The Point Wilson Lighthouse will serve as the focal point for the Raw Art Collective’s celebration of “Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day” on Sunday, April 28, with the launch of Port Townsend's first traveling “camera obscura.”

Raw Art Collective Founder Jen Cohen told The Leader that this event is also intended to help support the Point Wilson Lighthouse, with all proceeds from the day’s fundraising going toward the installation of a new roof on the historic landmark.

The mobile “camera obscura” was co-created from a converted trailer by pinhole photographer Cohen and professional photographer Brian Goodman, as well as “creative jack-of-all-trades” Dakota Hankin and “artist and engineer” David Ehnebuske, to showcase the field of pinhole photography, providing attendees of this event some firsthand experiences with this historic photographic technique.

“Camera obscura,” Latin for “dark room,” predates modern photography, and uses a small pinhole to project an image of the outside world onto a screen inside a darkened chamber.

Visitors to the Point Wilson Lighthouse on April 28 can take part in hands-on demonstrations and guided tours of the camera obscura, in addition to creating their own pinhole photographs.

“The effect is magical, transforming the everyday into a mesmerizing spectacle of light and shadow,” said Goodman, who touted the ancient technology’s ability to evoke “wonder and inspiration,” as those who step inside the converted trailer will witness “the world outside transformed into a work of art.”

"This project is a celebration of creativity, and a tribute to the beauty of simplicity," Cohen said. "We wanted to share the joy of pinhole photography with as many people as possible, and what better way to do that than by taking our camera obscura on the road?"

By introducing pinhole photography to a broader audience, Goodman hopes those folks might come to see the world “in a new light,” both literally and figuratively..

For more information about the Port Townsend camera obscura trailer, email therawartcollective@gmail.com. For further details about the Point Wilson Lighthouse, email mel@uslhs.org.

“Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day” is an international event that celebrates the art and science of pinhole photography, and is held annually, on the last Sunday in April, to encourage people across the globe to experience what it’s like to create images with homemade pinhole cameras.