A High School Photographic Curriculum for the 21st Century Student

A High School Photographic Curriculum for the 21st Century Student

By Sara Sicona It is my hope that the curriculum I have designed not only inspires photography teachers, but also any art educator who wishes to expand their curriculum to include the study of photography. My goal is to bring photographic processes into the art classroom, whether for a first time user or for a return of (and to) the study of photography. Although, this model curriculum is targeted toward secondary education, students of any age are able to learn and use these processes. This curriculum not only addresses the preservation of the hands-on photographic processes, it also incorporates contemporary technology that gives it a future in hybridized curricula.

The following curriculum addresses four photographic techniques in depth and touches upon six others, providing sample artwork from each process--many of which were created for this proposed curriculum. A few of the processes stem from the birth of what we know as photography, nearly 200 years ago. Others were created as the evolving changes that have brought us to our present day use of digital photography. Many of these processes can be hybridized, combining established ideas and practices with current technologies to produce an affordable option to a fullblown photography curriculum, making its projects and experiments manageable in most art classrooms.

When building this curriculum, I wanted to include processes that touch on the foundations of photography, showing numerous ways an image can be made. In our present world it is rare to physically hold a photograph anymore—something that has changed with the digital revolution. Once, film was a standard, picture were actual tangible pages with images. And in the spirit of preservation, now more than ever, these tangible images are crucial as the digital format evolves –and we no longer can hold in our hands the images that ‘define’ us.

The Need for a Contemporary Curriculum This curriculum was informed by and constructed through my experience as both photographer and art educator. As a classically trained photographer, my photographic education beginning with understanding the parts of a camera, 35mm film and silver gelatin (wet darkroom) photography, when in high school, I knew photography was my life’s passion. While taking classes as an undergraduate I began to realize that the silver gelatin photography

Figure 1. Cyanotype from digital negative contact print

As humans, we continue to live in a continuously evolving photographic history. Ten years ago the iPhone changed how we not only capture, but also see and respond to, images. We have witnessed yet another technological shift in format; one that reaches beyond our imagination.

I sought to find a way to combine both traditional and digital formats to create a photography curriculum that will teach the fundamentals of photography—the way that images are collected, edited, produced, and the material--while embracing our current modern conveniences that revolve around digital technology. This curriculum is a point of entry, a stepping-stone, to expose photography’s dynamic and versatile nature to its users and to incorporate it into classrooms (art and others) to explore its potential as both an image making tool and a means by which to communicate.

Hopes Beyond this Model Curriculum As I explored these processes I couldn’t help notice how they might be integrated into other academic disciplines.

Many of the photographic processes could potentially serve as an integrative hands-on approach to image making suited for a variety of academic disciplines.

For instance, the Cyanotype process uses the raw chemicals Ammonium iron(III) citrate and Potassium fericyanide. When the chemicals are combined and exposed to UV light, the emulsion changes to a distinctive Prussian blue (thus the name Cyanotype). This process could easily be integrated into a chemistry lesson. The Anthotype process uses juice from plants to record an exposure. When exposed to sunlight, there is a reaction to the photosensitive elements inside the plants. The Chlorophyll process will also yield beautiful images –in addition to the exposure process, which conveys the inner workings of plant. The photosynthesis occurs in the vascular structure of the plant (xylem and phloem), which bring water and nutrients to

process was slowly disappearing. I witnessed our advanced wet darkroom being replaced with a ‘digital darkroom’. Photography at the college level finds many places that still teach the traditional practices of each, analog and digital, but what about high school photography classes?

There are fewer and fewer schools fortunate enough to afford the upkeep of a working wet lab; others have abandoned the more expensive wet darkroom for a digital technology that is readily available, but less ‘hands on’, while there are systems that have eliminated photography completely from the curriculum.

Two years ago, when I began teaching, I was not surprised that the school where I was employed had no photography program. This curriculum can become that way of building/rebuilding the connection to the making of an image—something that would be beneficial to students in many areas in an interdisciplinary educational landscape.

the leaves of the plants and is affected by the exposure to the sun. The construction and operation of a pinhole camera could just as easily be taught in a physics (or possibly physical science) class. In looking at the pinhole process and movement of light over time, we are looking at how a camera works.

The photographic format is a natural fit within the STEM pedagogy. The link between science and art is intrinsically recognized since the Renaissance. Photography’s very foundation began technologically, yet evolved into an artistic practice evoking creative thinking, design, and discovery. A STEAM pedagogy fostering the arts, supplies students with the creative thinking, risk taking, inquiry, and observation skills they need to make connections essential to scientific problem solving.

The Digital Negative: Merging Modern Technology with Old Processes What is a digital negative?

A digital negative is a transparency sheet used in an inkjet printer to create a large scale negative the same size as your paper. Figure 2. is a silver gelatin photograph contact print which was created with a digital negative placed directly on top of the photographic paper. The digital negative has almost entirely replaced celluloid film. Digital technology is constantly progressing and getting easier to use, not to mention the cost per negative is considerably lower then that of celluloid’s. The beauty of using digital negatives is you’re controlling the output with editing software.

Making a Digital Negative Creating a digital negative requires a good deal of experience in Adobe Photoshop, yet there are plenty of tutorials on the YouTube that can walk you through each step, or you can purchase the Inkjet Negative Companion created by digital negative master Dan Burkholder which is how figure 1 was made. Burkholder created custom layers for many alternative photographic processes you can upload into your Adobe software. Choose the process you wish to make and apply the appropriate layer to your image and you can print your negative. Right (Figure 3.) you will see an applied layer,

Figure 2. Erik -Silver gelatin print made from a digital negative

which converts the image to monochromatic, then inverts the image from a positive to a negative.

Making a Contact Print with a Digital Negative Making a ‘darkroom’ environment suitable for developing a print is fairly simple. To begin, create a light tight room, purchase a red safelight, and use fan for circulation. Above Erik (Figure 3.) was created in a garage from a digital negative. The print was created on Iford RC Silver Gelatin B&W paper. The digital negative was placed on unexposed RC paper and placed in a contact frame. The exposure was exactly three seconds using the overhead garage light. The required developing baths; developer, stop, (water) and fixer are needed to make the print archival. Any digital image can be turned into a digital negative. The following photographic processes can use digital negatives: Cyanotypes, Van Dyke prints, Lumen prints, Anthotypes, Chlorphyll prints, Chemograms.

