Hi Robert, can you tell us a bit about yourself why you shoot pinhole?
There are moments that cannot be measured in seconds. Moments that stretch, as if time itself is holding its breath. For me, pinhole photography is a way to capture those moments. No lens, no autofocus, no rush, just a small hole letting light pass through. In a world where speed has become a measure of worth, pinhole photography is a quiet act of resistance.
My love for photography began in my early twenties, during the last years of the analog era. My first camera, a German Beirette, was a gift from my father. That moment sparked a creative fire in me, a desire to express, to create.
Soon after, I embraced the digital wave, which was booming at the time. Even today, most of my work is done with a digital camera. I started with landscape photography, it offered a way to escape the chaos of everyday life and reconnect with peace. Later, when I joined a photography club, I began to explore other genres: drone photography, street photography, portraits, and visual storytelling, mostly in black and white, which remains closest to my heart
now.
In the back of my mind analog photography never truly left me also because some members in our photographic club still made analog photos. Two years ago, the passion returned. This time with the gift of a few vintage Praktica models, followed by my purchase of three classic 6×6 cameras: a Lubitel, a Holga, and an Rolleiflex from the year 1951. Then in 2024 during a Pinhole Day workshop something clicked, and that initial spark turned into a burning passion.
I was first introduced to pinhole photography about 13 years ago by Marko Vogrič, now the president of our photography club Skupina 75. Marko is working with pinhole photography for over 20 years and is well known in Italy for his series “Miška po svetu” (“Little Mouse Around the World”). For years, he encouraged us to build pinhole cameras from cardboard and wooden boxes or modified old cameras and photographing on photographic paper or film during annual Pinhole Day workshops.
As I said in the year 2024 something clicked and I decided to take pinhole photography more seriously, exploring it through a hybrid approach: analog shooting combined with digital darkroom techniques. This blend of old and new has opened up completely new creative directions for me.
By profession, I’m an accountant, a job that can be very stressful. Photography, quite literally, saves me. Especially now pinhole photography. Because pinhole is not just a method, it’s a way of being. It teaches us that slowness can be beautiful, that imperfection can be pure, and that sometimes the smallest opening leads to the largest door.
Thank you Marko very much for showing me the door and encouraging me to walk through into the quiet, meditative world of pinhole photography.
Can you tell us about your landscape photography? Where do you shoot?
What film stocks do you prefer?
My approach to landscape photography is deeply intuitive. Before I even set up the camera, I already have the final image visualized in my mind. Working with a pinhole camera (also digital cameras), this kind of previsualization is essential for me—every decision matters, and nothing is left to chance.
With pinhole camera I shoot my landscapes under overcast skies, as I’m drawn to quiet, dramatic moods and soft, diffused light. I often work early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sun is low and cloud textures become more pronounced. This is also very important for me when the sky is not cloudy. On very cloudy days I can work all day. These conditions allow for longer exposures, which enhance atmosphere and bring movement into the stillness, especially in the sky and on water surfaces. On windy days also on trees and grass what makes the motif even more dynamic.
My subjects include both well-known and undiscovered locations, but I’m especially drawn to scenes with water, rivers, lakes, ponds, even the sea. Water calms me, much like the mountains do. I haven’t fully explored mountainous landscapes with my pinhole camera yet, but I plan to, those scenes inspire me deeply and i know that time will come also for pinhole mountain landscapes.
For now, I’m captivated by small ponds, quiet lakes, and solitary chapels nestled in the landscape, places where nature and silence create something sacred. I don’t chase postcard perfection, I wait for authentic moments that carry emotion. In my pinhole photography, I work with black and white film, as it aligns best with the moody, atmospheric quality I seek in my images.
My go-to choice is Fomapan 100—it handles long exposures beautifully, delivers a wide tonal range, and produces a slightly raw, classic look that complements the minimalist nature of pinhole work.
Do you post-process to get this moody dark look to your images?
Since my final output is a fine art digital print in the carbon technique, I do use a digital darkroom to complete the vision I began in the field. But the process starts much earlier, before any editing.
The visual mood is something I’m already aiming for when I shoot. I always look for soft, diffused light and overcast conditions to naturally create a calm, darker atmosphere.
When exposure times exceed one second and in my case always does, I manually adjust the reciprocity failure compensation. Instead of strictly following the values calculated by phone apps, I reduce the exposure time based on my own field experience. This often results in slightly darker exposures, which I then refine also digitally if needed.
So, the final image is really a combination of everything: pinhole camera on film, carefully chosen light conditions, deliberate field technique, and yes also subtle work in the digital darkroom. All these steps are part of the same vision, to create images that reflect a quiet, contemplative mood.
I’m not interested in working fully in analog from start to finish, but I respect those who do.
You used the RSS 4x5z to shoot these photos. Why did you choose this
camera? Do you use filters when shooting?
About a year ago, I decided to invest in a more serious, professional 4×5 pinhole camera. At the time, I was already using a multiformat camera for 120 film, but I wanted to move to a larger format, mainly to have more flexibility when cropping without losing image quality, especially if I needed to produce larger prints.
Another important feature I was looking for was the ability to use multiple focal lengths with a single camera. This approach is both more practical when shooting on location and more cost-effective, as it essentially gives me four cameras in one. While researching what was available on the market, I found several options, but two of the
brands I was also interested in were no longer available. RealitySoSubtle 4x5Z was the only one still being produced, and it immediately appealed to me – both in terms of its design and its price, which is excellent considering what the camera offers. I’ve now been using it for a year and I’m very satisfied – it’s been an outstanding purchase.
As for filters, I don’t use any at the moment, though I’m considering getting an ND filter to further extend exposure times in certain conditions. I don’t feel the need for other types of filters because I also make use of a digital darkroom in my process before fine art carbon printing. Well, we’ll see what the future brings, maybe I’ll give some others a try as well.
Thanks for taking the time to write and share your work!
You can find Robert’s work on instagram @robertstrahinjic
And on facebook.
