Mr. Potato Head Pinhole Camera

Inspired by the phrase, “That looks like it was taken with a potato,” I decided to take it literally. Initially, I carved an actual potato into a pinhole camera to test the concept. While the results weren’t perfect, the process sparked my curiosity and pushed me to experiment further. I realized that using a Mr. Potato Head would be a more practical and playful alternative, with his charm and longevity outshining the real potato. The project became a lighthearted exploration of photography’s creative possibilities and challenged the notion that great photos require expensive equipment.

Transforming Mr. Potato Head into a functioning camera posed unique challenges. His removable accessories left multiple light leaks, so I hot-glued everything in place and lined his interior with black gaffer tape to make him as light-tight as possible. Any remaining holes were sealed with hot glue. The nose was left off to serve as the foundation for the pinhole, which I crafted from a piece of an aluminum can and the smallest needle in my sewing kit. I taped the pinhole securely inside the nose hole and cut Ilford resin-coated silver gelatin paper to fit, inserting it under safe light through a back door.

Exposures were made by peeling off a piece of gaffer tape covering the pinhole. The negatives, developed in Dektol, were scanned and inverted to create the final images. Each exposure yielded roughly a 3-inch diameter image. Early attempts revealed flaws—light leaks through the back door fogged the paper, and the initial pinhole was too large, causing excessive blur. After sealing the seams and crafting a smaller pinhole, the image quality improved. Still, the inherent nature of pinhole photography meant the images remained soft, which added to their charm.

The series, featuring the world as seen through Mr. Potato Head’s "eyes," was a delightful exploration of creativity and resourcefulness. It highlighted the joy of experimenting with unconventional materials and finding beauty in imperfection. Later, the project was featured in a local café, inviting others to share in the whimsical perspective of Mr. Potato Head as a one-of-a-kind camera. All of the photos below are of photographer friends of mine.