1839 Project - Obscura
Henley Royal Regatta as never seen before!
Results - Pinhole Cameras HRR 2026
A total of 10 pinhole cameras were placed around the Henley Royal Regatta course, secured discretely they quietly sat in their positions for the entire Regatta week mostly unnoticed and untouched. In most locations two cameras were placed relatively close together; a primary and a back-up just in case of any incidents that would prevent a successful capture such as weather damage, movement or accidental removal. At the end of the week each camera was successfully retrieved and their contents carefully recorded as soon as possible by scanning in a darkened room.
Pinhole cameras in position beside the Regatta course, out on the photography platform, press box one hidden in a tree and one strapped to a log buried in the river to keep it stable!…we photographer’s are a resourceful bunch. The results came out perhaps even better than I could have hoped! Each camera placed recorded the scenes they were set up to capture and the results are below.
The first initial scan from one of the cameras. Keen-eyed viewers will recognise this famous Henley landmark instantly.
This is a negative of the scene recorded, dark subjects appear light and conversely bright subjects appear dark.
The path of the sun can be seen here as a dark arc across the sky, it’s reflection clearly visible in the water below.
This image will be inverted to become a positive and flipped horizontally in processing to create a final image.
As a first attempt I’m extremely happy with the results I managed to come away with, with so many landmarks from Henley Royal Regatta clearly visible in the photographs. Created from such simple and recycled materials too.
I’ll see how best to make these available, do get in touch if there’s interest.
Looking forward to seeing what I can do for HRR 2027!