In 2010 Fotonow CIC founders, Jonathan Blyth and Matthew Pontin, were working with communities to build camera obscuras, soon after the idea of a mobile vehicle emerged in the shape of a Foster and Day coach-built 1986 VW T25 camper van. Initially Camper Obscura was used for a residency, supported by Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership, to engage as many different people across Devonport as possible.
Thanks to a lens provided by obscura enthusiast Derek Swindley, who passed away in 2011, Camper Obscura has continued to offer visual experiences to members of the public who hop aboard the creative mobile project. After more than 20,000 visitors in 2015 the company decided to invest into a refresh, with a new interior and radio-controlled turret the impact of the work will hopefully continue for another five years.