The Pontefract Pinhole Camera
Friarwood Valley Gardens
The former aviary building in Friarwood Valley Gardens in Pontefract has been around since at least 1840 and it is now being converted into the biggest permanent pinhole camera in the world. Making negatives up to 3 meters by 2 meters it will be the equivalent of a 100,000 megapixel camera. It will be opening to the public for the first time on the 24th of April to coincide with the Worldwide Pinhole Camera Day. On the last Sunday in April people all over the word take pinhole photographs and post them on line; last year over 3000 photographers from 96 countries took part.
Bob Clayden (The Pinhole Wizard) will be running a drop in workshop in the Valley Gardens on Sunday 24th to help people make cameras from recycled materials and develop the negatives in the park. As well as the workshop people can visit the pinhole camera, and experience being inside the photograph.
The aviary was built in the Georgian period and is rumoured to have been a retreat for the men of the area to drink and play cards; during the early 20th century it was used as a packing shed for the market gardens on the site. After the park was created in 1950 it became an aviary and a favourite attraction of the park visitors. After it became too difficult and expensive to run as an aviary it has been looking for a new use. It is ideal for a pinhole camera as it has 8 sides giving views all round the park and the possibility of 6 views at once. Once up and running it will be a resource for schools and groups to study the art and science of the camera.
This is the first stage of its conversion we need to raise £20,000 to make this into a leading camera obscura. It will need a new roof with unique modern optics and solar power for lighting.