Figure 3. Dan Burkholder’s custom layer applied to a digital image in Adobe Photoshop

What you’ll need to make a Digital Negative

More Information and Sources on

 Inkjet printer

Digital Negatives

 Inkpress® Transparency Film

If you would like to see first hand how a negative contact print

 Digital image

works try using an X-ray of your teeth, or body parts on

 Adobe Photoshop® or Gimp®  Dan Burkholder’s Inkjet Negative Companion

photosensitive piece of paper like Iford RC paper. The negative

 YouTube tutorials

placed directly on the paper and exposed produces the inverse of

 White cotton gloves (recommended)

a negative, which is a positive.

 UV sleeves or manila folders to protect the image See below left figure 4. the finished product. A contact print made from a digital negative. Notice below the inverse is the negative. The black ink blocks the light during the exposure producing the white you see in the final print.

A good printer is required for digital negatives. Make sure your printer has the option of slowing down the printing speed. Most printers default to speed printing but for digital negatives it tend to leave banding marks on the negative.

iPhone images are created at a high enough resolution to generate a good digital negative. You can experiment with different apps and filters when you process the image in Photoshop. My favorite is the Histamatic® on the iPhone.

Figure 4. Silver gelatin contact print using digital negative

For more information on digital negatives check out these links Good info on Dan Burkholder and his program http://www.freestylephoto.biz/board-of-advisors/dan-burkholder Digital Negative Masters website http://www.danburkholder.com Don’t have Photoshop? Use Gimp! It’s FREE! http://www.alternativephotography.com/digital-negatives-gimp/ Some books you can buy https://www.amazon.com/Making-Digital-Negatives-ContactPrinting/dp/0964963868

Figure 5. Digital negative on Inkpress transparency

The Cyanotype: The Birth of Photography A Brief History The Cyanotype is an archival photographic printing process that was discovered in 1842 by scientist Sir John Herschel. It’s one of the first photographic processes ever created where the image remained fixed after exposure. Equal portions of the chemicals Ammonium iron(III) (also known as Ferric Ammonium Citrate) and Potassium Ferricyanide in liquid form are combined to create a light-sensitive emulsion. Work in a ultra-violet safe room and coat the emulsion on good quality paper. The exposure and washout process yield an image represented in a deep Prussian blue, when exposed to ultraviolet light.

Some of the first technical blueprint drawings were made with cyanotype chemistry and the first photo book was made from cyanotype photographic images of seaweed by English botanist Anna Atkins. It was called Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, published in 1843.

Figure 6. Lace cyanotype photogram

For those beginning the cyanotype process, I suggest purchasing the Bostick and Sullivan Cyanotype kit, which comes with complete instructions and all chemistry. The chemistry is ready to use when diluted with measured amounts of distilled water, which is used to neutralize alkali that might be present in tap water.

Contemporary Practices The cyanotype process does not require a darkroom as it does in other photographic practices, particularly silver gelatin.

Incandescent lighting is suitable for paper coating and preparing the materials before exposure to the sun—or other forms of ultraviolet lighting.

The simplest way to make a cyanotype is by positioning collected objects or vegetation on the emulsion-coated surface, a direct contact image known as a photogram. Organic materials such as flowers or plants yield beautiful results with delicate and simplistic forms. Figures 6, 7, and 8 are photograms using found objects of varying opacities. The cyanotype is a very versatile process, where images can be exposed singly but also combined with other processes –for instance, the Van Dyke print or hand-coloring.

Cyanotypes can be toned purple, brown, black or even green by changing the chemical makeup of the print with additional chemistry. Some easy ways to begin toning prints include tea, coffee, or red wine.

Interest in the cyanotype process has increased considerably as individual imagemakers have discovered its simplicity and its hands-on/maker appeal-- especially combined with the use of digital imaging technologies. The process is consistently expanding what we know and expect as photographic media into new (or hybridized) forms, formats and experimentations. The ease of making and availability of the digital negative is making it easier for artists to create cyanotypes on numerous surfaces that include ceramic, cloth, wood and even bone. Our old expectation is that when we think of photography we often see a rectangle.

The cyanotype’s uniqueness is in the liquidity of form, which allows the maker to choose what shape—and on what surfaces-the photograph can be made.

Figure 7. Vine cyanotype photogram double exposure

Figure 8. Snake skin photogram

A Step-by-Step Walk-through of the Cyanotype Process

Figure 9. Supplies for cyanotypes

Supply Checklist  Bostick & Sullivan Cyanotype chemistry kit  Shot glass  Painter’s tape  Acid-free watercolor paper  2” Foam brush  Hydrogen peroxide  Running water  Tray for agitating

Step One Figure 10.

Set up supplies on tabletop in a space with incandescent (not UV) lighting. This could be a room where outdoor/fluorescent lighting could be managed. Pre-tape paper edges with painters tape, lay out brush, clamps and/or contact printer/glass and mixing supplies (cyanotype A and B solution, eyedroppers and shot glass).

Additionally, prepare the processing area with a tray of water and 1tsp hydrogen peroxide and a second tray for the running water, for washing the print. . Using provided eyedroppers, measure out equal portions (10 drops each) of chemical A and chemical B in shot glass.

Swirl the glass to mix the chemistry well.

Step Two & Three Coating the Paper Figure 11.

Pour chemistry in middle of paper and quickly begin coating moving the foam brush in even strokes from top to bottom, then side to side. Make sure the paper is evenly coated to prevent any chemistry from ‘pooling’ at the edges of the paper. The painter’s tape border helps prevent this and gives it a trimmed out look.

Step Four Exposing the Print Figure 12.

The coating should dry completely before adding a second (and possibly third) coat. The emulsion can be

When the paper is fully dry, prepare for exposure by arranging your

air dried or dried with a hair dryer (from the back of the

objects onto the coated paper in a space that is not affected by

paper). The paper surface should be dried before

ultraviolet light. Be aware of your composition, considering shapes,

exposing an image.

forms and opacity. Place glass (or your contact printer) over the objects and clip the sides to secure and flatten the paper and/or objects. Leave in sunlight for the exposure. The average exposure time in bright sunlight is from 2-5 minutes, but watch for changes in the surface color of the exposed emulsion .

