Grade eight and nine students at Sun Peaks School are getting a hands-on lesson in both history and innovation this fall through a unique pinhole camera project blending 19th-century darkroom photography with 21st-century 3D printing.
The initiative was sparked by teacher Keith Massey, who reached out to local a black-and-white film specialist and photographer Bill Fell to collaborate on the project. With over 40 years of experience and a background in teaching photography at both the high school and college levels, Fell is guiding the students through traditional film processes, while Massey leads the 3D printing design component.
“Keith contacted me because he knew I did black-and-white photography and had my own darkroom,” Fell said. “He asked if I could come in, talk to the kids and show them how pinhole cameras work. From there, it just took off.”
The project aims to combine “old” and “new” technologies and students will design and print their own pinhole cameras using 3D printers, then use photographic paper to capture and develop images in a temporary darkroom set up at the school. ArtZone Sun Peaks is donating photographic paper, member Erin Burnham is loaning darkroom equipment and Vertical Café has agreed to host an exhibition of the students’ work in February.
“I think it’s great…It gives them a deeper understanding of how images were once made by hand,” Fell said.
Unlike digital photography, which relies on instant feedback and mass image production, film photography requires patience and precision, Fell explained.
“Every time I click the shutter, it costs about $15 in film and chemicals,” he said. “So you take your time, you think about your exposure, focus and composition. It makes you slow down and really see.”
Although black-and-white film is no longer as accessible as it once was, Fell continues to order his supplies and maintain a wet darkroom in his Sun Peaks home. He believes the project not only teaches students technical skills but also connects them to the physical art of image-making.
“With digital cameras or phones, you can just delete what you don’t like,” he said. “But with film, every shot matters. That’s something these students are starting to experience firsthand.”
As interest in analog photography resurges, seen in the popularity of Polaroids and disposable cameras, Fell said he’s glad to see younger generations rediscover the beauty of traditional methods.
“People are realizing how special it is to create something tangible. You can hold the photo you made yourself, it’s not just a file on a screen.”
The pinhole project will continue over the coming months, culminating in the February exhibition at Vertical Café, where the students’ photographs will be displayed for the community to enjoy.
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