How to make a wearable pinhole camera Don Duggan-Haas, Museum of the Earth Materials:  Photocopy paper box  Tape:  Duct  Transparent  Electrical or other dark tape (optional)  Utility knife and scissors  Aluminum foil  Blank paper or graph paper  Fairy dress (optional)

Tape the corners and other openings  Use duct or electrical tape to tape corners and holes. The box in photos had handle holes that were taped.  Cut the tape as shown (not quite all the way to box bottom) and fold over to seal without crumpling the tape.  You may want to use two layers of tape as bright sun will shine through a single layer.  Put the box on and look for light leaks. If you find any, patch them.  A scarf or other cloth can be used to block openings around the neck hole.

Cut the neck hole…  Hold a ruler up to the neck of the person who will wear the camera.  About 10 cm from the end of box lid cut a semicircle of the neck diameter.  Close the box and sketch the rest of the circle. Remove lid and cut in from the box edge to the semicircle. The pictured camera is for a large man’s neck.

Make the pinhole  Cut a square hole using a utility knife or scissors. This hole will be covered by foil and the pinhole will be made in the foil. The hole should be on the back just below the top of the box (The box is upside down in the pictures above and to the right).  Cover hole with foil. Tape foil as shown.  Poke a smooth, round hole.  A nail is shown here, which gives a large hole. Try using a pin as well.  Foil makes a clean, sharp hole. It also allows experimentation with hole size as the foil can be easily replaced. How do you think the image will differ with changing hole size? Foil taped over hole

Tape in the screen  On the inside, front of the box, tape in a white paper screen.  Use 1 cm grid graph paper if you wish to measure using your wearable camera.1 cm grid graph paper

Wear it!  If light enters around the neck, lift the box against your chin.  If light still enters, use a scarf or other fabric around your neck to make a more complete seal.  Bright sunlight produces the best results.  Make the hole bigger. How does the image change?

How to make a handheld pinhole camera Click for template with instructions.

Other variations  The pinhole scope:  A 35 mm film pinhole camera made of paper:  Both sites offer more pinhole camera information.