When paper is exposed to sunlight it turns to a dark green then to a silver gray. When it reaches that tone, (figure 10) the print can be processed in running water.

Step Five Developing the Print Figure 13.

Place the print into a clean tray or clean Pyrex casserole dish and fill it with running water. With the water still running, rinse print by gently agitating (rocking the water back and fourth) for two minutes. You will see the chemistry rinsing out of the unexposed areas and the grey turning to a deep Prussian blue. Add 1 tsp hydrogen peroxide to the water tray to whiten the yellowish tones and to bring out the deep Prussian blue,

Step Six

something the cyanotype is known for. Rinse for 10

Finished Print

minutes in cool running water.

Figure 14.

By rinsing your print in a running water bath for ten minutes A few source recomendations for Cyanotypes 

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unexposed iron compounds are washed away in the water. What is left

Christopher James’s Book of Alternative Photographic Processes second or third edition. I refer to this book for every process I use. The cyanotype section is extensive Peter Mrhar’s Cyanotype: Historical and Alternative Photography

on the print is the combined potassium citrate and the iron ferricyanide, which gives the print its characteristic blue color. Once the image has washed out completely, hang print to dry.

CoContemporary artists I love who speicalize in Cyanotypes

Bostick and Sullivan is a wonderful compay out of Santa Fe, New Mexico that specializes in all alternative photographic processes, supplies, and chemicals. (add the website)

Annie Lopez works with cyanotypes on fabric and also teaches high school students the process in Arizona https://hyperallergic.com/272915/photographys-blue-period-gets-itsfirst-major-show-in-the-us/ Craig Keenan’s work is exhibited in many galleries in London.

Also reference the many YouTube instructions for cyanotype, the alternative-processes.com site and unblinkingeye.com for starters, so that your future makers will have a multitude of resources.

http://www.craigkeenanart.com/cyanotypes Jill Enfield is a master in many alternative processes http://jillenfield.com

Cyanotype Assignment ‘Selfie’ vs Self-Portraiture An Exploration in Identity The emergence of Kodak Brownie changed photography at the turn of the 20th century. The easy to operate and affordable camera was welcomed as a source of familial photographic documentation One-hundred years later, the invention of the iPhone has revolutionized the way in which we communicate.

The format completely different yet the goals remain the same.

The iPhone has changed the way that we see ourselves and also, the way that we see others. The ‘selfie’ phenomenon is ever growing As more and more people use their phone cameras to take pictures of themselves in every possible situation, we start to lose sight of the content—and what a strong self-portrait can communicate.   Figure 15. Self- Portrait cyanotype digital negative and photogram

Cyanotype Tips 

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When exposing your images you need to be aware of these three variables that relate specifically to an outdoor/sunlight exposure; (1) time of day; (2) time of year; and (3) direct sunlight. Watch the image as it is exposing, looking for changes in the color of the emulsion. When the image becomes a silver gray it is fully exposed.

The time factor per exposure will depend upon the three listed variables.

Buy good quality cotton watercolor paper such as Canson® or Strathmore®. The higher the cotton content, the more controlled the image—no additional chemistry in the paper to contaminate the cyanotype chemistry.

Experiment with different types of objects, their shapes and their levels of opacity. You never know what may come out looking great.

Remember patience! Go slow--this process requires a lot of patience.

Watch out for rain. Water droplets will affect the surface of the paper as they both contaminate emulsion and leave unpleasant water stains.

Uneven coating leads to unpleasant blotchiness in the emulsion. The goal is to create as even of an emulsion as possible Consistency in brushstrokes, smooth and careful coating yields the best work.

Make sure there is no hair or spots in the emulsion. It will show up when the image has been exposed.

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How do you see yourself? Does a ‘selfie’ covey the real YOU? Or does it represent a superficial façade?

Think about how composition works, and how a selfie tends to evoke it’s own style and composition of figures.

Ask yourself, “what are the aesthetic choices a photographer makes when making a compelling self-portrait?”

How can you, as either photographer or audience, distinguish the difference between a ‘selfie’ and a self-portrait?

Look at photographic artists who specialize in self-portraiture, these three in particular:   

Cindy Sherman Nan Golden Francesca Woodman

You are not limited to only photographic self-portraiture. Other mediums that explore self-portraiture can provide insight into a compelling self-portrait.

Using your cellphone camera, take five self-portraits--NOT SELFIES--and select the most compelling image to change to a digital negative. If you set up your camera your friend can take the picture, or perhaps you can use a tripod with a timer. This will be used for the cyanotype contact print.

As an example of the process—and of this project--, the image of the Figure 15. top left, is a double exposure cyanotype. The emulsion coated paper was first exposed for a portion of the time as a photogram (a direct contact image, placing an object on the paper surface) using the plant. After the initial exposure, the paper is taken inside where the plant is removed and the digital negative is placed on the paper. The digital negative is then returned to the sunlight and exposed for an additional amount of time. Once the exposure is completed it may be brought inside to process with running water and a small amount of hydrogen peroxide.

Scanography: Using a Flatbed Scanner as an Image Maker What is Scanography?

We often think of a photograph as an image created with a camera.

Yet contemporary artists are experimenting with various ways to create original work using unconventional methods like a flatbed scanner as a giant camera. Figures 16, 17, and 18 were created on an Epson flatbed scanner.

3-D objects placed on the scanner do not allow you to close the lid and thus the background will usually be black or dark. If you don’t want this, hold a piece of white foam board in the background or cover the object with white fabric during the scan.

Experiment with moving the object while you’re scanning it. Be sure to clean the scanner glass before using it. It may be helpful to use an anti-static cloth to remove any dust particles, as they will be scanned into the final digital image. You can use post-production software such as Adobe Photoshop or Gimp to adjust image saturation and contrast.     

Figure 16. Flatbed scanned image- Horseflies and polyester

Things to Consider Images can be symbolic. They can evoke emotional responses such as irony, humor, nostalgia, or dread.

