Thursday, May 3, 2007

Camera Obscura, an ancient technology

Visit the Traveling Camera Obscura, on display through May 22 on the Kelly School playground in Kelly. You can go inside this giant camera (shown at right) for a self-directed experience. Interpretive panels on the outside of the camera describe the history and optics.

The camera obscura (Latin for 'dark room') is the ancestor of the modern camera. It is a tent-like device that makes use of an optical phenomenon in which light rays converge when they pass through a small aperture. As a result of this convergence, an image of the outside scenery is projected inside the dark room.

The Traveling Camera Obscura project was created during a photography class with Journeys School Upper School students: Roberson Elledge, Jonas Falkenberg, Patrick Finnegan, Fielding Lewis, Joseph Lovett, Omar Nava, Annie Watters, Journeys School art teacher, Dennis Sanders, visiting artist Bronwyn Minton and Michael Casey.

The camera obscura is portable and is traveling to other locations in Teton County this summer. If you would like more information or would like to schedule the camera for your location please contact Bronwyn Minton at 307.733.6529 or
baminton@earthlink.net.

The camera obscura was supported in part by the Wyoming Arts Council.