Pinhole Windmill

Here's a sepia version. Please let me know which one you prefer as a pinhole image: BTW, Live View is about the only way to compose when using such a tiny pinhole, even in bright light.
Thanks,
Joe

Great choice of subject and settings Joe, the individual blades show up well. Very clever!

I think it is great you are acquiring nice images like this using the pinhole technique!  How do you make the pinhole, and what size or aperture is it?

This windmill is my favorite of those you have posted.  I prefer the color version, but I could see where the sepia version might be desirable in a book or article on the west, for example.

Ron Day wrote:How do you make the pinhole, and what size or aperture is it?

Thanks for your input, Ron. I started out using a tiny drill bit in a holder (not a drill), and just went straight through the center of the cap. It was probably about 1/64 inch I would guess. It was not small enough, as the first images posted reveal. The one I am using now was made by using the same tiny bit on the inside of the body cap until I was just starting to see a dimple (not a hole) in the front of the cap. I then used a larger bit (about 1/8) to countersink the inside almost to the same depth. This is to eliminate flare from the sides of the hole affecting the image. I then twisted a safety pin in the hole from the inside until the tip barely broke through. I then sanded the front of the hole to remove any burr that was present with 600 grit sandpaper, being careful not to enlarge the hole. I also sanded the inside countersunk hole and entire inside surface with 320 grit paper to dull down any reflective surface. Of course, you must wash off the dusty residue. There is no way I can measure the hole, but it is barely visible. I tried the same in copper and it worked well, too, but I like the simplicity of just using the body cap. I also made a "lens hood" by making a 1/3" or so circle of sticky back foam about 1/8 inch thick with a hole about 3/16" that  is centered over the pinhole. It is amazing how little depth of hood is required for a pinhole, but it makes a huge difference in diffraction. The hole size can be enlarged if it's too small, but if you make it too large it would need to be filled up and re-drilled or else a piece of metal with a pinhole will need to be placed over it. Bear in mind that I am totally new to pinhole photography, but am experimenting very seriously with it. Not everyones' cup of tea in a world where sharpness is king, but it opens a new way of seeing things, much like infrared photography also does. Something I discovered yesterday was that aperture preferred exposure seemed to work well. Most articles I had read said to use only manual and I found that was fine with digital because of the instant feedback to tell you where you needed to be. Live view is great for composing, because the image is too dark to see easily through the viewfinder. The f-stop ranges from about f150-200. By using an extension tube and a slightly larger hole in the cap, you can achieve an amazing amount of telephoto, if desired.

Joe

Joe, Sorry I missed seeing the sepia version the first time through. Though I'm usually partial to vintage treatments, in this case I like the color image better, mainly I think because of the contrast of the windmill against the bright blue sky. If you gave the sepia version a strong dose of shadow contrast, and kept the clouds bright as they are now, it could look much more vintage, and then I would probably prefer it over the color version.

Joe, thanks for the great narrative on the technical aspects of pinhole photography.  Very interesting and informative!

Gary Briney wrote:Joe, Sorry I missed seeing the sepia version the first time through. Though I'm usually partial to vintage treatments, in this case I like the color image better, mainly I think because of the contrast of the windmill against the bright blue sky. If you gave the sepia version a strong dose of shadow contrast, and kept the clouds bright as they are now, it could look much more vintage, and then I would probably prefer it over the color version.

Thanks for your input, Gary! Here's an adjusted version: I kind of like the way there is a greenish tint in the vegetation on the right (and maybe overall). Your opinion is welcomed, as always.

Joe

A more authentic look --- the mill stands out better in this verion.

Hi Joe

I like the color version, but I am always partial to color. The second sepia definitely has merit as it looks more vintage, as does the windmill. Great experiment and results- thanks for the explanation too!

Hi Joe, I am partial to the sepia, as I find when an image has quite a few elements the monochrome makes the subject stand out more for me. I will have to read up on your technique later. It sounds fascinating.

I like the color version too. You were blessed with some great clouds on that blue sky.

Did you try any with motion blur from the windmill ?

PaiR wrote:I like the color version too. You were blessed with some great clouds on that blue sky.

Did you try any with motion blur from the windmill ?

Here's one with motion blur. I didn't like it because the fan of the windmill faded out and the Aeromotor lettering on the windmill was blurred.. The ISO was 200 and the exposure was 1.6 sec.  The first image was shot at ISO 25,600 and 1/80 sec.:
I'm starting to like it more now that I look at it. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for your comments and input! It helps to have different eyes see the possibilities!

Joe