The Solarcan is a fascinating product that sits at a unique junction between photography, astronomy and art. Each Solarcan is a self-contained and pre-loaded solargraphy camera which means it can be used to take long-exposure photographs of the sun.
And by long exposure, we mean looooooong exposure!
Weeks if not months, as each day brings a new sun trail to layer onto the contained photography paper. Check out the sample images for examples of what the community has already created, and find out how easy they are to use with the instructions and video below!
What is a Solarcan?
How do I use my Solarcan?
Experimentation and creativity are highly encouraged. However for consistent results we would recommend the following process:
Buy your Solarcan from this very product page :-) Or if you want to get a bulk discount and experiment with several exposures then grab the 5-pack!
Find a suitable location facing the Sun with a good view of the sky and horizon
If any doubt, seek permission from local authorities/land-owners for the installation (remember this is a silver metallic can that will be in place for several weeks!)
Using the supplied cable ties, secure your Solarcan firmly to an appropriate sturdy fence/pole/pipe
When you’re ready, carefully remove the black label covering the pinhole and let the magic begin
Place the black label on the end of your Solarcan for safe keeping and mark a date in your calendar for retrieval
Remember where you put it (!) and check in on your camera once in a while
When ready to recover your Solarcan, head back and cover the pinhole using the black tab you saved to end the exposure and stop any unwanted light passing through
Snip the cable ties to release your Solarcan from it's mooring and take everything back home with you
Open your Solarcan in subdued light and marvel at your image!
FAQs
How do I develop it?
There is NO chemical development needed after retrieving your Solarcan! It's so simple, you can either use a scanner and invert the image in Photoshop (or similar) - or take a photo on your phone and use an app to invert.
Will the paper remain light sensitive once I remove it from the Solarcan
Yes - but it is a very-low ISO photographic paper so don't worry about it being ruined as soon as you open the can. We would however recommend opening the can in subdued light and scanning/photographing the image reasonably quickly to ensure any post-exposure light pollution is kept to a minimum.
Can I fix the paper? No chemical developing is required. We encourage experimentation though - so if you do try to fix/stop then please share your results with Solarcan and us on social media!
Note that every Solarcan comes with a 16 page manual with detailed instructions on how to develop and process so if your questions aren't covered here then they will be in the leaflet!
Specification
Format:
Unique!
Colour:
Colour
Type:
Negative (no processing needed)
ISO:
n/a
Exposures:
1
Pack size:
1 or 5
About the brand
Solarcan is the brainchild of Sam Cornwell: a photography, artist, astronomer and now camera genius! The Solarcan perfectly combines his love for the night sky with his passion for analogue processes and film photography. Initially supported by a successful Kickstarter in 2017, Sam has recently produced the 5,000th unit (that we will be gifting as part of a joint giveaway!) which shows that the Solarcan has already been accepted into the heart of the photography community.
We spent some time with him in preparation for our launch of the Solarcan - as well as discussing his journey so far - and you can read the resulting interview here.
Where we ship
When you buy your camera and film from us we can ship it across the UK, Europe, USA, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (more countries planned soon!) So buy Solarcan today and dive back into the fun of solar film photography!
Payment & Security
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I find pinole photography really cool and this is a really convenient little way to take really long exposure pictures. I think it's nice that they provide everything you need - it comes in a can so it is largely weather proof and you get the zip ties with the can. I really like this product and I think it's a really fun little project and very satisfying to scan and edit. Was really fun to take on holiday. Will definitely buy again.
Huge fun - these make for a great little project. Get a handful, put them up in different places for a few months and get surprised by the results. Excellent!
P
Paul O. (Newton Abbot, GB)
Ultimate slow photography
I've bought a couple of these. You get everything you need in one cardboard tube... can, zip ties to fix the can and a small booklet with instructions/ideas. Find a vantage point, secure your tin, open up the pinhole and wait. And wait. Yeah maybe a bit longer. This is a product that rewards patience but opening up the can after a few months is incredibly satisfying. My second can blew away in a storm but I definitely plan to attempt a solstice to solstice shot next.
P
Peter-Alan S. (Doncaster, GB)
A true test of patience...
When I saw this concept I was instantly intrigued by the possibilities!
I love the simple nature of putting it anywhere for as long as you want to get a totally unique picture.
I only put mine up for a month so I'll certainly be getting some more to experiment with....even if it's hard to wait!
S
Steve J. (Stockton-on-Tees, GB)
Good fun with surprising results.
So, my first foray into Solar photography has proven a success...expect the unexpected with this Solarcan, the images are quite abstract at times and can be very striking. Go on...get one...you know you want to!! Steve.
