See a slideshow of Justin Quinnell鈥檚 solargraphs
This 鈥渟olargraph鈥� (see image, right) shows the path taken by the sun as it travelled across the sky above the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, UK, between 19 December 2007 and 21 June 2008 (between the winter and summer solstices). It was taken in a single six-month exposure by photographer Justin Quinnell, using a pinhole camera strapped to a telephone mast. The dotted lines of light are the result of overcast days when the sun struggled to penetrate the clouds. In the bottom right-hand corner you can see the reflection of the sun on the river Avon. The blur on the left was caused by the growth and movement of trees.
Quinnell was inspired by three sources 鈥� the work of solargrapher Tarja Trygg, a book of historically important science photographs called Beyond Vision, and his late brother who was a keen astronomer. In this image, he wanted to capture a period of time beyond what we can perceive with our own vision. In the end, the photo took on a strong personal meaning too. Quinnell鈥檚 father died on 13 April 2008, a few months after the camera was set up, and Quinnell can now point to the particular location of the sun in the sky at the moment he passed away.
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To take a solargraph, you need an empty drinks can, photographic paper, gaffer tape and a computer scanner 鈥� there are full instructions at . According to Quinnell, the biggest challenge is finding a place to put the camera where it won鈥檛 be disturbed. You can see this and other solargraphs by Quinnell at his exhibition Slow light: 6 months over Bristol at the Theory Cafe in the At-Bristol centre until 24 October.