In this month's podcast, the first official one, we are going to continue our quest for future jazz. On the table eight electronically cooked hip-hop flavoured grooves. The best instrumental jazzy beats for open minded audio gourmets only.
About the camera
This camera is a cheap do it yourself ripoff of the beautiful pinhole
blender. They're available in 35mm and 120 flavor. If you're looking
for something polished go for the real thing. Also check out this pretty version by eyeuno.
About the pinhole plates
The ones i'm using here were made using aluminium from a coke can, some
metal sandpaper, a very small regular sowing needle and this method.
You can also buy some, but that would somehow defeat the idea of
creating your own camera from scratch.
Tools needed:
Materials needed:
1. Wash and dry the can
2. Paint the interior with black marker
3. Pierce (or drill) a small hole at half the can's height ( 2,5 cm from the top if your can is higher than 6cm), than pierce more two holes 4,5 cm apart (each side) of the first one.
4. Enlarge the holes using the nose pliers until they're about 1cm diameter
5. Using the pliers flatten the interior edges of the holes
6. Tape the pinhole plate
7. Check if it's centered
8. Repeat on the other holes
9. Mark on the plastic film container the height of the canister minus the top piece (4,2 cm)
10. Cut the plastic using a utility knife
11. Stick a piece of cotton (half ball) on the bottom of your empty film canister (i forgot this step the first time i did this).
12. Tape the cotton over applying some pressure, it should be really tight. This is to prevent the film from rewinding after you advance it.
13. Cut the leader of the new roll of film straight.
14. Tape it (using the transparent tape) to the leader of the empty film canister.
15. Pass it around the plastic container.
16. Tape it together so it won't fall apart.
17. Mark on the corrugated cardboard a circle that would make the top of your camera.
18. Cut it following the inside of the line, test it and trim if necessary until you have a good fit.
19. Mark one line with 2cm starting from the edge of the cardboard. Do a perpendicular, mark, in that perpendicular line, two points 2,5cm apart from each other, having the end of the first line in the center. Make a cross cut at those points.
20. Slightly enlarge the holes using the point of the nose pliers and paint one side black.
21. Roughly repeat step 17 and 18 to create 2 extra pieces of cardboard to fill the bottom of the can. Paint the top one black (i didn't).
22. Put the film rolls inside, checking if it's high enough. The film canisters and the container should line with the top of the can, the two little top plastic pieces of the canisters should be outside. If not add more height to the bottom.
23. Put the top on, adjusting the holes if needed, mark the direction to advance film, tape the other canister top, untape it to rewind the film when you're done.
24. Tape the edges to prevent light from entering and make everything tight.
Shutter mechanism
Now that you have your own pinhole blender almost finished, there's only one really essential thing missing: the shutters. Here you could go really basic and use a piece of tape in each hole or you can create some sort of mechanism.
This is how i did it: cut a cardboard square with a 3cm side, then cut a small square hole in the center (about 1cm), then put it over the pinhole. The hole in the cardboard should have the pinhole in the center. Tape the bottom and the sides leaving the top untapped. Then cut another piece of cardboard 2,5cm wide and 5cm lenght. Insert this in the untapped gap then you just have to push pull to open and close the shutter.
Advance mechanism
You can use almost anything to advance the film, as long as it fits, usually in my matchbox pinholes i use the car keys, some people use paper clips, parts from disposable cameras, etc.. In this camera i'm using part of the plastic center from a 120 roll, that it´s used as an adaptor to 35mm in my Diana camera. Basically you just have to cut it to measure and then plug it in.
Tripod socket
Not being absolutely necessary the ability to put your camera on a tripod is a big plus especially in pinhole cameras. I simply tape a 1/4-20 nut to the bottom of the can, then using a piece of thick cardboard i cut a hole in the center, put it over the nut and then tape again from some extra stability. This is a somehow flimsy solution but if you're careful it's more than enough for regular use.
Using the camera
After putting the top of the camera and the shutters you should advance the film 2 turns and then your camera is ready to use. After opening the shutters and exposing the film you should advance the film another 2 turns. This will give you some large gaps between each shot, wasting some film but it's an effective method and simple to remember. It will give you about 10 "panoramic" shots in a 36 film.
Once you reach the end of the film, you should rewind it. For that remove the tape and switch the "advance knob" to the other canister. You can simply not rewind the film, but that would cost you the last shot. To reuse the camera simply repeat steps 11 to 16 and then 22 to 24.
See some images created with this camera. Hope you enjoy it.
The tomatoes: Put them in the oven in low heat for 2 and 1/2 hours sprinkled with brown sugar, vinegar, lemon thyme and salt.
The tofu: While the tomatoes cook marinate the tofu in lime juice and tamari. Then while the pasta boils lightly brush the grill with olive oil and grill until cooked and it has those beautiful grill marks.
The pasta: Cook the penne in a lot of water with salt. Meanwhile saute in olive oil the onion and the squash until tender, by that time the pasta should be cooked. Mix it all so the flavors blend in. Turn the heat off, add chopped parsley and olives, drizzle with olive oil and season again.
Thanks to a Webmonkey article, when i started getting interested in the low-fi photography thing, the first camera i craved for was a Diana. A fragile plastic-bodied toy camera.
They were made in Hong Kong since the early 60's, and in the United States, they were sold by one to three dollars. So i was amazed when did a search over Ebay and couldn't find none costing less than 50$ sometimes going up to 100$ or even 150$.
But this weekend i got really lucky and found this baby at the flea market (Feira da Vandoma) and bought it for 50 cents (Euro). It had a broken back, so i cuted some thick cardboard the same size (and shape) of the missing piece and then taped it. After a lot of rubbing and scrubbing here it is. Pretty and ready to use.
This toy is highly predisposed to light leaks, often produces vignetting, low contrast, strange color rendition, and blurred images. All the system requirements for real low-fi photography. It uses 120 film, although it can be hacked for 35mm (or you can buy an adapter).
I find these toy cams fun to use, they put the focus (or the lack of it) on the "what" instead of the "how". Emphasising the mood and the feeling instead of capturing reality as it is. and since they are toys, they allows us to look around and see much like a child would, something priceless when photographing.
After rinsing the quinoa under water, using a fine mesh strainer, cook it for 15 minutes in boiling water seasoned with salt and half a vegetable bouillon. I use the same pan to steam the cauliflower.
Meanwhile, lightly saute (or not if you like it raw) the chopped shallot, the red bell pepper and the pre-cooked sweet corn, season to taste. In a large bowl mix these ingredients together with the quinoa.
Then make the vinaigrette like sauce. In a small bowl mix the olive oil, lemon and tangerine juice, a bit of maple syrup, salt and pepper and finely chopped parsley.
Pour the sauce over the steamed cauliflower, serve with the quinoa, lettuce heart and apple slices.
Email: bricolage.blog@gmail.com
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