Pinhole Photography at Huntington High School

The photography program at Huntington High School is constantly raising the bar. The student artists studying under teacher Pamela Piffard always impress as they go about creating and assembling portfolios that are simply exceptional.

Mrs. Piffard recently presented a lesson on “pinhole photography.” Students took what they learned and produced some interesting photos for a related hands-on assignment introduced them to the core concepts of how cameras work.

“A pinhole camera is one of the simplest types of cameras — it has no lens, only a tiny hole that allows light to enter,” Mrs. Piffard explained. “When light passes through that small opening, it projects an inverted image of the outside world onto a surface inside the camera, usually light-sensitive photo paper. Through this process, students experience firsthand how exposure, light, and time work together to create an image.”

Students learned that in pinhole photography, exposures are long, ranging from a half second to several hours. Images are exposed on film or paper – negative or positive, black or white or color.

Mrs. Piffard explained to students:

• Pinhole photographs have nearly infinite depth of field; everything appears in focus.

• As there’s no lens distortion, wide angle images remain absolutely rectilinear.

• Exposure times are usually long, resulting in motion blur around moving objects and the absence of objects that moved too fast.

“Other special features that can be built into pinhole cameras, such as the ability to take double images by using multiple pinholes or the ability to take pictures in cylindrical or spherical perspective by curving the film plane,” she said.

Each student designed and built their own pinhole camera from scratch using cardboard boxes, aluminum, and black tape. They then carefully measured exposure times, often counting the seconds by hand while letting light hit the paper inside the box. The results, developed in the school’s darkroom, revealed soft, dreamlike images that captured images in a timeless way.

Mrs. Piffard provided students with a wide variety of sample photographs to drive home different aspects of the lesson and to clear up any possible misconceptions and questions.

“Having students build their own cameras out of a box really helps them understand the fundamentals of exposure and image making,” Mrs. Piffard said.

It was explained to students that pinhole cameras are both large and small, improvised and designed with great care. “Cameras have been made of seashells, of saltshakers and watermelons,” Mrs. Piffard said. “Many have been made of circular boxes, soda cans or cookie boxes; and at least one has been made of a discarded refrigerator. Cameras have been cast in plaster like a facemask, constructed from beautiful hardwoods, built of metal and fitted with bellows. Station wagons have been used as pinhole cameras, as have rooms in large buildings.”

Students learned that some photographers take delight in making cameras out of surprising objects. “But most pin-holers start out with a simple cardboard box or a small circular metal or cardboard container,” Mrs. Piffard said. “What counts in the final analysis are the images produced by the camera. Extraordinary images can be made with a very simple cardboard or can camera. Some images could not have been made with a lens.”

According to Mrs. Piffard, this project helps students grasp the science behind photography before they begin working with SLR’s. “It’s important that students understand how light and exposure truly function,” she explained. “Building their own cameras helps them see that photography is not just about pressing a button — it’s about controlling light.”

By starting the year with pinhole photography, students gain a solid foundation in the technical and creative aspects of image-making. “The project not only strengthens their understanding of exposure and camera mechanics but also encourages patience, experimentation, and appreciation for the magic of capturing light,” Mrs. Piffard said.