I’ve been shooting black and white film for over 18 years, and since a few years ago, I have had my own darkroom set up in the basement. I love to do some uncomplicated printing on RC paper every now and then. When I built my own XPan-format panoramic camera, I was confronted with a […]
Tag: Cyanotype
How I transformed cyanotype prints into a video for Vivienne Westwood
Cyanotype — also known as the “blueprint” or “sunprint” process, among other names — is a photographic process that has been practiced by photographers for ~180 years. Through the magic of combining two chemicals — ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide — you can produce a striking blue image in a matter of moments. Coated […]
EMULSIVE Interview #227: I am Lucy Ridges and this is why I shoot film (NSFW)
I really am struggling to introduce today’s interviewee, someone whom I was introduced to earlier this year by Ellen Rogers. In between asking Lucy for an interview back in April and today, I’ve come to know and appreciate her photography (both what you see here and the flip side of her photographic coin). I’m struggling […]
5 Frames… Of acetate negative cyanotypes, with a ‘How-To’ so you can as well
I desire to shoot large format. So far, it’s a photographic journey that I’ve not managed to start, unless you count homemade Foamcore pinhole cameras. But I’m getting closer. I will be an LF photographer one day. One day soon. Maybe even a ULF shooter. But until then, I make LF negatives by printing digital files onto […]
Northern Sustainable Darkroom: A green revolution for analogue photography
I stand at the edge of the forest, my dilapidated Canon in hand. Mist rises from the trees, as two pigeons snap their wings in hasty exit. A path snakes ahead, deep into the wooded dark. Raising my camera, I peer through the scuffed lens. I hold my finger to the shutter, waiting for the […]
EMULSIVE’S most popular darkroom related articles of 2020
Here’s listicle #2 for this year, and it’s 100% focused on darkroom alchemy. From bringing back Kodachrome (development, that is!), to RA-4 color printing, to monobath developers, lith printing and…the list goes on. Darkroom and darkroom-related work continues to increase through our community as more and more photographers find them selves coming back to traditional […]
EMULSIVE Secret Santa 2020: Update #1
2020 is one giant anomaly. I don’t think anyone of us thought we’d be in this scenario 8 months ago, and yet here we are. In the bid to dazzle the remaining months, EM and I have agreed that cancelling the annual gift swap in favour of prints, cards, letters and the like is just […]
How-to: Make a UV LED box for cyanotype prints
In this article, I’m going to show you how to make a Cyanotype print with UV LED box as the light source. Cyanotypes are traditionally developed in sunlight and the prints are often referred to as “sun prints”. But it is winter, it is cold and UV light isn’t so strong and readily available as […]
Results WILL vary: An introduction to the endless creative expression of gum printing
Gum printing or, to give it it’s full name, gum bichromate printing can seem daunting. Certainly, it takes more of commitment in time and materials than cyanotype. But after cyanotype, gum is one of the simplest and most flexible alternative processes to dive into. Gum printing is expressive, painterly and fun; and to show you […]
Get set for Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2020: The COVID-19 edition
Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day (WPPD) is nearly upon us for 2020. A few weeks back I decided to put together a quick reminder and thanks to Andrew Bartram, connected with WPPD’s Nick Dvoracek to find out how the event was going to pan out due to COVID-19. The short version is that Worldwide Pinhole Photography […]
5 Frames… With a Liquid Cyanotype Kit on Fluid Cold Press Finish Watercolor Paper
The way the paper showed the details in the lacy leaves was more than I had hoped for. And the tactile process of arranging items that I loved on paper was therapeutic.
New “Paper Blues”: Pre-rolled cyanotype paper for your 35mm film camera
Brand new for 2020 and a world photographic first, these pre-rolled 35mm film cassettes are loaded with specially coated cyanotype paper, which will allow you to use one of the world’s first photographic techniques in any 35mm film camera ever made. Say hello to “Paper Blues”.
65 photographic projects you can do when you’re stuck at home
To help beat the boredom, I reached out to the film photography community and asked what kinds of photography projects they’d be doing while stuck at home/physically distancing over the next…
Blue Planet: Come dip your toe into the Cyanotype ocean
Artist and teacher Christina Z. Anderson refers to cyanotypes (also known as Sun prints) as a “gateway drug” for alternative photography. As in, stick a toe in that deep blue ocean and next thing you know you’ve turned your basement into a dim room, McGyvered a UV exposure box out of an old tanning lamp, […]
2020 film and traditional photography event calendar
This film community is awesome. In fact, it’s getting awesomer(er) every day, month and year. One thing it is missing though, is a way of seeing all sorts of film events across the year in one place. We haven’t all got time to keep up with multiple websites for photowalks, shows, film parties and so […]
EMULSIVE’s most popular darkroom related articles of 2019
If you’re on social media, you will have no doubt noticed an uptick in darkroom-related activities in our community. From home processing black and white and colour film to RA-4 darkroom printing, it seems that more and more people are getting into the darkroom in one way or another, and that’s fantastic news. Here are […]
EMULSIVE interview #207: I am George Quiroga and this is why I shoot film
Up for this week’s fresh EMULSIVE interview slot is George Quiroga who has been out there catching light for over 50 years — above ground and underwater. There’s some great reading below and suitably fantastic photography to boot. So with that, it’s over to George… Hi George, what’s this picture, then? Under Cover – Canon […]
Introducing the Crumpotype : Buttery Summertime cyanotype fun
Traditional photographic processes require forethought, preparation and involvement on the part of the photographer. To demonstrate this, I made crumpets from scratch and then made cyanotypes using them. Because, obviously.
EMULSIVE Interview #199: I am Agi Ch and this is why I shoot film
Creator, mentor, ambassador.
How-to: Make cyanotype prints from analog or digital negatives without sunlight
I hope that through this article, I’ll be able to convince you that cyanotypes can be done on a tight budget and without access to sunlight.