Pinhole Swap 1999
Infrared Pinhole, Alabama Hills California, 1999
Richard Heather
Technical
Pinhole photograph taken with a 35 mm EXA slr (c1946-55) with a
homemade pinhole in brass shim. Size? as small as I could make with good
smooth edges. Focal length ~25mm.
Film: Kodak High Speed infrared with red filter in front of the pinhole.
Exposure 1 sec in bright am sunlight.
Print: Ilford MGFB Warmtone with split contrast filtration. Ilford
Multigrade paper developer. Selenium toner 1:25 for 7 minutes. Each print
took the toner slightly differently. I tried to make 14 identical prints
but all are different and unique.
Why Infrared Pinhole?
Infrared film is capable of producing beautiful images when light may not
be good for other film. Green plants may be almost black and lifeless in
B&W. In IR they are brilliantly alive. Modern coated lenses are designed
for color and visual light. I think there are reflection and scatter problems
that degrade the image. Pinholes avoid that and seem to be able to produce
better negatives.
I am fairly new to Pinhole photography but have found it to be liberating
from obsession to detail and details to see the beauty in soft, subjective
images.
Richard Heather
Please email responses to: rheather@slonet.org