COMMACK SCHOOLS

CHS art students learned firsthand how a traditional camera works at what, in essence, is a life-size replica.

Digital photography, studio and applied arts, and college-level traditional photography classes traveled to the Village of Greenport’s Camera Obscura on Wednesday.

A camera obscura is a darkened room into which light enters through a small opening, projecting a live picture onto a screen. In a modern version, the view outside is reflected by a mirror through a lens, which projects it onto a viewing table. Looking down at the table one sees a living, two-dimensional image of the outside scene, in full color. The mirror can be rotated, so that, as it turns, one sees the view in all directions.

During the 19th century, there were hundreds of camera obscuras in existence. However, with the invention of photography in 1839, camera obscuras slowly disappeared. Today there are only four public camera obscuras in the United States and 50 worldwide.

“It's pretty amazing that they have the opportunity to step inside a camera, connecting their in-class experiences with the history behind it,” said teacher Robert Raeihle, who joined other art teachers in accompanying the students on the trip.

Later this school year, the traditional photography and applied arts students will have the opportunity to create their own pinhole cameras.

Meanwhile, in addition to being inside the camera obscura and learning how a camera works from the interior, the students had the chance to hone their photography skills during the daylong trip by strolling the streets of the scenic Village of Greenport.

When the local blacksmith, Tom Barry, spotted Commack gear, he opened his shop and then demonstrated his craft for the students — including turning a horseshoe into a heart shape.

Barry, it turns out, graduated from Commack North in 1975 and used to coach the school’s lacrosse team. His mother still lives in the same house.