Walking Wild Photography by Karen Edmundson Bean
Pinhole
A pinhole camera does not have a lens. It has a plate with a tiny “pinhole” in it, which allows light to hit the film plane. Exposures are predetermined with a light meter. My images are shot on film as I prefer the fractal, crystalline structure of the medium.
The combination of a pinhole aperture and slow film speed results in long photographic exposures. Exposures can range from a quarter second to over a minute. This depends on the subject and lighting.
The results of long exposures and the lack of machined optical lens are images of soft focus and unforeseen flares of rainbow hues. The wilderness is a constantly in motion. I find the ethereal nature of pinhole images can capture part of that essence. Pinhole goes beyond our human ability to fast-capture an image, to help us see the peaceful yet the ever-changing nature of nature.
Digital
Although I prefer the medium of pinhole photography, I always travel with a digital camera as well.
I find it enjoyable to capture a quick image that strikes my fancy, look closely at a water droplet, or indeed, capture the family and animals that travel with me on my excursions.
Experimental
It can be just plain fun to experiment with digital images.
The results tend to merge time: the moment I captured the light and form of the image and later, my emotional, intellectual, or whimsical reaction to the image itself.
