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Martha Casanave’s Coastal Pinholes

My most recent pinhole project is “Explorations Along an Imaginary Coastline,” and lasted from 2000 to 2009. It was published in book form in 2006 (Hudson Hills Press). What inspired me to begin photographing at the shore, I do not know, as I have nearly always been an indoor photographer. I began visiting the coastline (Central California) on a regular basis, weighed down, like an inexperienced traveler, with too much baggage: camera, thermos of coffee, big bag of toys, shower curtain for sitting on wet sand, and more.

I put the 4 x 5 pinhole box directly on the sand or rocks, and stabilized it with sandbags. Even though the Leonardo camera has tripod sockets, I didn’t allow myself to use them. The directive to myself: I may place the camera anywhere a crab can go. The wide-angle, distorting view of most pinhole cameras is thus utilized best, from low angles. Also, working in this way takes me back to my childhood, when I played with toys, and lived closer to the ground and further from reality. The near infinite depth of field characteristic of pinhole cameras allows me to play with visual elements of near and far. The time dilations –- long, long exposures-– allow water to become cloud, person to become ghost.

For me, photography is like magic. One of the reasons for my fascination with the 19th century is, in fact, the invention of photography. But the pinhole principle, the camera obscura, which far predates the ability to “fix” an image, is even more mysterious and magical. Its allure is its very simplicity: a box with a tiny hole creating an image– no lens, no viewfinder, no shutter. An optical phenomenon, unadorned by modern technology. Pinhole photographers don’t “shoot;” they don’t “capture” images. There is no snap, no click, no buzz. There is no viewfinder. We don’t need batteries. We uncover the pinhole and the film receives an image, one we can’t see, slowly and in silence.

As the coastal work progressed, I began to occasionally photograph in the distance a solitary, mysterious figure in 19th century attire: bowler hat, frock coat, cane or umbrella. I asked myself: Who is this person? Where did he come from? What/who did he leave behind? What’s he looking for? This person gave the work an ambiguous, narrative quality and thus made it more interesting for me.

After the book came out, the work took an interesting turn. The 19th C mysterious figure became fascinated with tide pools. Therefore I began making images partially underwater. This necessitated the design and construction of a special housing for the camera, including a way to stabilize it for the very long exposures (10–15 seconds). I wear chest-high waders, as I must sit directly in the tidepools. This work progressed very slowly, as now it was not only weather dependent (I needed clouds or fog) but tide-dependent (I needed an extra low tide), and, of course, 19th C man-dependent.

Examples from earlier pinhole projects—“Pinhole Narratives” and “Leningrad in Winter”—can be seen on my website www.marthacasanave.com.

CK → First of all I want to say it’s a pleasure and honor to be able showcase Martha’s work as part of this ongoing series. I have always felt that pinhole photography is an art form that doesn’t belong to any specific time in history. The simplicity of the process reminds us that creating art doesn’t have to be complicated. By using equipment that doesn’t require batteries and fancy electronics, this enables the artist to create art spontaneously. And since I’ve grown up most of my life near the sea, I have learned to appreciate and respect the ocean above and below the water. Thanks Martha for sharing your words and images in this feature. -Chris

A note to those of you who enjoy my blog. I’m almost done with my book and hope to have more time in the future to post more frequently. Thanks for stopping by!

Photo of Martha Casanave loading her pinhole camera to make a underwater pinhole photo.

TECHNICAL ADDENDUM FOR “EXPLORATIONS”

Camera: 4 x 5 box pinholes, both Leonardo and Santa Barbara Lensless Camera, 3 inch focal length and 1.5 inch focal length
Film: Tri-X
Exposure times: 10 – 15 seconds on a cloudy day
Developer: HC 100, Dilution B
Housing for underwater tidepool photography: A homemade contraption
Prints: 16 x 20 inch silver gelatin prints, toned in selenium and tea.

All Photos Copyright © 2010 Martha Casanave and Reproduced by Permission