The

Obscura
Project

The Optics Team

Young Jun Kim
Sean Lu Healy
Alex Daniel Nica
Gerald Otto Hoffman III

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

Page 1 of 13
Letter of Intent 3
Grant Proposal
Summary 5
Introduction 6
Statement of Need 7
Objectives 8
Methods 8
Evaluation 9
Budget 10
Conclusion 10
Appendix
Budget 12
Contact Info 13

obscuraproject@yahoo.com
Alex Daniel Nica(832-715-7432)
Gerald Otto Hoffman(713-591-6063)
Sean Lu Healy(713-857-4568)

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Young Jun Kim(832-374-7070)
14555 Fern Drive Houston, TX 77079

To whom it may concern,

Thank you for choosing to examine our proposal to fund the Obscura project and
provide the materials necessary to design and construct it. We are students at Stratford High
School and part of the Academy of Science and Engineering program, which gives students
the opportunity to pursue their science or engineering oriented goals in the form of a senior
capstone project. We, The Optics Team, Young J. Kim, Sean L. Healy, Alex D. Nica, and
Gerald O. Hoffman, are creating a camera and darkroom to develop our own film using a
combination of mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering. We are all students with an
affinity for engineering and a desire to improve our skills.
Since the development of the camera obscura in the 1820s, camera technology has
grown more advanced, more compact, and more portable. Today, the market is overflowing
with an abundance of advanced digital cameras. Camera technology has been built into our
phones, our computers, our lives. With the new convenience of digital cameras and computer
technology, many people have begun to ignore and forget the formerly long and arduous
process of developing film and printing photos. Individuals will simply turn in photos to a
company who will develop them for a fee. Our goal is to revisit the processes of film cameras,
creating a suitable darkroom, and developing our own film. We will also find the cheapest and
most efficient method to develop film on your own, for any who would wish to do so.
Ultimately, we want to educate younger individuals living in a society of convenience about
the process of taking a picture and developing it into a photo. We want younger individuals to
see the wonders of science and technology, recognize its importance in their lives, and want to
pursue careers in STEM fields. Most of all, we want individuals to see that behind simply
taking a picture there are complicated mechanical and chemical processes that lead to that
photo arriving in their hands.
We will create an affordable and efficient pinhole camera in order to take our own
photos. Additionally, we will create our own darkroom in order to develop the pictures that
we will take using the pinhole camera. The darkroom will have access to both water and
ventilation for any chemical fumes that may result from the film development process. Then
we will develop the film using several different methods, including the usage of wet and dry
chemical compounds. We will record the costs of each method for developing the film as well
as which methods are the most efficient. Though we are investigating the various methods of
developing film to educate younger individuals, we will also record the best methods and give
our recommendation for anyone who wants to produce their own photos at home.
Our inspiration for this project came from the desire to explore our interests in
engineering through a common topic such as photography and the process of developing and
printing film. Some members of our group are more interested in understanding the properties

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and inner workings of the camera and how it is able to record images of objects on a surface.
Others in our group are more interested in the chemical processes in the development of film,
the reactions that come into play and how the film development process actually works. Each
member of our group will explore their own individual interests while working on a common
project with a overall goal.
In regards to a timeline, we will finish research, collect the necessary resources such as
chemical compounds needed to develop the film, and start the project by early June. By July,
the camera and darkroom should be completed and we will begin the time-consuming process
of testing film development methods. By the fall, we should be close to completed with
testing our methods and we will print our developed film as well as compiling the results of
our testing to find the most cost efficient and effective film development method.
Our budget for this product will total to $204.61. The main item in our budget that
contributes to our high costs is the enlarger, which is required in order to print the film.
The end result of our project will consist of a fully functional pinhole camera, a
darkroom with proper lighting, water access, and ventilation, and printed photos that have
been developed using several methods. Our project will mainly be a race against time, as most
of our research and testing must be completed during the summer before the next school year
begins. Regardless, any financial support or advice will be appreciated and we at San-Eob
industries are honored to be examined by any who would wish to contribute to funding our
project. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Alex Daniel Nica
Gerald Otto Hoffman
Sean Lu Healy
Young Jun Kim
obscuraproject@yahoo.com

Summary:

