cam•er•a ob•scu•ra n. A darkened room or box in which the world outside is projected upside down through a small opening (aperture) onto the opposite wall.

• download information packet (PDF)
• download an application to host the giant camera at your site (Word document)

click for a slideshow of the giant camera obscura in action

The giant camera obscura project was conceived as an extension of the Cloud Foundation’s Pinhole Photography Workshops for urban young people conducted at Cloud Place in 2005 and 2006. Participating teens built their own cameras, took photographs, developed negatives, and finally printed their images for display at Cloud Place. The Cloud Foundation now partners with teen arts organizations to send the giant camera obscura into Boston's neighborhoods from Chinatown to Blue Hill to the South End. Teens in these neighborhoods participate in pinhole photography workshops that culminate in a session using the camera obscura to create a giant-sized image of a local landmark.

Photograph taken with the giant camera obscura in Copley Square (click for larger image)

Through personal reflection, research in local libraries, and visits to historic spots, teen participants will learn the fundamentals of pinhole photography and work together to identify and document the history and visual symbols of their communities.

for more information, please contact Alison Kotin at 617.262.2949, or email