Camera-less Photography

A Photogram is the the term used for images that are captured without the use of a camera. Images can be captured in different ways. An example is the use of a scanner or capturing the image directly onto the photographic paper. This can be achieved by manipulating light and shadows or using chemicals to treat the paper.

The Shadow Catchers are a group of five photographers that held an exhibition of their camera-less images at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. They are, Pierre Cordier, Susan Derges, Adam Fuss, Garry Fabian Miller and Floris Neusüss. They all use different methods to capture their images, without the use of a camera. 

These photographers (or artists) use photographic paper and then manipulate the images using other resources. Cordier uses fixer for lighter tones on his images where as Derges submerges sheets of photographic paper in rivers at night, she uses the moon and flashlight to create the exposure. Neusüss places the photographic paper straight onto the item he wants to capture and leaves the image to develop where it is.

Homage to Talbot: The Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey, 2010 Floris Neusüss

Untitled, (Körperfotogramm), Kassel, 1967 Floris Neusüss 

Chemigram 1961- Pierre Cordier

The following images were captured using a flat bed scanner. Although only slight, a scanner can create an image with some depth of field. I decided to create a patterned image by means of repetition. Using red carnations, and interrupting the flow by adding a white rose.

In Photoshop create a duplicate layer. Using the curves tool to increase the contrast, I used one of the presets in Photoshop. On the curves tool, click on the drop down box that says 'preset' and chose from the selection offered. In the example shown, I have used 'increase contrast'. The colours in the image become bold and smooth. 

I would like the rose to stand out within the group of carnations. To do this, I created a new layer, selecting 'soft light' from the drop down box on the layers tab on the right hand side. I then used the graduation tool concentrating on the outside of the image to darken the other flowers. This will also draw the viewers eye naturally into the centre of the image.

Not being entirely happy with the brightness and contrast, I alter this slightly.

Adjusting the hue and saturation to enhance the reds making them appear much more vibrant and showing a strong contrast against the white of the rose.

Finally, I cropped the image and using the rule of 3rds I placed the rose where the lines intersect.

Flatten the image and save.

The final result

Below are other images that have been scanned with a brief explanation of how they were edited.

Using the curves tool to exaggerate the contrast and adding a photo filter to bring out more orange colours on the glittery background. Increasing the vibrancy and saturation to really bring out the flowers colour.

Using texture layers in Photoshop to transform a dull image of pencil crayons. 

In Photoshop on the curves tool, selecting the preset 'cross process' and increasing the saturation/vibrance and contrast and photo filter creates a plain white background into different colours. reflects the green and red colours from the rose. 

Another patterned effect. This time using the petals from the carnations and rose. On this image I used the gradient tool around the edges of the image. There were some gaps in the petals so I used the healing brush tool  to copy and paste where the gaps were so to fill the whole picture.

Bibliography

Acharya, D. (2011). Creative Review. Available: http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/january/shadow-catchers-camera-less-photography. Last accessed 25th Nov 2013.

Phaidon. (2011). Camera-less photography today: Shadow catchers at the V&A. Available: http://uk.phaidon.com/agenda/photography/picture-galleries/2011/february/08/camera-less-photography-today-shadow-catchers-at-the-vanda/. Last accessed 25th Nov 2013.

V&A. (2013). Camera-less photography: artists. Available: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/camera-less-photography-artists/. Last accessed 3rd Dec 2013