It is summer where I live and my children are out of school. Our days are long and hot, and filled with popsicles and wading pool shenanigans. In the evenings, we burn marshmallows on an open fire and as the light fades, we watch the fireflies and listen to the cicadas. It is bliss. At least for a while.
The kids eventually tire of the little plastic pool and all the sugar makes them cranky. Before I know it, they will claim that everything is too wet or too sticky or too scratchy and its all so boring and hot and also there are mosquitos. I have learned the best way to fend off the inevitable small human revolt is to have A Plan. Or at least a pile of vague, possibly fun ideas.
This summer, I declared it to be the Summer of Pinhole.
A while back, I was washing out a coffee can and randomly remarked that it would make a good pinhole camera. My daughter was skeptical that I could make a camera out of something so obviously not a camera. So I explained how pinholes worked and showed her some pictures. Because nothing convinces a tiny skeptic that their mother isn't lying like Google. As summer approached, I thought it might be fun, or at least funny in a cosmic way, to help the kids make their own pinhole cameras. So they decorated some gallon-sized paint cans, and then we drilled holes, taped in some film, poked a pin through the backing paper, and BOOM. Homemade cameras.
And so, in light of it being the Summer of Pinhole, and in celebration of my children's first pinhole voyage, I chose "Pinholes" as this week's photostream theme. And the submissions were amazing. Also, I hope you all will indulge/forgive a little nepotism as I kick it off with a shot taken by my five-year-old.
Next week's stream will be curated by Marc Nagainis and the theme will be the all important Film Self Portrait. From Marc: I hope you got those creative minds going, and got yourselves out from behind the lens. Did you put those self timers or cable releases to use? I hope you got out the lights and put up the backdrops... it's selfie time. You may submit your glorious self-portrait here.