We, The Optics Team, are students at Stratford High School and members of the

Academy of Science and Engineering who seek to enhance our understanding of and further

familiarize ourselves with STEM concepts and disciplines. As a group, we have a rather basic

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understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering with a firm foundation in product

design. Both Alex and Jun have experience in electrical and mechanical engineering as well as

in woodworking. Sean is more inclining toward the chemical and biomedical engineering

disciplines of STEM and is excited to work with the various chemical methods used to

develop film. Gerry is interested in aerospace engineering and 3D modeling, but he is excited

to increase his understanding in other areas of STEM and has experience in building complex

machines. Together, we are constructing a pinhole camera, a darkroom, and developing and

printing film for our capstone project. We will take a look into past methods of photography

before the digital age in order to better understand the science and complexities that lie

beneath the seemingly simple action of taking a photograph. Additionally, we will spread this

knowledge to younger individuals in order to attract attention to the STEM fields and to help

them understand the innovation, effort, and technology that went into the developing the

devices which they take for granted in the modern day and age.

The Obscura project consists of an affordable and efficient pinhole camera in order to

take our own photos, the construction of a suitable darkroom for film development, and the

testing of various wet and dry film development methods in order to find the most inexpensive

and efficient procedure to ultimately create photos in a casual setting. The darkroom will have

access to both water and ventilation for any chemical fumes that may result from the film

development process. Additionally, we will install suitable lighting that will protect the

developing film while also allowing for our group to see inside. For the bulk of the project, we

will develop the film using several different methods, including the usage of wet and dry

chemical compounds. We will record the costs of each method for developing the film as well

as which methods are the most efficient. Though we are investigating the various methods of

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developing film to educate younger individuals, we will also record the best methods and give

our recommendation for anyone who wants to produce their own photos at home.

Introduction:

Our group consists of members of the Academy of Science and Engineering, a unique

STEM course at Stratford High School that provides introductory looks into several different

science and engineering fields. As members of the Academy of Science and Engineering

program, we have gained new skills and knowledge from completing hands on labs and

projects. We plan to use these skills combined with a disciplined work ethic to efficiently and

effectively. Our team has come together with skills from various disciplines that will all

contribute to the development of the project. Each team member contributes a unique skill set

or perspective that will contribute greatly to the quality of our research and testing. Team

members Jun, Alex, and Gerry have experience with building complex machines that will aid

them in constructing the pinhole camera as well as developing a darkroom with proper

lighting, water, and ventilation. On the other hand, Sean is more familiar with the chemical

aspects of the project, particularly with the various wet and dry compounds that will be used

to develop the film. Furthermore, our entire team is experienced with 3D modeling software

and design. Together, we will be able to create effective products and document accurate

research and findings. Each of us is looking to improve our individual skill sets while learning

to work together as a cohesive team.

Statement of Need:

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 In today’s digital age, technology is constantly being improved in order to meet the

ever growing demands of the populace. Processes that were once time consuming can now be

accomplished with a push of a button or a flick of a switch. For example, old film based

cameras have been rendered obsolete by their digital based counterparts. New high resolution

digital camera’s have flooded consumers, with each model being more efficient or more

affordable than the last. Furthermore, people have forgotten the developments and innovations

that ultimately evolved into modern technology. They take for granted the digital camera’s

and photo printers that make what was once an arduous process of taking the photo,

developing the film, and printing said photo into barely an afterthought. With the Obscura

project, we are revisiting the past by looking back at film based cameras. We will learn about

and highlight the science behind how a film camera works and the chemical process of

developing the film to be printed, showcasing the best methods of doing so. We will show

people that behind a seemingly simple process is a surprisingly large amount of science,

chemistry and technology. Most of all, we are going to promote the fields of science and

technology to young individuals as the foundation of our society, what provides them with the

convenience and luxuries in their lives. More than learning and recreating the process of

taking and developing film photographs with the best methods, our goal is to reach out to

younger students and show them the impact STEM has on their daily lives and convince them

to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Objectives:

For our project, we are researching and recreating the process of taking and developing a film

photograph. Our project will fill educate younger students on the complicated mechanical and

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chemical processes behind taking a picture and promoting the STEM field. By Winter 2018,

we will have fully tested and researched various methods of developing our film. By early

