Shoe box pinhole cameras work in the same way some old-fashioned cameras worked. They are made up of a black box with a tiny hole that lets light inside to shine on a sheet of photographic paper. While it's an outdated method of capturing images, some people like to use pinhole cameras for the unique look they produce that can't be achieved with modern cameras, without the need for photo editing.
Instructions
1. Spray the entire shoebox and lid with flat-black spray paint. Make sure to cover the entire inside and outside. Let it sit for at least one hour to ensure it thoroughly dries.
2. Poke a small hole in the center of either of the narrow sides of the shoebox with a Number 10 sewing needle. Push the needle about halfway through the box.
3. Cut a 2 square-inch piece of black cardboard paper. This paper will act as the shutter for the camera.
4. Hold the paper against the shoebox so it covers the pinhole. Fasten the top edge of the paper to the box with a piece of electrical tape.
5. Flip the paper up to ensure you can see the pinhole. Make any adjustments if necessary.
6. Tape a sheet of photographic paper to the inside of the box on the side directly across from the hole in the box. The shiny, glossy side of the paper should face the hole. Be sure to do this in a dark room as light will ruin the photographic paper.
7. Put the lid back on the box before you bring it out of the dark room.
8. Point the hole in the box at the object you want to take a picture of. Flip the black piece of paper up to reveal the hole.
9. Cover the hole after two to eight minutes. The time it takes depends entirely on the lighting conditions. A bright, sunny space only requires two minutes, cloudy or dark areas require eight minutes while anything else should be somewhere in between. It may take several attempts to determine what works best, so be patient.
10. Process the image on the paper according to the directions on your particular product.
Tags: photographic paper, dark room, eight minutes, pinhole cameras, sheet photographic, sheet photographic paper, shoebox with