Birmingham Camera Obscura

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Jenny and Pete are building a portable Camera Obscura for Birmingham and need your help to make it happen AMAZING.

There are camera obscuras all around the world but not in Birmingham – the second biggest city in the UK. We want to fix that.

We have a five-year plan to build lots of camera obscuras in the city.

To start that process we built a portable prototype out of random stuff, which we took out in Birmingham to see what people thought. They liked it a lot!

Now we want to make a better camera with more features, one that will be a lasting resource for Birmingham and for people to learn about this simple machine that is the forefather of the modern camera.

I experienced their prototype Camera Obscura live in action at Warwick Bar Summer Fete earlier this year and thought it was fascinating. To have a sturdier, permanent Camera Obscura in Birmingham would be a huge asset to the city.

The process is very simple but the effect is strangely magical. Seeing the world projected onto a flat surface while inside the machine itself is a delightful experience which never fails to bring a smile.

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They’ve reached their kickstarter target, but have launched a series of stretch goals that could help make the Camera Obscura even better. Take a look at their kickstarter to read more about (and back) the project.