Experiments Journal: Converting a Hotel Room into a Camera Obscura
Cameras and pinhole cameras are fun, but what if you can convert a whole room into a pinhole camera (a Camera Obscura)?
I was in pure awe when I saw Abelardo Morell's camera obscura photographs for the first time. I then came across the camera obscura lens from Bonfoton, a Finland-based company. The lens makes the camera obscura image clearer compared to simply using a (pin)hole.
This image shows how a pinhole camera works. Basically, light travels from one side of the pinhole to the other side and gives an upside-down image.
Image from James Ayscough's "A short account of the eye and nature of vision" showing how a camera obscura works.
This video from the George Eastman Museum shows how you can convert a room into a camera obscure.
After testing the lens in my house and bedroom, I tried it again in a hotel room during a staycation. Using dark blinds in hotel rooms makes the whole process easier, and you only need to cover the pinhole area. I took all photos using a digital point-and-shoot. For the next try, I should get a tripod (for longer exposures) and a wider lens to capture the whole room. But it works! The following photos show the pinhole lens on the blinds and the view from outside.
