Pinhole photography
The camera without a lens. Where it all begins.
We build a pinhole camera, expose onto photographic paper and develop on the spot. The photographic process in its purest form.
The hole that does everything
Before lenses, before optics, before 35mm cameras and everything we know as photography, there was a dark box with a small hole. Light entered, projected onto the inside and left its mark. That’s all. That is photography.
The pinhole camera isn’t a nostalgic exercise. It’s a physical demonstration of how light works. Once you’ve built it with your own hands and watched the first image appear in the developer tray, it changes the way you understand every other camera.
Key contents
- The camera obscura principle: optics without a lens
- Building a pinhole camera with simple materials
- Exposure on photographic paper: calculating exposure time
- Darkroom development: from darkness to image
- Negative and positive: the contact printing process
- Variations and creative possibilities of the technique
What’s included
- All materials for building the pinhole camera
- Photographic paper and developing chemicals
- Use of the darkroom
What to bring
- Nothing. The workshop is fully self-contained: all materials are provided.
Not included
- Additional paper prints (extra paper available at Llumàtics)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a camera for pinhole photography?
No. The workshop is self-contained: we build the camera and Llumàtics provides all the materials.
What do I learn?
The camera obscura principle, how to build a pinhole camera, exposure and developing the paper.
Can I bring my own can?
Yes, optionally you can bring a can big enough to hold the photographic paper.
Workshop details
- Objective
- Understand the optical principle of the camera and produce pinhole images developed on photographic paper.
- Methodology
- Manual construction of the camera, outdoor exposure and development in the darkroom. All in one session.
- Outcome
- A pinhole camera built by the student and 2–3 developed paper prints.
- Prerequisites
- None. This is one of the best starting points for anyone with no experience.
- Who it's for
- People of any age and level who want to understand photography from its absolute beginning. Ideal as a first analogue experience.
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