Crafty Pop-Up Book Opens Up Into a Functional Pinhole Camera

By Anna Gragert on December 1, 2015

Artist Kelli Anderson designed a book that teaches readers about the art of photography–with an actual pop-up camera. Using the 1800s-era pinhole technique as inspiration, Anderson crafted her book in such a way that light could only enter through a small opening, exposing the embedded photo film/paper to a concentrated tunnel of light. The film's light-sensitive crystals could then react to the light's potency to reproduce the image before it–just like a real camera! The best part? Anderson's camera book folds together and no additional assembly is required. However, while Anderson's This Book is a Camera does include a collapsible camera, lightproof bag, instructions, and B/W Ilford photo paper, developer fluid and a dark room are needed to actually develop the film.

Thanks to the Adobe Creative Residency and Structural Graphics, Anderson was able to make her artistic dream a reality. This Book is a Camera can now be purchased through the artist's website for $29. If you want to try making the foldable camera yourself, Anderson has also posted a free template here.