KLJI, Community of Pinhole Camera Lovers

There are many ways to realize hobbies and interests; one of them is by using a pinhole camera....

Posing together: KLJI. (Photo: Novriyadi/TNOL)Ever heard of a pinhole camera? Well, for those who have not heard of it, the pinhole camera is a way to take a picture or photograph of an object using a camera that has a hole as wide as a needle. TNOL once wrote about the pinhole camera on August 21, 2009. If you're curious to see the previous article on this camera, please see here.

These cameras are usually made from cans or boxes that are adjoining the hole using a needle, without using the aperture facility settings, speed and light meter, where one can produce a photograph by using this camera. Actually, this method has long been used; in Indonesia fans of the pinhole camera have flourished, so many that they finally formed a community named Komunitas Lubang Jarum Indonesa (KLJI).

Ray Bakhtiar Dradjat is the one who founded KLJI and at the same time pioneered the pinhole camera in Indonesia. At that time, August 17, 2002, Ray founded the KLJI, originated from some workshop of how to make pinhole camera in several cities, then popped the idea to create a community that will be able to introduce pinhole cameras to the wider community of Indonesia.

How to use the pinhole camera. (Photo: Novriyadi/TNOL)"I was deliberately set up this community, in order to socialize the pinhole camera to the wider community," said Ray.

Now, fans of pinhole cameras have increased everywhere. To date, recorded at least there are about 10 major cities in Indonesia that proclaimed themselves, and join this community. Their activities are very diversed, ranging from workshops, exhibitions, until photo hunting together. "Actually we never made a specific agenda of activities nationwide. So, it's up to every regional KLJI to conduct the events, respectively," explained Ray.

According to Ray, the pinhole camera is very manual in operation. But behind it, the pinhole camera is able to offer the sensation of "excitement" or curiosity when operating it, "Because these cameras are manual, so that make us curious about the results to be obtained," explained Ray.

This is the camera. (Photo: Novriyadi/TNOL)Moreover, according to Ray, this camera is perfect for those who want to learn basic photography, because by using this camera we can practice to hone our shooting instinct, while understanding the process of making photographs. "Even today, the pinhole camera photography is used as a basic lesson in several universities in Indonesia," said Ray.

According to Ray, in fact KLJI has never questioned about the "camera" used. This community doesn not prohibit its members to use any type of camera. Because according to them, the camera is only the media, which is useful to apply one's artistic soul.

In the eyes of Ray, the pinhole camera is not a perfect tool, but rather to be a means to gain perfection. Evidently, with limited tools and materials, it can actually turn into advantages, even eventually become typical of a region. Examples such as in Yogyakarta, there is a pinhole camera made from a can of tobacco. In Malang, there is a pinhole camera made ​​from 'pralon' pipe. Even in Jakarta, there is also the "pocket" pinhole camera, made of 135mm film sleeve. Very unique! (ms)

sumber : http://www.pinhole.org/