Primitive Camerawork Inspires 1st Year CA Students

Level 1 CA students began their intro to digital photography unit this week by creating a very primitive camera. The Camera Obscura, also known as the pinhole camera, was a small part of what we covered introducing the basic functions of a camera. Once constructed — from empty Pringles cans, none-the-less — students then went outside to test out their new devices which "capture" the image; they soon found out that the image projected image projects upside down.

“My ever-creative art students were quick to discover a way to rotate their images!” says Commercial Arts instructor, Anthony DeRosa.

The Camera Obscura Box was first used by Aristotle (384BCE) to concentrate light onto the back of a dark box through a small opening in the front. Used by such artists as Vermeer, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Canaletto, this miniature “dark room” is a tool used to achieve accurate proportions. The small pin hole allows light to pass through projecting an image on a screen. Modern digital cameras work in much the same way — only the technology is much more advanced, of course. The idea of light passing through an aperture to a screen is essentially the same.

DeRosa proudly states, “I was really pleased with their ingenuity.”

So there you have it: ancient techniques, brought to today’s technology-driven students, formed quite a memorable lesson! Thank you, Mr. Aristotle! …and thank YOU Mr. DeRosa!