Late last year, a few of us in the local film-lovers group wanted to be a bit sociable and go on a photowalk together. Not just any old photowalk though – something a little different, more interesting.
So on a sunny Sunday morning in November, Mike, Simon and myself went on our first pinhole-camera photowalk. Sporting a couple of Holga 120 WPCs, a modified box-camera, a Holga 120CFN/ice-cube-tray hybrid, and a recently-hacked-together bi-directional oddity, we set off to the local park to go on a lensless wander.
Trees mostly caught our attention at first – leaves, twisting branches and winding paths make good starter subjects to settle into the idea of wielding a Massive Depth of-Field. The low-lying winter Sun meant we “had” to stop every few paces to take it all in.
In fact, we spent so long stopping to admire the light – and to set shots up, and take shots – that we managed to walk all of 100 yards in our first hour! Given we’d only set ourselves a two-how time-frame altogether, we decided to skip most of the route, and head straight to some old walled gardens.
l love photowalks. Not only for the chance to totally submerge yourself into a photo-taking mindset, but also to see how other photographers work. Everyone looks at the same place, the same scene, but with a different perspective – copying/borrowing/suggesting ideas really makes the day enjoyable and educational.
The challenge of a pinhole-specific walk is also great – often, the whole group is forced to show down (especially if you want to avoid wandering into the 120 WPC’s extensive field of view…). This can really push you to seek out of new ways to shot what you can see, rather than just keeping on wandering until you find something you obviously like the look of.
Here are some tips if you’re thinking of organising your own pinhole walk:
- Aim for one tripod per person – swapping them between cameras (including quiet-release mechanisms) can take up a lot of time.
- Plan a route in advance, but also plan some “shortcuts” in case time starts running out. A circular route can be handy.
- Bring a range of film if you’re not sure what the weather will be like.
- Start with a smaller group than a larger one – it’s easier to meet/change the route/swap ideas, etc. if you’re all trying to work out what’s going on at the same time.
- Just remember – the main point is to have fun! Better to cover less ground than to rush around and get dressed or last. (Although mobile/cell phones are a must – as is swapping numbers before you set off).
Finally, tag all your photos with something handy so everyone can see what you’ve been up to.
Been on your own pinhole-walk? Let us know!
