The Way Pinhole Cameras Work.

Pinhole cameras work by using an object which can be opened and sealed. For example, a biscuit tin, simply remove the lid and paint the inside of the tin up to four or five coats of black, however much you feel necessary depending on the density of the surface as well as material. After the tin has been well painted, create a hole in the shape of a square or circle, or anything equilateral. Once the hole has been made, cover it with foil on the inside allowing a hole to be poked through the foil, creating a way for light to enter the tin from the outside. Once the hole is finished, enter a dark room with next to no lighting and place a thin sheet of photographic paper on the opposite side of the hold inside the tin. Once paper is placed, seal the lid firmly blocking any other way for light to enter the tin. Measure the length of the object, in this case, a tin and divide the measurement by 0.8, this will act as your F-Stop.

The F-Stop determines how long the object should be exposed to light because it measures the length of the object and how long light will take to place a clear print on the photographic paper, depending on the length of the object and the distance between the hold and the paper. The box will need less time outside because of the amount of light it will be exposed to compared to indoors, and, due to this, will need more time inside then outside. Once the box has been left still for the amount of time the F-Stop determines, re-seal the hole and take it to the dark room and remove the photographic paper and then place it in alkali for a matter of minutes, and then place it into developer fluid to bring out the faint image on the paper to a clearer, more visible state. Once done, place the paper into water for a matter of seconds to wash away excess fluid and then carefully run the paper through the drying machine. The image, depending on length of exposure, should be clear.