underwater pinhole photography

[sophie_rose]

Hi, I'm really new here, and I've experimented with some black and white pinhole-photography before, but never underwater. I would really love to try this in a tidal pool. I wonder if anyone as any advice on this? Really any thoughts would be helpful - with regards to making the pinhole camera, exposure times, keeping the camera still etc. I found a really old thread on here where someone was asking similar questions in 2004, and some of the answers were helpful. Any additional advice would still be great. Thanks!

 

[Focomatter]

I have no experience with pinhole photography but do have a lot with underwater photography. There are many issues, enough to fill a book. Many issues relate to the reduction in the speed of light as it enters water. As well the tide pools I have seen near to where I live are rather shallow making it difficult to submerge a camera. If you have fairly large ones it might be feasible. Maybe a way of starting would be to convert an existing underwater camera set up by exchanging the camera lens with a pinhole lens.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Pinholes aren't watertight, so you'll need a housing. Then you'll need to be able to operate the shutter and film advance through the housing. Then you'll need a way to keep the housing absolutely clean, at least in front of the pinhole, because unlike a lens, it won't "look through" small smudges and specks on the housing because they're out of focus -- they'll look like rocks or golf balls in the photo.

Not saying it can't be done, but it might be simplest to get an camera that already has a housing and convert it or make a pinhole to replace a lens...

 

[Helge]

Some of the most significant pinhole cameras ever where either water filled or underwater.
So yeah. It is certainly possible.
Sandwich the film/paper between two pieces of glass and waterproof the edge with wax. Include an inside string around the edge for separation.

You’ll find that a water filled camera has far less falloff/vignette than an air camera.
Fill that camera with demineralized or tap water. Osmotic pressure shouldn’t be a problem for the duration of a daylight shot, even in seawater.

If using paper, you could use a simple DIY underwater arc lamp made with pencil graphite and a battery pack as “flash”.
That will give off huge amounts of UV over the time the exposure takes.

 

[maltfalc]

Sandwich the film/paper between two pieces of glass and waterproof the edge with wax. Include an inside string around the edge for separation.
.

a vacuum sealer will waterproof film easier and with more flexibility than messing around with glass and wax.

 

[NedL]

I think it would probably work pretty well without waterproofing the film or paper.... go for it and have fun!

 

[Helge]

a vacuum sealer will waterproof film easier and with more flexibility than messing around with glass and wax.

I can’t see it being easier. Maybe about the same. But the glass is reusable.
Wax is no mess.
Apply a thin line around the edge, melted or dry.
Children’s modeling clay could probably be good and could even be prepared in full light.
A tiny leak would not be “catastrophic” for the paper or film either.

 

[Helge]

https://journals.ametsoc.org/downlo...0/1520-0477_1989_070_1243_aacoco_2_0_co_2.pdf

 

[NedL]

at Justin Quinell's page

https://www.pinholephotography.org/gallery/gallery.html?lightbox=dataItem-kkv74tj23

Pretty sure this was made just by filling a can with water... no protection of paper.

 

[jeffreyg]

I do pinhole but never underwater. You might be able to rig up a camera. Get a water-proof Tupperware container of the appropriate size, paint the inside (not the lid) flat black, print with PhotoShop a matte black print with the middle pinhole clear for the inside of the lid. It will take some experimenting to determine exposure times. You can use your hand or a piece of black plastic as a shutter. If it doesn't work you still have a storage piece. Hardly any construction time and usable on land as well.
http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureandphotography.com/

 

[Matthew K]

Man, I lack for creativity I suppose. It has never occurred to me to take a pinhole photograph underwater. I do like the notion of just filling the camera with water, that's an interesting way around the problem.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Be prepared to see a lower film speed than you're used to, possibly also a different spectral response. Water can wash out some sensitizing dyes from the emulsion if the film becomes wet.