The
cardboard box functions as the camera. Inside you will find 10 sheets
of traditional photographic paper (about 3.5 inches square), a red
filter so you can set up your own darkroom, developer and fixer, and
instructions in both English and French.
In the darkroom, you
remove one of the photographic sheets from the lightproof bag, and place
it in position in the holder inside the camera. You then close the
camera, and you are ready to take a picture.
The 'hand' at one
side of the box functions as the shutter - when you pull the hand, the
pinhole slides into position, and the photographic film is exposed to
the light. Once you have taken the picture, slide the hand back, and you
close the pinhole shutter. On a sunny day, 20 seconds will be
sufficient for a correct exposure. On an overcast day, you might need an
exposure as long as 40 seconds. Then it is back to the darkroom!
You
will need to add water to dissolve the crystals of developer and fixer.
In the darkroom, remove the exposed photograph from the camera and
place it in the developer. You will see the image appear. Once the image
has developed fully, transfer the picture to the fixer. After the
picture has been fixed, you then rinse it and allow it to dry.
Your
image will of course be a black and white negative. There are two ways
of creating a positive image. You can either scan the image into your
computer and use an image manipulation software to reverse the image, to
give you a positive. Or you can place the negative on top of a fresh
piece of photographic film, turn on the light for a few seconds, and
then develop the print that you have created. This contact print will
now be the right way round.
Developed by the Paris based
photographer Eric Marais, the Stenoflex takes us back to the early days
of photography, and produces charming black and white images.
The box is 11.5x11.5x5 cm
