My Afghan Box Camera has no shutter, so I control the exposure with the lens cap. That works fine as long you have a model to photograph. During my tests with the camera I had the idea to shoot myself, because I like to hang out in the garden alone - only with my camera and whit a cold drink.
I love it to be inspired from the amazing photographer Borut Peterlin. His YouTube Channel is really worth to follow, if photography is for you more than only taking pictures.
He is using a self made guillotine shutter for his self portraits which fascinated me from the first time as I saw it. It works with two slides: One slide to open the lens - the second one to close the lens again and to finish the exposure. For me it was a goal to control both slides with only one electromagnet and only one switch. It took a while to find a working solution for that. In the video you can see how it works. It's quite simple.
All stuff I used was from the scrap - and some 3D printed parts, like the two slides and the stopper for the closing slide. The electromagnet is from an old tape machine.
To get more distance I will make a longer and thinner cable. Now I have 5 meters from the junk which works fine for the beginning.
Now I can't wait for better weather and to make the first tests outside! Stay tuned for the results!
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