cameras (nine if you count the DSLR body cap and the Holga conversion) from different objects that you may already have around the house; an oatmeal can, shoe box, coffee can, cigar box, mint tin and, my favourite, CK's version of the mighty Matchbox Pinhole. The instructions are clear and concise and include all the information that you'll need to create your own. Creating the cameras are only one part of the process though and there are some practical advice photography in general as well as setting up a darkroom, processing film and developing photographic paper.
Now I have to admit that, although I've experimented with the medium before when I created my Coronet Pinhole Rapide, I've not actually created anything from in this book. My interest is in the medium, the possibilities ad the examples of the photos that he's created within. It may be that I'll never use this book as it's intended to be used but hey, it's an excellent and engaging book in its own right, even if you just want to learn more about the medium. As a footnote, CK is also a conventional photographer that you should check out.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice book for pinhole phtographers.
This book is well written, and a handy guide if you are new to pinhole or have been doing pinhole for years such as I have. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Becky Ramotowski
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
This books has some great ideas for pin hole cameras and will give many chances for experimentation. Glad we got it.
Published 16 months ago by Paula J. Zsiray
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
