2/14/11 - Pringles Can Cameras and Valentine's Day

Yeah. I realize it's a weird title. Deal with it.
First thing's first: Happy Valentine's Day! Woohoo.
Yeah.
I have no spirit in the holiday. But come on: chocolates. I'm not complaining. ^__^
I'll dedicate a different post to V Day later.

So. Pringles can cameras.
In our photography class, we've been making cameras out of pringles can. Yup. Cameras that can ACTUALLY TAKE PICTURES using a pringles can.
And, yeah, we ATE the pringles. That's right, be jealous. ;)

You'd need:
 - A Pringles can (EAT THE PRINGLES BEFORE MAKING THE CAMERA. IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE THE CAMERA WITH PRINGLES IN IT. IT DOESN'T WORK SO DON'T TRY IT)
 - A can of black spray paint (don't sniff it. Just... don't)
 - Black electric tape (Not blue, not clear, just black. Not that hard)
 - Cardboard or cereal box
 - Pepsi can (or just any soda can)
 - Duct tape (not made of real ducks)
 - Needle (don't prick yourself)
 - A tarp
 - Gloves & goggles (do you WANT to go blind?)
 - Scissors
 - Glue
 - Ruler (as in inches and centimeters. Not a dictator)
 - Sandpaper
 - A papercutter (NOT a pair of scissors. Gosh. It's one of those things that's like a pencil with a little blade or something on top)

You can find how to make them at http://alexandraknightart.com/Pinhole.aspx because it's too convoluted for me to explain. I think I've ranted enough for now, but here's a rough idea:
1. EAT THE PRINGLES.
2. Make sure the can is clean. Rinse it out.
3. On the tarp and while wearing goggles and gloves so you don't hurt yourself, spray paint the inside of the can entirely black so that no light gets in.
4. For now, let the inside of the can dry. Make the lid. Trace the lid onto a piece of cardboard and cut it out. Make it fit into the lid. Cut if necessary.
5. Use the black electric tape to seal the sides of the pringles can so that no light gets into the can. Also, you can use the tape to... well... tape the cardboard to the lid.
6. Cut out a small hole in the middle of the pringles can using the papercutter.
7. Cut out a 1.5x2 (not sure about the measurements; you might want to check again on the hyperlink earlier) square out of the pepsi can. Sandpaper the edges round so you don't hurt yourself.
8. Poke a tiny hole in the middle of the square using the needle.
9. Tape the pepsi can square into the inside of the pringles can so that the needle hole can be seegh the bigger pringles hole.
10. Cut out two long strips of cardboard. Tape it above and below the hole.
11. Make the shutter (self-explanatory). Haha. Nah. You cut out a 1.5"x3" piece of carboard and fold it into thirds. If needed, glue it onto another piece of cardboard (same size as its base). This is so that no light gets in. At all. This is CRUCIAL.
12. Find a way to stick the shutter in. Somehow. It took me a very long time to do this. No, really.
13. You're (somewhat) pretty much done!

Now. To actually take pictures, you'd need a special kind of paper. It'll make negative photos (light turns out black and darkness turns out white) and you'll need a darkroom and all, too. It's confusing, but it's fun. Enjoy your pinhole camera!

O.K. Enough with the long stuff. Time for photos!

UPDATE:  BLOGSPOT'S BEING MEAN AGAIN. I CAN'T UPLOAD PHOTOS.
I'll do it tomorrow. Sorry!

 - Rosa