Campus Connection

Simple activity demonstrates basics of photography

Imagine the look on students' faces when Linda Levinson, Associate Professor of Art, told her class they would be walking around campus with boxes on their heads. The classroom activity is designed to show students the basic idea of creating photographs. “The students need to know that photographs can be created without cameras," says Levinson. The process is called 'camera obscura.' A camera obscura is created whenever a darkroom or even a box has an opening to let in light. The light casts an image of whatever is outside the pinhole onto the rear interior wall of the room or box. “The human eye is a much more complex and subtle machine for seeing than the camera," explains Levinson. "The starting point for the understanding of photography must be a recognition of the limitations and the powers of the essential tool.” https://youtu.be/WdkqamqL3Io Soon after turning her students into walking cameras, she brought them to understand the importance of photosensitive paper by having them make photograms. Photograms can be created by placing small objects onto photographic paper in the dark and then briefly flashing a light upon them. When developed, the paper will show the outline of whatever object was placed upon it. "When they comprehend these two processes, they are equipped to begin to understand the art of photography,” says Levinson.