Images can be pictorial. A combination of images and objects can illustrate ideas that dominate our thinking, showing us in retrospect.

Images can be metaphorical. They can serve as substitutes for other objects, ideas or experiences that are comparable in some symbolic way.

Images can be abstracted. Selected photos can be collaged to provide balance and harmony.

Above all, images trigger personal, highly individualized responses that might depict or remind us of ourselves, our problems, our joys.

Consider how the following concepts and definitions might inform your work:  Juxtaposition - an image-development strategy used to place like or contrasting images (and text) side by side to generate new associations or convey narrative elements.  recontextualization – positioning a familiar image in a context with which it is not usually associated to generate new meanings.  Layering – an image-development strategy involving placing images of varying transparency over the top of one another.

Figure 17. Flatbed scanned image- toads and nylon

Scanography Assignment Objects and Meaning Collect lots of found images and materials (such as old photographs, newspaper headlines, tickets, loose fabric, graphics, printed words, poetry, sheet music, and so on). Three-dimensional objects may also be used (such as nails, sea shells, toys, and other souvenirs).

Create a triptych (three individual images each 4” x 6”) that work together as a unit. You can choose to make them a continuous narrative or convey them in a unifying theme. Each image should be strong enough to stand on its own. Yet, together they should read as one image or narrative.

Consider several possible arrangements of the items you

Figure 18. Flatbed scanned image- heron head and silk

choose to use. While your idea may not be primarily formal in nature, one of your goals is to arrange things in an interesting way to communicate an idea or message.

Technical Requirements: • Turn in two hard-copy prints of the three images (dimensions must be at least 4” x 6” but not greater than 7” x 8”).

Presentation of the images will be considered.

• Turn in a digital copy of all three images saved as .tif files at 300 dpi.

Print each images out separately to consider the orientation.

As a class we will discuss which images are stronger and in which order. Once you have decided which images to print you will make one large print on an Adobe Photoshop New Image> Image size > 6x18 inches, adjust accordingly. Figure 19. was created on a 6”x 18” blank document then each image was arranged.

This project is in line with a long history of artists and artistphotographers who have used alternative imaging tools and techniques such as the photogram and copy machine (including Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Man Ray, David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Les Levine, Larry Rivers, and Sonia Sheridan.

Check out https://www.scannography.org for contemporary artists, their processes, images, and tips on scanography.

Figure 19. Triptych created with Adobe Photoshop

Suggestions for Scanography • • • • • • •

Try moving your object or rotating it as the scanner bar moves down the track.

Try layering your images in post-processing, for instance one scan over another.

Experiment with covering your scanner with a black cloth as to block any escaping light or allowing any ambient light to enter while exposing.

You can experiment with using different color backgrounds by taping cardstock to the scanner cover Some artists use liquid to create abstract Read your scanners software manual and see if it adjusts for highlights and shadows, this will help you adjust for contrast and exposure.

Consider several possible arrangements of the items you choose to use. While your idea may not be primarily formal in nature, one of your goals is to arrange things in an interesting way to communicate an idea or message.

Anthotypes: Organic-based Photographs Anthotypes prints were created by utilizing the photosensitive properties within organic materials. These processes are both inexpensive and chemical free. Each process can be taught in an art classroom or, additionally, combined with a biology class so that students may gain a broader understanding of plant anatomy A Brief History of the Anthotype

Figure 20. Spinach anthotype photogram using lace

Many notable scientists have been credited with the discovery of the anthotype, although Sir John Herschel is perhaps the most well known, due to his extensive written publications and experimentations on the process. Herschel is also credited with many discoveries in what is now our photographic historical process. One of the more relevant Herschel discoveries was with hyposulphite of soda, or “hypo” bath, that stabilizes the print by removing excess silver and rendering the image safe for light exposure. (It is more commonly known as fixer).

Seeking a way to produce color photographs, Herschel discovered the anthotype process. He published the results in his 1842 paper On the Action of the Rays of the Solar Spectrum on Vegetable Colours, and on some new Photographic Process.

In the making of an anthotype, the natural pigments in plants, berries, fruit, or vegetables are extracted as juice. The extracted (and separated from the pulp) liquid is applied to the surface of a cotton-based paper with a brush, becoming a photographic (or light-sensitive) emulsion. Once the surface has dried, a direct contact image may be made. An object --or possibly a highly contrasted negative-- is placed on the coated paper and is then exposed to sunlight. Where the surface of the paper is exposed, sun bleaching occurs creating a monochromatic photographic drawing. The amount of bleaching can be regulated by time and light.

How to make an Anthotype Photogram

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Figure 21. Spinach Anthotype of toad in box using digital positive

The lace spinach anthotype photogram Figure 20. was created by applying three separate coats of spinach juice –the lightsensitive emulsion-- on cold pressed watercolor paper.

Things to Consider/Helpful Hints For Anthotypes

Each coat is left to dry before another is applied. Once the paper/coated surface was completely dried, the lace was placed on a dry coated paper and left in direct sunlight for 3-4 hours.

Over this time, the sun bleaches the exposed surface of the paper, resulting in the lighter green portions. The darker portions indicate where the lace made direct contact with the paper, blocking the light. While the image remains for some time, exposure to ultraviolet light will cause it to deteriorate.

Traditional Anthotypes were created by extracting the juice with a mortar and pestle--yet modern appliances, such as a juicer or blender, are much faster and less messy.

Multiple coatings of juice will yield a stronger, richer color.

With the added density, the exposure time will also need to be increased. The end results of multiple coatings will yield an image with stronger contrast.

The juices of some plants will have a very short exposure time.

This includes the juice of spinach, which, on a sunny day with direct light, can be fully exposed in three hours. On the other end, beet juice anthotype images can take as long as three to four weeks. A part of the exposure time depends on how many coatings of juice have been applied.

Cheesecloth is often used to strain the pulp but some artists like the look of the leftover pulp that dries on the paper.

An anthotype is not permanent. The photosensitive content of the juice will fade over time. To help preserve the anthotype, it is suggested that the image be placed in a room with little UV light, or in a frame with museum glass, which contains a better quality of UV protection.

