John Chiara doesn’t just get behind the lens, he gets inside the camera
John truly takes the idea of “getting behind the lens” to a new level, as he must literally climb inside of the camera to load it with a giant sheet of paper coated with light-sensitive chemicals (he then exits the camera through a long tunnel that appears to be made out of garbage bags). John admits that his technique is somewhat primitive and that he doesn’t use modern light meters or even a stopwatch to make his exposures—everything is based off of intuition—but the result is absolutely breat
John Chiara is one of those photographers whose approach and craft is truly humbling in its creativity and scale. Based in California, John shoots one image a day using his home-built, larger-than-life, pinhole-style film camera that he has rigged to a trailer.
John truly takes the idea of “getting behind the lens” to a new level, as he must literally climb inside of the camera to load it with a giant sheet of paper coated with light-sensitive chemicals (he then exits the camera through a long tunnel that appears to be made out of garbage bags). John admits that his technique is somewhat primitive and that he doesn’t use modern light meters or even a stopwatch to make his exposures—everything is based off of intuition—but the result is absolutely breath-taking.
Watch the video for an even more in-depth look at John’s creative process. You can also see more of his work here: http://www.lightdark.com/