A regional press photographer has captured what he believes is a world first after taking a picture of an ostrich using an ostrich egg.

Gloucestershire Media photographer Simon Pizzey constructed a pinhole camera using the giant egg and used it to take a series of images of the birds.

Simon, a press photographer for 25 years, normally uses thousands of pounds worth of digital camera equipment to capture events around the county.

His fascination with the origins and history of photography has led him to create pinhole cameras from various different containers – but his latest creation has to be the most unusual.

“I’ve taken a picture of Sydney Harbour Bridge with a Pringles tube and Gloucester Cathedral with a dustbin but stalking an ostrich with an egg camera is definitely the most bizarre,” he told HTFP.

“My digital computerised camera produces fairly predictable results, but simple pinhole cameras constantly surprise you with the images they produce.”

Pinhole cameras comprise of just a light-proof container with a pin hole in the side and a simple shutter. Photographic paper or film is placed inside to capture the image formed.

Said Simon: “I have made several cameras to a number of designs and took many pictures over the last three years before I obtained an image that was clearly an ostrich.

“The exposure needed for the image was about five to ten seconds, ostriches tend to stand still for about two, they constantly move their necks making it very difficult to capture a true likeness.

“The hardest challenge was finding the courage to get in the pen with these intimidating creatures. Ostriches are basically dinosaurs. They move like the velociraptors off Jurassic Park, they can give a very nasty peck and cause serious injury with a sudden kick.

“What next after ostrich cam? Well I was looking at crocodile eggs, but my partner put her foot down!”

Comments

hilary jones (14/10/2009 10:34:24)
Brilliant, Simon! I knew all those Coffee Mate tins would lead to something great…

Jeremy Miles (14/10/2009 11:34:58)
Have you any idea how much Ostrich eggs cost? Such extravagant equipment would bust the budget of most regional photo departments these days I fear. Nice tale though.

Chris Gelken (14/10/2009 11:53:47)
Terrific story – and full marks for originality!

Adam Barrah (14/10/2009 13:25:45)
This is truly an egg-ceptional innovation, as they say, ‘there’s none as queer as yolk’

jason hurst (01/12/2009 11:20:12)
i hear since this story johnston press are now going to supply all there photographic departments with pinhole cameras in more cutbacks!!