Walk In Camera Obscura Design and Build: © Michael Pomarico

OCULUS OBSCURA

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A Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation grant brings an immersive photographic experience to Newburgh, with Oculus Obscura bringing together ten accomplished artists and leaders in camera obscura and pinhole photography.

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

September 12 — November 1, 2026

OPENING NIGHT PARTY

5pm, September 12 2026

food and cash bar

BLACK & WHITE PAPER REVERSAL: CAMERA OBSCURA WORKSHOP

October 4 2026

Led by Greg Wieting

click here for details

opening hours |
thursday 12pm to 7pm
friday 12pm to 7pm
saturday 12pm to 7pm
sunday 12pm to 5pm
or by appointment

CURATOR

Karen Ghostlaw

Oculus is Latin for eye — an opening where light enters and the unseen becomes visible. In Oculus Obscura, the camera is no longer an object to look at but a space to enter, darkness becomes a vessel, light becomes a trace, and the familiar world slowly gathers into image. From this elemental threshold, the exhibition asks what photography can reveal when artists return to its first conditions of light, time, space and wonder.

The artists in Oculus Obscura approach camera obscura and pinhole photography through distinct materials, processes and forms, demonstrating the continuing vitality of an image making practice built on one of photography's simplest principles.

The exhibition includes masked pinholes on paperboard, handmade camerae obscurae, a panoramic camera obscura, wood-crafted pinhole cameras, ceramic pinholes formed from silt and clay harvested from Hudson Valley estuaries, and contemporary digital cameras adapted for pinhole photography. Together with the full-scale walk-in camera obscura created for the exhibition, these works transform the gallery into an experiential environment that visitors can enter, explore, and experience as both a photographic instrument and a space for inspiration.

Three pinhole cameras, provided by Heather Palecek, will continue making long exposure photographs throughout the exhibition, allowing Oculus Obscura to unfold as a living photographic process. The photographs will accumulate light over time, recording the changing conditions of the exhibition and its surroundings. Images will continue to emerge as the exhibition progresses, making duration itself part of the photographic experience.

On October 4, Greg Wieting will lead a hands on workshop exploring a fascinating darkroom process that transforms ordinary black and white RC photographic paper into a positive image. Greg will guide participants through the process from exposure to finished print, introducing the chemistry, timing and techniques needed to create successful positive images. This workshop is an opportunity to experience the walk-in camera obscura as a working photographic instrument while exploring an unusual and hands on alternative photographic process.

ARTISTS

JILL ENFIELD

CHRIS PEREGOY

DALE RIO

HEATHER PALECEK

SHARON HARRIS

TRICIA ROSENKILDE

DONNA BASSIN

CYNTHIA KARALLA

ANNE MCDONALD

JACK PLATNER

WORKS

Delray, Florida Beach Club Trees (2006/2026)

JILL ENFIELD

cyanotype from Polaroid positive - negative film
1/10 archival digital print
19H x 13W in (48H x 33W cm)

Using the simplicity of the pinhole camera, I photograph landscapes through extended time, allowing movement to become part of the image. Inspired by the earliest traditions of photography, these images are created as cyanotypes, a 19th-century process known for its distinctive blue tones. Clouds, water, trees, and passing figures dissolve and shift during the long exposures, creating quiet, dreamlike landscapes that connect the history of photography with the passage of time.

Puerto Rico Palm and Sea (2010/2026)

JILL ENFIELD

cyanotype from Polaroid positive - negative film
1/10 archival digital print
19H x 13W in (48H x 33W cm)

Using the simplicity of the pinhole camera, I photograph landscapes through extended time, allowing movement to become part of the image. Inspired by the earliest traditions of photography, these images are created as cyanotypes, a 19th-century process known for its distinctive blue tones. Clouds, water, trees, and passing figures dissolve and shift during the long exposures, creating quiet, dreamlike landscapes that connect the history of photography with the passage of time.

Beach Chairs and Palm Tree (2010/2026)

JILL ENFIELD

cyanotype from Polaroid positive - negative film
1/10 archival digital print
19H x 13W in (48H x 33W cm)

Using the simplicity of the pinhole camera, I photograph landscapes through extended time, allowing movement to become part of the image. Inspired by the earliest traditions of photography, these images are created as cyanotypes, a 19th-century process known for its distinctive blue tones. Clouds, water, trees, and passing figures dissolve and shift during the long exposures, creating quiet, dreamlike landscapes that connect the history of photography with the passage of time.

Rockport, Maine Rocks (1999/2026)

JILL ENFIELD

cyanotype from Polaroid positive - negative film
1/10 archival digital print
13H x 19W in (33H x 48W cm)

Using the simplicity of the pinhole camera, I photograph landscapes through extended time, allowing movement to become part of the image. Inspired by the earliest traditions of photography, these images are created as cyanotypes, a 19th-century process known for its distinctive blue tones. Clouds, water, trees, and passing figures dissolve and shift during the long exposures, creating quiet, dreamlike landscapes that connect the history of photography with the passage of time.

Campaign Stop (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Baptism (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Bombs Bursting in Air (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Soldiers Grave (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Dirt Poor (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Flood Control (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Problems (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Puppet Master (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Red Alert (1994)

CHRIS PEREGOY

pinhole photograph
12H x 24W in (30.5H x 61W cm)
$250 each / $2000 for the series (12)

Pinhole Politician was primarily shot while on bicycle camping trips during the summer of 1994. The camera used was a modified Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie camera from 1905 which had been fitted with three pinhole lenses and had a curved film plane. My actors were President Eisenhower and his wife Mimi which were toy figures produced in the 1950's by the Marx toy company. These toys were given away inside of cereal boxes. I placed Eisenhower and his wife in situations as if he was on campaign stops traveling to different places and making speeches for his election. The pinhole camera can focus from a fraction of an inch to infinity thereby making Eisenhower appear to fit in to the perspective of his surroundings.