Making an Anthotype Contact Print An anthotype using a digital positive, see Figure 21. can be made using a digital photograph, for instance, a cell phone camera image, as in this example. By using Adobe Photoshop® or Gimp®, the image can be altered to a monochromatic

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Alum is often added to the emulsion to ‘fix’ (stabilize) the print.

Alum is traditionally used as a preservative for canning fruits or vegetables. In using alum, there is a risk that the emulsion color will change.

When experimenting with different organic samples sometimes the color of the vegetable or flower you choose may yield a different that expected emulsion color.

In virtually any photography process, contamination of the chemistry is the ‘enemy’. Even simple water droplets that are drying on a coated surface will leave water scars on the paper.

It’s important to make sure rain does not contaminate the print.

It can wash away the emulsion or bleed onto your image, often leaving ugly brown marks.

A small amount of denatured alcohol mixed with the juice (emulsion) will often yield a stronger saturation into the paper surface and generate a darker emulsion.

Anthotype photogram images can be made with natural vegetation--flowers and leaves-- or specific designed content, for instance, cutting out cardstock into shapes. The different opacities or thicknesses of the objects and their distance from the surface of the coated paper will determine how soft or sharp the forms read.

output. Using the software gives the user opportunity to adjust the image for even highlights, midtones and shadows before printing the image on a digital transparency to use in the anthotype. Once the image is produced and printed, the contact negative is placed over the emulsion-coated paper to be exposed to sunlight.

Suggested resources for Anthotypes Malin Fabbri, Anthotypes: Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plants, Christopher James, Book of Alternative Photographic Processes Peter Mahr, Easy Digital Negatives: Historcal and Alternative photography. http://www.alternativephotography.com

Anthotype Assignment Basic Anthotype Photogram       

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Supplies Flowers, vegetables, fruit, or plants (enough to yield enough juice to coat paper at least three times) Mortar and pestle—or a juicer or blender Distilled water or denatured alcohol (around a thimble full) A foam or Hake brush Acid-free cotton water color paper Contact frame or glass frame with clips (this was not mentioned in your instruction anywhere--) Objects for photogram or a digital positive image Direct sunlight

Figure 22. Beet juice anthotype

Create a Spinach Anthotype using a Digital Positive Industry vs Nature Look at the Library of Congress website for images from the early 20th century industrial revolution. Find a compelling image that is representative of industry. Your job is to create a new image that juxtaposes the original industrial photograph with this organic nature of the photograph Apply three coats of spinach juice to the watercolor paper and allow to fully dry between coats.  Upload your digital photograph into Adobe Photoshop or Gimp®. Gimp® is a free image editing software that is very similar to Photoshop.  Convert the image to RGB. On the top menu tabs, Image > Mode > RGB  Create a new adjustment layer to work with channels.

On the top menu tabs, Layer >New Adjustments Layer > Channel Mixer > Convert to Monochrome.  Make adjustments to the separate RGB sliders until the image yields a nice balance of highlights, midtones and shadows.  When the image has been properly adjusted, print image on Inkpress Transparency Film® on an inkjet printer. The printing will be on regular speed.  Place the positive transparency image directly on the coated paper and place inside contact frame or glass frame with clips.

Secure the sheet to the paper for exposure.  Position in direct sunlight, periodically checking the exposure until the image has reached the density that you’re looking for.

1.

The Process Steps Choose material for creating emulsion. Juice and strain out pulp into a small glass. Add distilled water or denatured alcohol.

2.

Juiced organic material of vegetable, flower or fruit is hand-coated on paper then left to dry in a cool dark place. Paper should be coated left to right and up and down. For multiple coats make sure the paper is fully dry between coats of emulsion

3.

When paper is completely dry and to the desired color intensity (this is based on how many coats you make) Place objects on the dry emulsion coated paper. For example, Figure 22. top left made with beet juice, and flowers were used. If the objects are flat enough, either place under glass and secure or position the contents inside the contact frame, so that nothing moves.

4.

Composition is key when placing your forms.

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Leave the image to expose in direct sun. Depending on the choice of emulsion material, this could expose for days to weeks. You may wish to check the exposure occasionally to determine progress.

6.

When development is complete, the anthotype is finished. To preserve the image, hang in room with no direct sunlight.

Chlorophyll Prints Chlorophyll prints are a recent development within the alternative photographic community. The plant-based process works along the same principles of the anthotype, but instead of crushing the leaves for their juices, a digital positive (the inverse of a negative) is placed directly onto a live leaf and pressed tightly under a glass frame to make close contact and left in the sun over time to extract the color from the leaf and leave an image through photosynthesis. The digital negatives for the process are created using Adobe Photoshop or Gimp and printed with inkjet printers. They are made the same way as digital negatives without the “invert” step. (See digital negative page for more information of how they work.)

How it works Figure 23. Chlorophyll print on baby spinach using digital negative

A freshly picked leaf is placed on a solid surface, with a negative placed on top, then compressed by a piece of glass (contact printer). The leaf and negative are then placed in the sunlight. The clear parts of the negative let the sunlight through keeping the leaf green, while the dark (dense) portions of the negative block the sunlight, turning the leaf a light yellow. In this process, a positive should be used to achieve normal tonality. Notice left, figures 23. and 24. is a chlorophyll print created using digital negatives on baby spinach. This is because the sun is not actually doing the bleaching- the lack of sunlight produces the bleaching effect. The areas hit by sunlight will remain brighter green while the areas blocked by the negative will lose their coloration. If you’ve made a negative image, on the leaf it will record as a positive. A helpful example is a hose left on the lawn, where the laid color in the grass was lost, while the exposed grass remained green.

Check out the work of Binh Danh a Vietnamese-American contemporary artist who developed the process and works with Chlorophyll prints --some often on very large scales. He uses tropical plants to create portraits of war and soldiers from the Vietnam war, his home country. He is credited for developing this process.

Helpful Hints for Chlorophyll Prints • •

• Figure 24. Holding Chlorophyll prints on spinach leaves of humming bird and beetle digital negatives

• •

Consider this…

Perhaps this process could be taught in an interdisciplinary setting.

