19 January 2014
Fourteenth Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day
The fourteenth Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day (WPPD) will be celebrated all over the world on April 27th, 2014.
Everyone in the world is invited to take a picture with a pinhole camera, upload it to http://www.pinholeday.org and become part of the internet's premier pinhole photography gallery.
Hundreds of locally-organized events will take place in every corner of the earth to promote this ancient, but increasingly popular photographic practice. Enthusiastic volunteers, in many countries of the planet, will organize symposiums, meetings, workshops, and lessons to encourage this photographic experience, initiate new followers and help new artists to emerge. Special attention will be devoted to young folks and schools. Particular support will be given to teachers who will ask for it.
Pinhole cameras have no lens at all and pinhole photos are taken simply through a small hole, about the size of a pin. It is very fun, educational and creative to use these kinds of cameras that can even be self-made with various boxes or cans. Any container that can be made light-tight is enough: from tea boxes to tomato cans, from shoe boxes to wooden ones.
An increasing number of people are showing interest in the exciting practice of pinhole photography. In 2001, 291 pinhole photographers from 24 countries took part in the WPPD and the web exhibition. Last year they were 3426 participants from 75 countries.
More and more photographers are realizing that whatever pinhole camera on hand, whatever the level of their technical ability, the world seen through the little hole is timeless, silent, enchanted; and the photographic result is magical. The suspended and rarefied atmosphere that reigns on the lens-less images is the result of a very special relation with time: this is the photography of patience, of meditation, no more anguish for a 'badly turned out' photo. The fortuitous interferences of the turning world, as a blur or an unexpected light intrusion, are accidents that pinhole photographers consider, they accept them, more, they appreciate them as the chance contribution to the artistic creation. Praise to the controlled inaccuracy, philosophy of the respect for the world order!
WPPD stems from the enthusiastic work by dozens of volunteers scattered worldwide. Their efforts are directed by an international coordinating team: Tom Miller - USA (Team Leader), Nick Dvoracek - USA (Support), Chuck Flagg - USA (Education), Lena Källberg - Sweden (Translations), Paolo Aldi - Italy (Publicity), Patrizia Di Siro - Italy (Publicity).
More information and the full program (constantly updated) can be found at http://www.pinholeday.org
For further information contact Tom Miller (tom@pinholeday.org) or publicity@pinholeday.org