2020 Regina Valkenborgh - Perpetuity longest exposure

An eight-year exposure captures the essence of time in stunning solar trails.

In an extraordinary blend of art, science, and serendipity, the longest exposure photograph ever taken was discovered in 2020. Captured using a simple drink can pinhole camera, this eight-year exposure reveals the sun’s daily path, etched across the sky in 2,953 luminous arcs. Artist Regina Valkenborgh had set up the camera at the Bayfordbury Observatory in 2012, but after some time, she forgot about it. It wasn’t until a technician rediscovered the camera in 2020 that this remarkable image, formed over nearly a decade, came to light.

Described as the "phenomenology of capturing light and time through the photographic process," Valkenborgh’s work employed photographic paper and natural light to create an image that compresses years into a single frame. The photograph bridges the gap between visual art and scientific inquiry, offering a unique visual revelation of the sun’s changing cycles and our planet’s rhythmic journey through space.

The forgotten camera’s survival and its eventual rediscovery only enhance the impact of this photograph, which stands as a testament to photography’s role in visualizing the invisible forces of time and motion, influencing future artistic endeavors and scientific exploration alike.

Credit: © Regina Valkenborgh, used with permission of the artist
Author: Regina Valkenborgh
Title: Perpetuity
Date: 2020
Archive: Regina Valkenborgh
Source: Regina Valkenborgh
Original file: 210 mm x 297 mm, 300 dpi
Available information: Captured at Bayfordbury Observatory, with a camera obscura. Digital Positive file from paper negative.

Image credit left: Perpetuity, original negative (as taken out of the can) © Regina Valkenborgh, used with permission of the artist. Image credit right: Perpetuity, simple inverted positive © Regina Valkenborgh, used with permission of the artist. https://obscura-photography.co.uk/gallery/bayfordbury-observatory-series.