Combining the biology class during a lesson on plant structurefunction with an art classes lesson on communicating form with content, could provide an ideal environment for cross curricular learning. This could be an excellent way to weave the arts into

•

For larger leaves like banana palms it’s helpful to keep the plant hydrated with a bag of water and a wet paper towel tied to the end of the stem.

Try the prints on a variety of plants but stay away from leaves with waxy coats, since the process is less successful on coated leaves. Some leaves work while others do not—it’s all trial and error.

Often overexposing the leaf will lead to cracked and brittle leaves, which are very difficult to remove from the negative. Exposure time is also trial and error.

Some leaves take longer to record an image than others.

It’s important to record your process so you can repeat it if the results are favorable. Keep a notebook.

Store leaves in darkened place where ultraviolet light does not affect them. The images are not archival, unless coated with a UV wax or resin.

This process, the chlorophyll print, combines form with content. Consider the format you are using and how it can relate to your chosen subject matter.

What you’ll need to make a chlorophyll print

standard-based curricula.

In some school districts, students don’t have a designated art class until they reach high school. Integrating art-based assignments like a chlorophyll print can broaden their conception of what constitutes as art while simultaneously teaching them the fragility and importance of respecting the natural world.

        

A living leaf Contact frame or glass and cardboard Bull clips, binder clips, or clothespins to clamp the glass and cardboard A digital negative or positive (a negative produces a negative image and a positive produces a positive image in this process).

Damp paper towel Plastic bag Rubber bands Sunlight Lots of patience

Lumen Print Photograms The lumen print is a fairly simple and inexpensive process, and it can also be used to illustrate a how a photogram is made, with a more subtle exposure process. Instead of a specific directional light from an enlarger you will be using sunlight to make the exposure.

This is a silver-gelatin image, so in our process we will use RC (resin-coated) B&W photographic paper. The way it works is rather simple. Place objects directly onto the surface of the paper.

The direct exposure to sunlight will create lumen prints and you can watch them evolve as the silver nitrate in the paper responds to the light. In the images to the right Figures 25. and Figure 26. I used flowers and leaves as subject matter, which I pressed firmly inside a glass frame and left in summer sun for a half-hour, checking the exposure periodically. Once you’ve decided you like the results you must quickly bring the plates inside where they should be instantly digitally recorded using a flatbed scanner—or placed in a tray of fixer, if you’re using any darkroom chemistry at all. The particular process I’m illustrating is chemistry free, but

Figure 25. Lumen print on Ilford RC paper

the images will not last long (thus the digital recording) as exposure to light will continue to deteriorate the form. A nice high-resolution scanned digital image at a 300-600 dpi is sufficient to preserve the essence of the photogram.

As I mentioned, there is the option of running the image through the appropriate darkroom chemistry-- the fixer bath is the only one necessary as developer will turn the image completely black if it’s been exposed to light in any way-- but the chemistry will ultimately change the color tone of the paper and some details may change or even disappear. If you decide not to process the image, place the paper in a dark place that will not be invaded by light— for instance, in between books or in a light sealed box. You can easily make a light-tight box, by lining the box's interior with black electrical tape or by painting the interior of the box with black paint, layering until it’s opaque. However, each time the photogram is exposed to the light it will continue to change, due to exposure.

Lumen Print Supplies and Suggestions 

Iflord RC B&W paper (expired paper works)



Objects-- organic or inorganic—to make direct contact images on the paper

Figure 26. Lumen print on Ilford RC paper

 

Glass contact frame or inexpensive frame from dollar



Experiment with a variety of objects and their density or

store (for compressing object and glass

level of opacity. Try cutting out paper into shapes, gather

Bull clips or binder clips (if necessary to clamp the glass

fabrics, or seek out objects with tiny details. Overlap them

or object)

and compose them in an interesting composition as you begin to explore the way that the light works.

Optional if you want to see the process through archival 

Developing trays



Developer (use only if the paper has not been exposed to light)



Stop bath or water



Fixer (used if you choose to stabilize the image and make it no longer light sensitive)



Check out the work of Jerry Burchfield his work: Primal Images: 100 Lumen Prints of the Amazonia Flora

Van Dyke Brown The Van Dyke Brown print was named after the oil pigment color popularly used by Flemish painter Anthony Van Dyke, from which the process was also named. The Van dyke print is similar to the cyanotype as its reaction to iron salts produces a similar reaction to ultra-violet light exposure, although the more active ingredient silver nitrate decreases the exposure time and also has the option of using a hypo (fixer) bath to give this archival process more longevity. The results are always a deep chestnut brown, varying only slightly by the type of paper selected as the receiver. As with the cyanotype, the Van Dyke print does not require a darkroom. The paper can be coated in incandescent light, and often a string of white lights are suggested for illuminating a processing room.

Left figure. 27 and figure 28. are Van Dyke contact prints made from digital negatives. Van Dyke prints are slightly more advanced then cyanotypes as they require more steps in processing and developing.

Things you’ll need for Van Dyke Prints 

Figure 27. Van Dyke Brown contact print

               

Bostick and Sullivan Van Dyke Brown chemistry kit (comes with extensive directions and troubleshooting) Potassium dichromate (for contrast boosting) Sodium thiosulfate (hypo) Three developing trays (8x10) Gram scale (kitchen scale with gram measurement works if there’s no scientific scale) Coffee filters (to weigh the chemistry in its raw state) Contact frame (love mine from Bostick and Sullivan) or glass frame for compressing negatives to coated paper Rubber gloves Shot glass Any 100% cotton rag paper, although warm-press is recommended Foam brush or hake brush Inkjet printer Inkpress® transparency film Cool running water Sunlight or UV light source Red safelight A lot of patience  Suggestions for Van Dyke Brown Prints

Figure 28. Van Dyke Brown contact print



Once you’re comfortable with the cyanotype process--, this process is best experimented with when you feel comfortable with cyanotype contact printing and working with digital negatives.



