Advanced Photography Creates Camera Obscura

Beaver’s upper school Advanced Photography class, taught by Sajel Patel, recently turned a small room behind Bradley Hall into a camera obscura.

A camera obscura is a darkened room with a small hole in the wall that lets light enters the space. As light passes through the hole, it projects an upside down and reversed image of the landscape on the outside. Being inside a camera obscura is akin to being inside a camera.

For Beaver’s camera obscura, students covered the room’s window with heavy cardboard and cut a small hole in the board to let in the outside light. When visitors enter the room, close the door, and turn off the light, their eyes will begin to adjust to the darkness. Slowly, they will see the image of the outside landscape appear on the wall opposite the hole. Trees, buildings, and cars driving by can all be seen projected on the wall.

Top photo: An image of outside is projected on the room’s wall.