Solargraphy

Words
160
Reading
1 min
Listen
Play
6y

POWB Lemieux Island1.jpg

Here's a 3-month exposure taken with a homemade pinhole camera. I placed a piece of film in an empty beer can, sealed up all openings, poked a pinhole, and mounted it to a fencepost. The bright arcs are the paths of the sun across the sky. I collected the camera on an overcast March day, late in the morning. This corresponds to the highest arc, which is dim because of the overcast sky, and ends abruptly.

I've found that the key to interesting solargraphy results is to have a compelling foreground, ideally a large object silhouetted against the sky. I'm doing my thesis on this bridge, and thought it would be a good spot for solargraphy. Below is a photo taken on the same January day when I placed the pinhole camera.

IMGP06842.jpg

And below is an illustration that appeared in an 1881 newspaper, when the bridge was newly built, showing roughly the same perspective.

periodpaper.com.jpg

1881 wood engraving courtesy of periodpaper.com

Solargraphy | Ecency