The paper is coated with the mixed van dyke chemistry (ferric ammonium citrate, tartaric acid, silver nitrate) in the same way as the cyanotype, drying coats in between. The digital (or film) negative is positioned over the dried coated paper in the contact frame, to prepare for exposure. In the sunlight, exposure time might begin at 2-4 minutes, adjusting for over/under

exposure. Once exposed, the print will be washed in running water. Be sure you locate a resource for the complete instructions.

Some great information on the Van Dyke Brown process 

www.alternativephotography.com



www.lomography.com



Christopher James, Book of Alternative Photographic



Combining an overexposed cyanotype with a partially diluted Van Dyke application can yield a very rich dynamic print. The results are always surprising and there are never two of the same.



If this process is something you enjoy, you can experiment with toning your print with selenium or gold, which will change the overall color tone of the brown print.

Processes

The Chemigram The Chemigram process is a fairly recent one, invented in 1974 by German photo artist Josef H. Neumann. This experimental process evokes the imagination of the creator by using found materials and resists in the making and processing of each unique image. The end results produce highly abstracted photographs.

Everything a silver gelatin (B&W) photographer knows about light sensitive materials and processing time/orders are thrown out the window with this process. The chemigram can be made in full light where the print is ‘painted’ with found

Figure 29. Chemigram made with dipping bubble wrap in developer

objects, which are coated with or soaked in developer, then left in the sunlight to process over time. The included examples to the right were done in a garage, with little attention to the light sensitivity of the paper. Figure 29. top right was created by soaking large bubble wrap in developer then placed directly onto the paper. The paper was exposed to direct sunlight then when the exposure time was completed.

The paper was then placed in distilled water to stop the development process, then transferred to the fixer to first stabilize the image and make it no longer sensitive to light. So to complete this process one would need the materials for a silver gelatin print—the light-sensitive paper, paper developer, distilled water, fixer and running water—but the process operates in the light, not in the light controlled darkroom.

Experimentation is the core of the chemigram process.

Figure 30. Chemigram made with rubber cement resists

Through the practice of image making, using the B&W chemistry helps the user gain a greater understanding of the way that light sensitive paper/emulsions, exposure (both time

Above Figure 30. was created by using resists, which are very

and light), and the processing steps would operate in the

popular with this process. Rubber cement was dripped on the paper

making of an image. On the other end, the materials used in

followed by bubble wrap soaked in developer. The paper was then

contact with the paper, the amount of developer applied and

rinsed in a running bath water for ten minutes before the final stop

the time of exposure are the experimental factors.

bath/fixer application.

Due to the experimental nature of the process there is no absolute/correct (right or wrong) way to create a chemigram.

Realizing and managing how the developer, water bath and fixer work will benefit the creator. (Remember that you do

Things you’ll need to make Chemigrams (note: level of experience says that this might require someone who has used silver gelatin processing

NOT use stop bath with chemigrams - only developer and fixPhoto and Processing Materials list

acetic acid can have a negative chemical reaction with the resists that can turn toxic.) This process provides a level of



8X10 Ilford RC B&W paper is preferred

appreciation for the abstract qualities and practices in art and



Four developing trays (no smaller then 8X10)

opens the door further to the experimental potential of the



Diluted developer and fixer chemistry for B&W

photographic medium.

photography (Any brand of chemistry is fine as long as its B&W)

Suggestions  The work of artist Bridget Conn is a wonderful source for inspiration. Her work explores the unlimited possibilities of



Running water about ten minutes (for washing fixed prints)



Distilled water in lieu of stop bath



Rubber gloves (to keep chemicals off of your hands and to

the chemigram.  Here is a YouTube process that quickly shows the process https://youtu.be/OQs4cn94vvg  You also should clarify that this would require wet darkroom materials (and photo paper), and at what level of

avoid unwanted contamination) 

Apron



Materials for chemigram application



Rubber cement, oil paint, crayons, markers



Plastic wrap, bubble wrap, leaves, flowers, sponges, cotton

experience should/would this be attempted?

 Perhaps its best to show this process after students try making a contact print. It’s important to have an understanding of the light sensitivity and active nature of each separate photographic material, as well as the proper time of/for the exposures and the baths. It is best to learn the rules first then you can break them.  Remember you are ‘painting’ the developer with objects so anything goes. Find interesting shapes and materials to experiment with then consider how they make contact with the surface of the light-sensitive paper.

balls 

Sunlight (direct summer sun two minutes)



Any object you wish to dip in developer to ‘paint’ with.

Remember, it’ll never be the same again.

Print Transfers Print transfers are a wonderful way to begin experimenting with found imagery, which can be digitally scanned, made into a laser printed image and then transferred to any surface that will accept an acrylic medium. Cell phone imagery will yield beautiful results, especially when applying a variety of filters and photographic applications. The imperfections in the transfer process should be embraced and treated as a unique characteristic of the medium.

There are several ways to make print transfers and numerous surfaces to experiment with. Print transfers do not have to be from a printed image -- they can be from magazines or books. Try print transfers on, wood, ceramic, glass, or plastic.

Gesso Medium Transfers Figure 31. was created with a laser printer. Coat a piece of Bristol paper three times with a gesso medium. Allow for drying between coats. After the third coat, leave the surface wet and apply the printed-paper face down directly on the wet coat. Use a brayer or fingers to press the image firmly to the paper and then leave to dry.

When paper is fully dry, take a damp household sponge and rub the paper in circular motions. The paper pulp will loosen and you will begin to see your image on your surface. Keep rubbing until the image is clear and pulp free.

Figure 31. Gesso transfers on Bristol board paper

Clear Acrylic Medium Transfers Figure _ was created by coating a laser printed image with a clear acrylic medium six times, always allowing the paper to fully dry between coats. When the paper is dry, submerge it in a water bath upside down and gently rub the paper pulp on the back until the image is free of loose, chunky paper. The image is incased within the layers of the clear acrylic. For Figure 32. I used more acrylic medium to adhere the transfer to a piece of wallpaper. The wallpaper is seen through the transfer because the clear medium allows the pattern of the wallpaper and transfer to be seen simultaneously.