2019, we will have printed out our photos and declared the most cost-efficient and effective

method of developing film. Our timeline will be as follows:

● June 2018: Research of methods for developing film, compilation of materials needed

● July 2018: Construction of camera and darkroom

● August 2018: Developing film using several different methods

● December 2018: Photos printed, best method declared

● February 2019: Research compiled and exhibition of our results

Methods:

First, we will research how exactly a camera functions in order to create one and the

film development process. Then we will compile the different chemical compounds that we

need to develop the film, as well as special UV lights for our darkroom and perhaps sensitized

film for the camera. We plan to design our camera with CAD software and either 3D printing

our design or building the device ourselves. Then we will set aside a small space with easy

access to water and ventilation and construct our darkroom, making sure that no ambient light

or sunlight will make its way inside. Then, we will take several photos with our new camera

and develop each photo using a different chemical compound or process.Once the film has

been fully developed we will print out each picture and compare the different processes we

went through, deciding which process was the best and most cost efficient way of developing

the film. Finally, we will compile our research together and perhaps exhibit our various

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photos and film development processes to younger individuals. We plan to complete the

compilation of our research and the exhibition by late december 2018 at the latest.

Evaluation:

By Fall 2018, we will have researched into how film cameras and the process of film

development work, constructed both the camera and the darkroom, tested our various methods

of developing the camera film, and printed out the photos that we developed. We will decide

on the the best way to develop film based on cost efficiency and photo quality. Ultimately, our

success hinges on whether we effectively showcase the inner mechanical and chemical

processes behind the simple act of taking a photograph. Therefore, we will compile our

research and results into a format that is easy to interpret as well as exhibiting the photos that

we took, our darkroom, and our ways to develop film to some younger students or friends. We

plan to have completed the project and compiled our research. We will document our progress

with weekly blog post updates to grantors on our website, making adjustments as necessary to

ensure that we have successful designs. If we have not completed testing by January 2019, we

will continue to develop our film into 2019.

Budget:

Our total budget will be around 204.61 dollars. The only part whose price might

change is the enlarger, because prices tend to vary a lot on the market, however we plan on

buying one that is cheap and reliable. The rest of the darkroom equipment includes a loupe,

which is usually around 10 dollars, a safelight that we can get for 34.49, and the chemicals

which will also vary in price depending on how many, and what type (black and white or

color), we will utilize in our experiments. For construction we will not need much and we will

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be able to find large cardstock for about 20 dollars, while the other materials are extremely

cheap and easy to find. Lastly, we will need the film, which is usually around 5 dollars per

roll, and then some coffee and some more chemicals which will be used for the developing of

the film.

Conclusion:

The Obscura projects presents a unique opportunity to look back on the innovations

our predecessors have made in creating the foundations for today's technological

advancements. Instead of taking for granted the convenience of today's cameras, smartphones,

and computers, we should understand the technology and science behind them, how they were

created, and how there is always progress to be made. For us, this project represents the

opportunity to hone our skills and knowledge in the disciplines that we hope to one day make

careers out of. For others, we hope that our project can properly convey the importance of

STEM in our everyday lives and inspire them to pursue careers in science, technology,

engineering, or math.

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Appendix

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 Budget

Film $5.00 Fujifilm Superia 800 Speed

24 Exposure 35mm Film

Cardstock $20.00 Black 12 x 12 inch

Cans $2.17 Aluminium Cans

Needles $1.00 Sewing Needles

Mallet $7.00 Deadhead Rubber Mallet

Enlarger $100.00 Durst M 301 Film Enlarger

Loupe $10.00 Peak 2032 Loupe

Safelight $34.49 Legacy Pro red Darkroom

Safelight

Chemicals $24.95 Cinestill Cs41 “Color

Simplified” Quart Kit

Total
$204.61

Contact Information

The Optics Team - obscuraproject@yahoo.com

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 Sean Healy (Project Manager) - healysea000@mysbisd.org (713) - 857 - 4568
Alex Nica (Lead Designer) - nicaalex15@yahoo.com (832) - 715 - 7432
Gerry Hoffman (Lead Modeler) - hoffmger000@mysbisd.org (713) - 591 - 6063
Young Jun Kim (Lead Technician) kimyou001@mysbisd.org (832) - 374 - 7070

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