Solargraph

[Hughsie]

I first came across the term ‘Solargraphy’ on this forum and was directed to website dedicated to the art of Solargraphy.

This is a basic photographic method of recording the path of the Sun as the year progresses. This image commenced on 22 June 2019, the day after the Summer Solstice when the Sun was at its highest altitude in the noon day sky and finished on 22 December 2019, the Winter Solstice when the Sun is at its lowest point at noon. The silhouette of the neighbouring properties can also be made out in the picture.

Using a basic pinhole camera I was able to record every clear day the track of the Sun across the southern sky, each day  the Sun’s altitude was getting slightly lower.

Whilst the camera is basic, the main challenge is to avoid water damage and as you can see from the image some rain has managed to find its way inside. However, the pinhole camera is cheap to make with the following purchases made via Amazon;

100 cable ties £5.49

20 35mm plastic film canisters £8.88

100 sheets of Ilford Multigrade 4 glossy photographic paper £25.98

The remaining items were already in the house (drill bit, tinfoil, electrical and duct tape).

Given the potential for disaster I made two pinhole camera’s and one of them provided this image, the other was washed out due to rain water getting in. Making more than one camera certainly improves the chances of success. The camera's themselves were attached with cable ties to the down pipe of the guttering and facing South.

Anyone wishing to learn more about Solargraphy and how to construct the pinhole camera should check out Tarja Trygg's website http://www.solargraphy.com/index.php .

[JamesF]

Excellent :)

I do want to have a go at this myself, assuming we ever see the Sun again...

James

[Peter Drew]

Justin Quinnell <www.pinholephotography.org> is another enthusiast.     😀

[Honcho41]

This is brilliant.  A great project to start with my kids.

[Pete Presland]

Very nice end result, i am looking forward to those days when the Sun is a little higher clearing the conifers again.

[Hughsie]

9 hours ago, Pete Presland said:

Very nice end result, i am looking forward to those days when the Sun is a little higher clearing the conifers again.

Same here Peter, I live in a dip so at the moment the Sun hardly clears the trees or my neighbours house as you can see from the image.