Figure 32. Acrylic medium transfer combined to wall paper

Chartpak® AD Blending Marker Transfer Third transfer method requires purchasing a Chartpak blending marker, typically used for drafting, landscape architecture, or interior design. The marker is clear and heavily scented with alcohol, which makes the transfer possible. The laser printed image is placed face down onto the paper surface. Then the blending marker is dragged along the back (white side) of the paper. In Figure 33. you can see the strokes from right to left, as I dragged the marker across the paper, adhering the pigment to the Bristol board. This image was captured with a cell phone using the Hipstamatic® app for the iPhone. Note: this process should be done using a mask in a well-ventilated area

Things you’ll need for print transfers  Cell phone image or found image  Laser printer and paper  Bristol Board or similar  Acrylic medium  Gesso medium  Chartpak blending marker  Bristle brush for coating  Damp sponge  Water bath using a casserole dish

Figure 33. Chartpak transfer on Bristol board

Pinhole Photography Camera Obscura The pinhole camera operates from a simple design that began with the camera obscure. It presents the user with a highly experimental process that includes chemistry, time and exposure that often rewards the photographer with unexpectedly surprising results. The pinhole camera is lensless. Specifically, the name "pinhole" is derived from a tiny hole punctured into the camera, which serves as the camera’s lens. Pinhole images are sometimes blurry (motion), soft focused (no focus control), and with infinite depth of field (no aperture settings)—but others are equally sharp, crisp and show specific depth of field. The camera can be of any size/scale, a raw to sophisticated mechanism.

Figure 34. Portrait with wooden pinhole camera

The most traditional pinhole images can be made with film or photographic paper inserted inside the camera. The paper/film is highly sensitive to light, and must be loaded in a dark room or changing bag. The size of the both the camera (depth of the container) and the pinhole make up some of the physical controls in recording an image—as does sunlight/lighting conditions, length of exposure and distance from the camera to the recorded subject will determine the quality and exposure time of the image.

Pinhole cameras can be made out of nearly anything. Operating as a container, they can be so small that they fit into the palm of your hand to a scale that the operator could enter the camera itself. For teaching and transportation purposes, we’ll keep it to those that can be carried. A common pinhole camera for students is the

Figure 35. Portrait with wooden pinhole camera

oatmeal box camera, that can be modified by placing a pinhole on the box (there are many instructions to be found online). In general, making/constructing a pinhole camera is fairly

Suggestions for pinhole photography  There are plenty of tutorials for pinhole cameras that range

inexpensive. The building component allows students to

from extremely simple to difficult—and from tiny to those

understand how light travels and is recorded onto photosensitive

one could walk into. Photographer Abelardo Morrell has

surfaces. The processing end allows them to understand the

made a practice of turning rooms into pinhole cameras,

chemistry that responds to light and the way that negatives are

evolving from his early experiments with much smaller

created.

versions.  In our experience, a simple round oatmeal box can make a

As an example of both the pinhole camera and its collected

wonderful pinhole camera. Rather than film, we may use

images, below right, Figure 37. this wooden pinhole camera was

silver gelatin (coated) photographic paper, exposing the

designed and built by artist/photographer Stephanie Landry. In the

surface to light then going step by step through the

displayed images, figures 34. and 35. are self-portraits created with

processing chemistry that begins with developer, stop bath,

this (pictured) wooden pinhole camera. The subjects, who not only

fixer (hypo) and a running water wash.

posed for but made the self-portraits, had no prior photographic

 Here is a tutorial I found using an oatmeal box http://sdsu-

experience before attempting their images. Both were instructed

physics.org/assets/PDFs/oatmeal_pinhole_camera.pdf

by Landry on how to use the camera based on the present lighting

 There are many tutorials on the process of both making and

conditions, exposure time and recording surface (paper, film) and

using the camera and on the processing of the photographic

distance from the lens (pinhole). The studies that had been made

medium of choice. One can even expose surfaces coated

by Landry to narrow down those factors (time, distance, lighting)

with cyanotype or Vandyke emulsion, although the

remained the constant, allowing the camera to correctly collect the

exposure time becomes much, much longer.

image/exposure (in negative) from each subject. The resulting

STEM to STEAM Considerations

positive images can be made from either direct transfer or scanning the image to a digital format and inverting it with no other adjustment.

 Integrating this activity with a physics or physical science class can lead to further understanding of how a camera works. Building a pinhole camera evokes physics, the

The below image, figure 36. was created by Landry using a whisky

optical mathematics and the engineering of the cameras

box camera that she made and mounted to her bicycle, also using

design. Students will simultaneous create an original image

the bicycle as a tripod. The original camera obscura (latin,

while gathering a profound understanding of how simplistic

“obscura = dark”, “camera=room”) with the opening allowing the

a camera used to be in context to how they record their lives

reflection of the other side (outside the container) to enter becomes

with iPhones and other digital formats.

an expanded way to see and understand the world around us; one where we cannot see what the results of the collection will be before processing.

Figure 37. Stephanie Landry’s wooden pinhole camera

Figure 36. Landscape film image from Landry’s pinhole camera

This model curriculum would not be possible without the assistance of Dr. Craig Roland and JJ Higgins and Andrea LaBorde Barbier. I’m truly thankful for their patience, support, and knowledge.

References Fabbri , M. (2000). AlternativePhotography.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017, from http://www.alternativephotography.com/

Fabbri, M. (n.d.). AlternativePhotography.com. Retrieved March 19, 2017, from

Support Materials Curriculum support materials can be found at my website http://sarasicona.weebly.com or a direct link to my blog http://sarasicona.weebly.com/a-high-schoolphotographic-curriculum-for-the-21st-century-student.

http://www.alternativephotography.com

Fabbri, M. (2012). Anthotypes: Explore the darkroom in your garden and make photographs using plants .

Stockholm, Sweden: Malin Fabbri.

Tutorials and links to artists and processes can be found Merced, M. J. (2012, January 19). Eastman Kodak Files for at my Pinterst account Bankruptcy. Retrieved April 09, 2017, from https://www.pinterest.com/sarasicona/a-high-schoolhttps://goo.gl/nAviLv. photographic-curriculum-for-the-21st/ Mrhar, P. (2014). Easy Digital Negatives: Historical and alternative photography Peter Mrhar.

Mrhar, P (2013). Cyanotype: Historical and alternative photography. Peter Mrhar.