Happy Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day! | Amy Jasek, FSC Members

Happy Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, friends! Times are strange right now, but I hope all our fellow pinhole enthusiasts are finding a way to get creative today in spite of it all.

I never thought I would get into pinhole photography. Years ago, I remember my Dad talking about it; he made his own pinhole camera (I suspect more than one of them) and made a slew of stunning images. That all went in one ear and out the other for me until a few years ago when I had the chance to make a camera out of a couple of beer cans. I can’t say I was thrilled with the results, but I was thrilled that it worked! Then came a Kickstarter by Ondu: backing that project changed my photographic life! I now have three of their cameras and rarely leave home without at least one. I love the realm of the unknown that you enter when you engage in pinhole photography; I love the creative freedom and the relative lack of control, since I’m never entirely certain just what I will end up with on the film.

For a mini online celebration, a few Collective members have shared their favorite pinhole cameras - it’s hard to pick just one, isn’t it? - along with a favorite photograph from it. Hopefully this will spark a little bit of inspiration for you, and maybe some extra pinhole love.

Be sure to check out Pinhole Day’s official website, and join in! Also check out Barbara Justice, Bob St Cyr, Darren Rose , and Jana Uyeda on their Instagrams, to see more of their wonderful work.

Amy Jasek

Photography is a family tradition. I was raised in the darkroom, and on the fine art work of photographers like Edward Weston, Diane Arbus, and Ansel Adams. My father took me photographing with him regularly and taught me how to look at light. He gave me my first camera (an Olympus RC); I made my first black and white print (standing on a stool!) at the age of 7. There are some gaps in the timeline of my photographic journey, enforced upon it by life in general, but film and cameras are one of the few things that have remained constant every step of the way. For me, photography is all about moments and truth. I like to work in black and white so that I can highlight those two things. The truth, form, and simplicity of the moment is presented; I feel that removing the color from the scene brings these things out. I believe street photography is a little window into the heart and soul of a place, a time, and the people in it. These days I tend more toward street portraits and interaction with my subjects, but my drive for capturing the candid moment remains the same.