Pinhole cameras are a brilliant project to excite young people as to the joy of all aspects of analogue photography.

Shoeboxes are perfect for making such a pinhole camera. They have several advantages over other boxes. They're the ideal size; well made; have a removable lid and provide a choice of three possible focal lengths with their differing internal dimensions of height, width and depth.

Their one big disadvantage is that they are generally not coloured matt black inside, but that's now been taken care of with the new collaborative deal I've just made with a major sports shoe manufacturer. (who must for the meantime remain nameless).

Suffice to say they have just agreed to a range of shoe boxes for one of their ranges to be produced entirely matt black on the inside, to facilitate being used as pinhole cameras. Not only that, but they're including a set of simple printed instructions as to how to use the empty box as a camera.

Because they have tons of money and listened to the story of the positive marketing opportunities, they have also seen the advantages in sponsoring a competition to see who have has taken the most creative shoebox pinhole photograph of their sporty shoes.
-- xenzag, Apr 05 2023

Know what would be cool? Just have instructions on any shipping box for how to do this. Have mom or dad cut out a square portion, poke a hole in one side and tape wax paper over the square part.

I'll bun the general concept. [+]
-- doctorremulac3, Apr 06 2023


We also had kits to make these in elementary school. I don't remember what was used to capture the image but I remember lining the box with black construction paper. Must be baked.
-- tatterdemalion, Apr 06 2023



random, halfbakery