I Know Where The Light Goes.

Light, Sound & Time is a STEAM course where we dive deep in our surroundings. We want to know more about the world around us, how we see the world, how we hear, and how we capture time. In this unit we focused on light. We studied how fast light travels, where light comes from, and how we capture it. We learned about light, the visual spectrum, and the speed of light. We talked about the human eye and how it relates to a camera, and how both can receive light in the same way. The purpose of this Action Project is to build a camera, use it, and capture pictures with it. What I enjoyed most about this project was building the camera and having the chance to work in a dark room.

Created by JV Photo From Pinhole Camera, 2016*

Created by JV Camera, 2016*

In pinhole cameras the light travels in straight lines which is called the rectilinear theory of light. This makes the image appear upside down in the camera. My camera is made out of a cardboard box, duct tape, and a piece of an aluminum can to create the lens. My camera does not demonstrate refraction because refraction is the bending of light waves when they travel from one medium to another. My camera just has air, it doesn’t have two mediums to make refraction. The inside of my camera is black because black absorbs light, whereas white reflects it. If the inside of my box were white the image wouldn't develop because there would be too much light bouncing around inside. To develop our images we had to place photosensitive paper inside of my camera across from the lens. I had to make sure no light was getting through. I placed my camera in front of objects that I wanted to take a picture of. Pinhole cameras have a shutter speed, which is the length of time a camera shutter is open to expose light into the camera lens. My shutter speed was 4 minutes. After the shutter speed I had to go back into the dark room, and place my image in chemicals in order to develop them. My device demonstrates wave vs particle because when the light goes through the pinhole lens, it acts like a wave being filtered. When light is being recorded onto the photosensitive paper it acts like a particle. Light is a type of energy formed by a combination of electrical and magnetic rays, this is also known as the electromagnetic spectrum which also relates to my pinhole camera. The electromagnetic spectrum is the entire range of light that exists, this spectrum chart is the reason we can see color, and are able to have pictures.

Our first Field Experience for Light, Sound, & Time was going to a dark room that we were able to use thanks to the Latin School Of Chicago. We had the chance to set up what we wanted to take photos of using our pinhole cameras. Unfortunately my pinhole camera failed. I think it’s because my camera wasn't light-proof enough. Light was coming through from the sides of my box. If my camera had an actual lid that I was able to take off and on I think my photos would have came out a lot better. I did four trials. Down below are all the measurements of my camera. My sketch is similar triangles to represent my camera, measurements to an object and the light ray connecting them. I had to calculate the sides and all angles. I learned so much in this unit and can't wait to see what the rest of the course is going to be like. Below is my photo that I took with my pinhole camera. The photo didn't develop because there was too much light.

The measurements to my camera are:

Lens to photo paper: 3.5 inches
Height to pinhole: 5.5 inches
Height to object: 7 inches

Created by JV, 2016*