Have you ever tried pinhole photography? It’s an insanely fun process that gives you an unprecedented level of freedom to experiment with the photographic process. Unfortunately, like all types of analog photography, it has been getting tougher and more expensive in recent years. However, pinhole and other direct positive photographers scored a win today, as Ilford has has announced the return of their Harman Direct Positive Fiber Base Paper.
Just in case you’re not familiar with the process, pinhole photography involves creating a camera out of a box (or really anything with an empty space inside and a small hole in the front to let in light). Rather than creating a negative, the image is exposed directly onto the paper, creating a finished print once it’s developed. Because the process is different than printing in the dark room, it can require some specific materials.
The supply of Ilford’s Harman Direct Positive Fiber Paper dried up when they could no longer get the emulsion, but over the past year, they got it figured out and now it’s available for purchase again. According to Ilford, there was quite a bit of demand for it to come back, which is reassuring news.
It may still be a little tricky to find it here in the states for a while during the production ramp up, but it will be there if you want it. And if you have never tried pinhole photography, you should. It’s one of the most fun ways to ruin a bunch of photographic paper and maybe even make a real print or two.
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Want to learn about taking pinhole photographs? Check out our tutorial!