The Camera Obscura

A dark box with a hole in it.

What happens?
The light travels in through the small hole in the box and then projects the outside
image upside down on the wall opposite the hole inside the box.

You are going to make your own camera obscura to observe this basic
principle of photography in action. This is still how our cameras work (they
just look a lot fancier with the addition of lenses, sensors, loads of buttons,
etc.)

How to make a Camera Obscura:

1. Get a shoebox
2. Cut a hole about the size of your magnifying glass in one end of the box.
Place your magnifying glass in the hole and secure it with tape.
3. Cut a rectangular hole for viewing on the opposite end (this is your
viewfinder).
4. Cut your tracing paper to fit your box and fortify with cardboard or tape so it
stays somewhat flat when in the box.
5. Move the tracing paper back and forth while looking through the
“viewfinder” to figure out the best placement to get the sharpest image.
6. Put the box top back on and take photos of it all, along with a photo of the
image you are seeing inside the box.

Photos from when I did this project on my own…

Video of the final image I was able to see when it was all put together:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/
18zQ4xh7BsoHw0TQq_GgPCNfUBZy54j2h/view?usp=sharing