Happy 130 Edinburgh!

“It is interesting sometimes to stop and think and wonder what the place you are currently at used to be like in times past, who walked there, who worked there and what the walls have seen” – Patrick Geddes

2019 marks the 130^th year Edinburgh has been officially a city. Our tower has been a fixture on the skyline since 1853 and we have been able to watch it grow and change from one of the best seats in the house! Sometimes, we’ve even been able to document the process.

Edinburgh circa mid 20th century

Edinburgh today

We are part of a grand tradition of people in Edinburgh who love the city and want to see it get even better and grander than it already is; from the likes of town planner, philanthropist and early Camera Obscura owner Sir Patrick Geddes right up to us today, we’re so proud of our home and we can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the next 130 years.

Come check out our wall of photos of Edinburgh through the years (and maybe start your own with some of the stunning views from our rooftop), as well as all the other wonderful and wild exhibits we have to offer you!

Contrasts at Camera Obscura

We thought we’d get involved in this week’s photo challenge because Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is an amazing place for contrasts. Here are just a few…

 

Tall and short

 

Big and small

 

 

Upside down and right way up

 

Hot and cold

 

Lost and found

 

Light and dark

 

Old and new

 

Did you find any other contrasts during your visit?

Picture Perfect

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is a great place for photos. Visitors leave with photographic evidence of having shrunk during their visit (in the Ames Room) or their friend’s head on a plate (Severed Head). However, for those interested in photography, the World of Illusions can produce many great shots – even if it’s a challenge to capture them! Come along early one day to escape the crowds and see if you can come away with pictures of any of these:

Mirror maze. Test your skills by seeing if you can get a photo in the mirror maze – without you in it. I couldn’t quite manage, but this is my best effort:

It is incredibly difficult to take a good photo of the Vortex tunnel. The flash makes the lights disappear, but it’s so dark in the room that cameras don’t always cope well. Use a high ISO and a tripod if you can.

Hidden in the Middle. The image in this exhibit can only be seen by moving your head quickly from side to side. Can you capture it with a camera? Use a tripod and a long shutter speed, then move the camera from side to side to get the photo.

Infinity corridor. Similar to Hidden in the Middle, adjust the exposure to one or two seconds, then move the camera as the picture takes to transform photos of the Infinity Corridor.

Electricity room. I’ve tried countless times to take a good photo of the plasma dome for this blog, and it’s difficult. Mess about with the ISO and spend a bit of time editing to make these photos look their best.

Bendy Mirrors. This isn’t your average self-portrait.

Light tunnel. Like the infinity corridor, we have the ladder to Australia and this light tunnel that make use of lights and mirrors.

Whether the weather is bright and sunny or gloomy and grey, the view from our rooftop is one of the best in the city. You can create picture-perfect postcards of Edinburgh here.

Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day

Tomorrow (April 29th) is Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, which celebrates and promotes the art of pinhole photography.

There are loads of events being held throughout the world to promote and encourage people to use pinhole photography and there is a workshop happening on Cockburn Street in Edinburgh between 12 and 4 pm. there, you can create pinhole images using a traditional dark room. Definitely worth a visit!

Or, why not see our pinhole photography exhibit here at Camera Obscura! We have lots of examples of pinhole cameras (and how the photos turn out when you use them) and even a massive pinhole camera which you can walk into so you can see how it all works!

For more information on Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day can be found here.

The information on the event at Cockburn Street can be found here

Why is this man upside down? Go to the event on Cockburn Street or here at Camera Obscura to find out!