Pinhole photography and black-and-white photographs can be a perfect marriage of aesthetic style and simplistic beauty. After over 44 years chasing this passion, nobody knows that better than pinhole photographer Richard A. Johnson. Richard explained his passion in 2012 in a speech called “A Journey into the World of Pinhole Photography” at Lenox Laser’s 3rd Light Seminar. The world through those lenses provided by Lenox Laser was and still is an unbelievably fascinating thing.
In Richard’s experience, he would travel throughout the West Coast, looking for what he would call the “land of enchantment”. Richard described these places as locations where the meaning of “land of enchantment” would take on an almost tangible feeling, ameliorating the appearance of world around him. Out of all of the beauties of nature captured through those lenses, none compared to his time in New Mexico with “The White Place”.
One of Richard’s favorite structures in New Mexico to shoot was known as “The White Place” in Plaza Blanco: Upon traveling the West Coast, he came to these massive, white towers of stone with only a 5 x 7 Lenox-Laser-pinhole camera — an idea that made Richard nervous. The reason for the nervousness ranged from the possibility of light leaks to the holder not seated right in the camera. Despite the potential problems, the towering beauty of the natural stone structures captured by the Kodak T-max 100 film rivaled any 500-foot-tall building or structure. After a one day visit to this majestic place, he knew that in time he would have to return to see its epic beauty once again.
Lenox Laser was thrilled and honored to be part of Richard a Johnson’s photographic journey by letting us into his world by modifying a pinhole camera for him. It was also tremendous of him to give such a rousing speech with such passion at Lenox Laser.
To get started with pinhole photography, check out DayStar Laser.
To learn more about his craft, please visit his speech.