How to Make a Pinhole Camera From a Grits Box

Paint the inside of the grits box with black craft paint. Paint the inside of the removable, plastic lid with black paint. Allow both pieces to dry completely.

Trace the bottom of the grits box on to heavy, black paper. Cut out the circle so that it is slightly larger than the bottom of the oatmeal container. Tape the circle over the bottom of the oatmeal container.

Take a number 10 needle and press it through the center of the heavy, black paper and the bottom of the grits box.

Cut a small flap of heavy black paper that is larger than the pinhole. It should be large enough to easily lift up and down. Secure the flap over the pinhole with tape. The flap will serve as the camera's shutter.

Cut a rectangle from the stiff cardboard that is slightly wider than the grits box. Fit the cardboard viewfinder over the shutter. Cut a flap from the cardboard that is slightly larger than the shutter flap, this will allow a photographer to easily lift the flap to expose the film. Glue the cardboard over the bottom of the camera. Allow the glue to dry. Lay the grits box horizontally on the table. The cardboard viewfinder should hold the camera in place without it rolling around.

Load a piece of photo paper or sheet film into the camera in the dark. Take the camera and hold it on a surface. Lift the shutter up to expose the film and make a picture. It may be necessary to trim the film into a size that fits comfortably inside the camera. The cutting needs to be done in total darkness. The Kodak website recommends using Tri-X Pan, T-Max 400 or Royal Pan Film 4141 sheet film. In bright sun, expose the film for one to two seconds and four to eight seconds in cloudy conditions. T-Max 100 film may be exposed for two to four seconds in sunlight and eight to 16 seconds in clouds. Kodabromide paper may also be used, which may also be trimmed. Expose this photo paper for two minutes in bright sun and eight minutes in clouds.