Untitled, Assateague Island (2020)

DALE RIO

archival inkjet print from original paper negative, open edition.
16H x 16W in (40.5H x 40.5W cm)
$450.00

Humans living in contemporary western society have, in large part, severed their connection with nature. With my self-portrait series, Reconciliation, I seek to reconnect with the natural world and introduce a sense of magic and wonder into modern life.

The long exposures required by pinhole photography allow me to create images in which I blend with – and can be overwhelmed by – my natural surroundings. This allows me to provide a visual commentary on man’s interconnectedness with nature and creates a symbiotic relationship between the two; reconciling humanity with the natural world with which we are inextricably linked.

Untitled, Ocean City MD (2018)

DALE RIO

archival inkjet print from original paper negative, open edition.
16H x 16W in (40.5H x 40.5W cm)
$450.00

Humans living in contemporary western society have, in large part, severed their connection with nature. With my self-portrait series, Reconciliation, I seek to reconnect with the natural world and introduce a sense of magic and wonder into modern life.

The long exposures required by pinhole photography allow me to create images in which I blend with – and can be overwhelmed by – my natural surroundings. This allows me to provide a visual commentary on man’s interconnectedness with nature and creates a symbiotic relationship between the two; reconciling humanity with the natural world with which we are inextricably linked.

Untitled, Penland (2019)

DALE RIO

archival inkjet print from original paper negative, open edition.
16H x 16W in (40.5H x 40.5W cm)
$450.00

Humans living in contemporary western society have, in large part, severed their connection with nature. With my self-portrait series, Reconciliation, I seek to reconnect with the natural world and introduce a sense of magic and wonder into modern life.

The long exposures required by pinhole photography allow me to create images in which I blend with – and can be overwhelmed by – my natural surroundings. This allows me to provide a visual commentary on man’s interconnectedness with nature and creates a symbiotic relationship between the two; reconciling humanity with the natural world with which we are inextricably linked.

Untitled, Parvin State Park (2019)

DALE RIO

archival inkjet print from original paper negative, open edition.
16H x 16W in (40.5H x 40.5W cm)
$450.00

Humans living in contemporary western society have, in large part, severed their connection with nature. With my self-portrait series, Reconciliation, I seek to reconnect with the natural world and introduce a sense of magic and wonder into modern life.

The long exposures required by pinhole photography allow me to create images in which I blend with – and can be overwhelmed by – my natural surroundings. This allows me to provide a visual commentary on man’s interconnectedness with nature and creates a symbiotic relationship between the two; reconciling humanity with the natural world with which we are inextricably linked.

Untitled, Penwood State Park 1 (2020)

DALE RIO

archival inkjet print from original paper negative, open edition.
16H x 16W in (40.5H x 40.5W cm)
$450.00

Humans living in contemporary western society have, in large part, severed their connection with nature. With my self-portrait series, Reconciliation, I seek to reconnect with the natural world and introduce a sense of magic and wonder into modern life.

The long exposures required by pinhole photography allow me to create images in which I blend with – and can be overwhelmed by – my natural surroundings. This allows me to provide a visual commentary on man’s interconnectedness with nature and creates a symbiotic relationship between the two; reconciling humanity with the natural world with which we are inextricably linked.

Untitled, Penwood State Park 2 (2020)

DALE RIO

archival inkjet print from original paper negative, open edition.
16H x 16W in (40.5H x 40.5W cm)
$450.00

Humans living in contemporary western society have, in large part, severed their connection with nature. With my self-portrait series, Reconciliation, I seek to reconnect with the natural world and introduce a sense of magic and wonder into modern life.

The long exposures required by pinhole photography allow me to create images in which I blend with – and can be overwhelmed by – my natural surroundings. This allows me to provide a visual commentary on man’s interconnectedness with nature and creates a symbiotic relationship between the two; reconciling humanity with the natural world with which we are inextricably linked.

Vacation to York, Maine (2020: exposed September 14-18)

HEATHER PALECEK

giclee print
10H x 10W in (25.4H x 25.4W cm)
$250.00

I use the process of solargraphy to capture the sun on important days I don’t want to forget. Each of these images were created inside of a pinhole camera with a long exposure over the entire duration of the event to metaphorically document the moment (sometimes a few hours or an entire day, and other times a full week).

The Winter Solstice (2022: exposed December 21)

HEATHER PALECEK

giclee print
10H x 10W in (25.4H x 25.4W cm)
$250.00

I use the process of solargraphy to capture the sun on important days I don’t want to forget. Each of these images were created inside of a pinhole camera with a long exposure over the entire duration of the event to metaphorically document the moment (sometimes a few hours or an entire day, and other times a full week).

The Summer Solstice (2020: exposed June 21)

HEATHER PALECEK

giclee print
10H x 10W in (25.4H x 25.4W cm)
$250.00

I use the process of solargraphy to capture the sun on important days I don’t want to forget. Each of these images were created inside of a pinhole camera with a long exposure over the entire duration of the event to metaphorically document the moment (sometimes a few hours or an entire day, and other times a full week).