Pinhole cameras have been around for centuries, although their original purpose was not for photography. The original purpose of pinhole cameras was to aid in the creation of regular cameras.
Pinhole cameras are a simplified version of camera that works due to light passing through a small hole and creating an image on a surface opposite of the hole.
The longer the pinhole is, the sharper the image will be. Making the pinhole too long, however, will result in no image being formed. This is because there would be no light entering the camera, making it impossible to take a picture.
As easy as it is to make a pinhole camera, they are very difficult to control how an image is formed within it. This is why modern day cameras use lenses to subtly correct images that are formed within the camera.
Lens far from wall
If you place the lens far from the wall, you will have to zoom in more to capture the whole candle flame. This creates a risk of too much blur, as the candle is moving.
However, this is a good option if you want a closer-up shot of just the flame. The bigger problem is that you will not see the shadows on the wall, which is part of the beautiful picture!
Too close of a shot can also create problems when lighting a candle. If the wax touches the lens, it will not let any light in and there will be no photo. That would be a bad burn!
This placement is best for shooting smaller candles or just flames on their own. If you want to capture the whole room and everything in it, place the lens farther away.
Middle of wall
The middle of the wall is your typical picture placement. Most pictures are hung in this position. This is also considered the standard position, where the picture is placed between the viewer and the source of light.
This can create a nice effect, as the picture becomes a part of the light source. The viewer can still see both the picture and the background behind it, creating an illusion of depth.
This placement is ideal for pictures with a large frame or that cover most of the wall. A large frame will not leave much room for other items in this space, so it is best to place it in the middle!
However, if your frame is thin and leaves much empty space on the wall, then placing it off center may be more effective. The viewer may then think they are looking through the frame to the other side of the wall.
Top of wall
When you place the lens at the top of the wall, just above the ceiling, you get a picture of the entire candle flame on the wall. This is not a good placement as it takes up too much room.
Bottom of wall
Placing the camera at the bottom of the wall will also give you a picture of the entire candle flame on the wall. This placement would require you to stand very close to the wall to get it in frame, which is unsafe.
Side of wall
Putting the camera on one side of the wall and aiming down will get you a picture of just part of the flame. This would take some editing to get it just right so that part of the candle does not look like it is being cut off.
Across from ledge or table ledgePutting it across from a ledge or table ledge will give you a picture just off center of the whole flame. Having to edit this one may be tricky as you have to make sure not to cut off too much edge area.
Bottom of wall
The bottom of the wall is the simplest place to put the camera when trying to capture a well-focused image of a candle flame.
When the camera is placed at the bottom of the wall, all that is needed is enough room for the camera to adjust down to the candle and still focus on the flame.
The downside to this placement is that if the wall is too high, then you will not be able to see any of the candle apart from the flame. This can make for a boring picture!
BOTTOM OF THE WALL: Try placing your camera at the very bottom of the wall and see if you like that effect! Some people prefer it, while others do not. Try it out and see which you like more.
Sides of wall
Another spot you can put the lens is on either side of the wall. The problem with this position is that the camera has to be very far away from the wall, and the image will be very wide.
This may be desirable in some situations, but for this one, it would not produce a good image of only the candle flame on the wall.
The distance between the lens and the wall would have to be very great, and it would have to be a large distance between the sides of the candle flame and the wall. This would make it look like only a part of the candle flame was on the wall, which is not what you want!
You want an image that is clear and well-focused on only one part:the candle flame onthe wall. This placement is tricky, but with enough tries, you will get it.
Diagonal from corner
The next position for your camera is diagonal from the corner of the wall. This creates an image that is almost completely beyond the candle flame, with just a hint of the flame at the very bottom of the wall.
This is an interesting look, and one you may not have noticed before. You can see just how much space there is between the top of the candle and the top of the image!
This looks great if you want to emphasize just how tall your ceiling is or how big your room is. It also looks pretty cool just to show off your photography skills.
This position takes some skill to get right, though. You have to place your camera far enough back in relation to the wall and candle to get this effect.
Center of room
If you place your camera in the center of the room, on a tripod, and take a picture of the wall where the candle flame meets it, you will get a well-focused image of the candle flame.
This is a common way to take candlelit photos and is a great starting point. By using the center of the room, you are letting all of the light from the candle shine onto the wall and form a clear image of the flame.
However, this can look rather boring if your room is not decorated or does not have much else in it. Also, if your camera is not on a tripod, then there will be blur from slight movement from taking the picture.
Far from wall
If you place the lens far from the wall, you will need to put the lens quite far from the candle to form a well-focused image of the flame on the wall.
This requires more room between the lens and wall, which can be a problem in tight spaces. It can also result in a less-bright image of the flame.
Since you are using more of the field of view, however, you can choose to crop the picture into a portrait or landscape frame. This gives you more editing options!
Far-away shots are great for giving an overall impression of something, so this is a good strategy for this challenge. You can also crop in later for closer details, like how many people wondered if they were able to do that with this challenge.
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