Re: Teaching

Hi Lisa,

I can see by the responses from the fine folks on the pinhole-disscussion
list that you've received some "top notch" information for teaching a
workshop to school children.

I've taught a few pinhole workshops myself, a few to high school art
students, once at The Washington Center for Photography (all adults), and
finally "LIVE" on national TV (WUSA-9 Washington, D.C.), and believe me
it's a cake walk!!!

You just need to plan out what you'll say (write this part on 3x5 or
larger index cards) and practice reading it to a friend to make sure it
makes sense. You might even draw out on an index card what you might want
to put up on a chalkboard in the way of drawings showing how to do this
or that, like the part on how to make your pinholes. If kids see it, they
usually can do it, or at least they can ask you questions to clear the
uncertainty they may have.

Time your workshop talk with your friend. You don't want to run out of
time or be to quick! Next, you need to decide what container you will use
to make your cameras out of and go out and get enough for everyone if
possible. Or tell the school that they need to go out and get X amount of
containers. Sometimes it is easier if you have a few pinholes already
made for those that might have a hard time making the pinhole (children
in the 5-11 year old range). Some people use soda pop cans, and some like
to make their pinholes in brass shim stock (.002-.003). If you need some
brass shim stock I can send you some.

I like bringing with me some camera examples that I've made over the
years to show that a pinhole camera can be made from almost anything that
will hold light out; even a watermelon or a hard dinner roll. Of course
you need tape on most cameras you make, and I like "black electrical
tape", but everyone does it differently; and that's part of the fun

You have to decide either paper or film for the negatives. I'd go
paper!!! But I can't recommend a brand, as I've used Kodabromide F2-S for
years (and still have some left), and Kodak no longer makes it @#$%! I'm
sure a salesperson can help you with what type and brand of paper at a
local photo store.

Bring some examples of your own work (prints). The students always want
to see what you've done, and this can burn up time if you think you need
more time to have a successful workshop!

Next decide what container will be the easiest for you to teach with.
35mm film cannisters are easy to use and find, plus the exposure time is
quite fast. But I prefer using 50 sheet count 4x5 sheet film
boxes--KODAK. The Fuji boxes are a little bigger in size, so I usually
don't use them. And the other cool thing about the film boxes is they're
already BLACK inside, so you don't have to mess with paint or felt.

I like using 50 sheet size 4x5 film boxes for my student cameras. You can
get loads of them at your local commercial photo lab, as they just throw
them away anyway. Just ask them in advance to save you X amount, and if
they're cool they'll do it for you. The reason I use 4x5 boxes is because
you can get 4 negatives from one sheet of 8x10 paper. The 4x5 sheet film
boxes come with everything you'll need to make the camera except the
tape, the pinhole, and some Sobo brand white glue. Basically you are
making a sheet film holder out of the 4x5 box. If you're not familiar
with sheet film holders, ask someone to show you one at a photo store or
a friend might have one that you can look at. Just copy the same design
but in the bottom of the 4x5 box, using the white card pieces as guides.
Every 4x5 sheet film box comes with 2 white cards that protect the film.
Save them, or ask the photo lab people to save you some. The 4x5 boxes
also have an inside cover box. You'll be flipping this over and making
the mask for the paper or film negative inside the box. The mask will be
just a shade smaller than where the guides are. Take an X-acto razor
knife and cut the masks so you see none of the white from the guides. You
don't have to be perfectly exact with cutting the masks, a cut that is
not perfectly straight will yeild a cool edge. Back to the white cards.
You will cut 4 pieces for each camera. Cut 2- 1/8" x 3 -1/2" long with a
45 degree taper at one end, and glue with white glue in the bottom of the
box, one on each side of the box. Next cut 2- 1/4" x 3- 3/4" white card
pieces, and cut the tip on one end also at a 45 degree angle. The pieces
you just cut get glued to the first pieces that you glued in the bottom,
with the 45 degree angle pointing towards the center of the box. Make
sure you run a small bead of white glue on the bottom edge that touches
the side of the box. This all makes a whole lot more sense if you already
have or know what a conventual sheet film holder looks like, and also how
it loads up with film or paper. If you have a exposed 4x5 piece of paper,
test it to see how well the paper negs will go into the makeshift holder
you just made. They should slide in with little to no catching the
guides.

I usually ask the students to use #10 sewing needles to make their
pinholes. When you use the #10 needle (.018") the f/stop comes out to be
about f/64, which makes calculating the exposure times a whole lot
easier. Exposure is your next hurdle, if you use the 4x5 boxes, it's
usually 2-5 seconds outside, and 15 seconds- 2 minutes indoors , and
that's a good guess without a light meter. Otherwise figuring the
exposure is your problem, I hope you have a light meter.

I hope this rambling on helps some. Remember this is soooooooooo easy
you'll laugh about it later. If you need ANY help, just e-mail me or call
703-780-3171 and ask for Tom.

"Keep on Pinholin'",
Tom Lindsay

n Thu, 22 Sep 2005 17:02:09 -0400 Lisa Reddig <lisa@julianrichards.com>
writes:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I know this as been asked many times before, but I never paid
> attention
> because it seemed to have nothing to do with me.
>
> I may have an opportunity to teach some children to make pinhole
> cameras.
> It is a small NYC school with ages ranging from 5 - 17.
>
> Are there some good places I can go to find ways to teach children
> about the
> pinhole process?
>
> Thanks
> Lisa
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Received on Fri Sep 30 17:40:04 2005