Lumen prints

I have experimented with some fogged paper, that I’ve had for a long time. It was a case of nothing to lose! It was great to discover it wouldn’t go to waste.

Christina Anderson describes this as the simplest of processes and I have to agree. Its a good experiment to test the end to end process of contact printing, exposing and fixing with minimal chemical usage. I have some rapid fix that I can use but otherwise, there isn’t much else required. I like the idea of using a lumen print somewhere in my final work, along with many of the analogue processes there is something about fixing an image in this way that feels as though the essence of the subject is contained within the print itself.

This was my first attempt, exposed with a digital negative in bright sunshine for 5 hours. A longer exposure time may have produced a higher contrast result. As it is it reminds me of an imported photo onto a computer screen that hasn’t fully loaded! The print is temporarily stored in a light tight bag until I complete further prints and then I will fix and wash in one session at home.

Carters rocks, Holywell bay, Taylor, L. 2025

Jerry Burchfield is well known in this discipline and his book, Understory is a fascinating study of plant life and landscapes in Florida. The piece of work below was a commission, to produce a mural which represented the pine flatwoods ecosystem, for which he researched the local vegetation and flora in detail. Although he typically produces contact prints this mural was the exception, as he used a digital negative. The finished piece ended up measuring around 76cm x 25cm. As I am already looking at the idea of a mural type piece, following my introduction to the work of practitioners like Mike and Doug Starn and Marco Rappacini, for my professional example for this module, I will try and use all 6 pieces of my fogged ilford paper to display a handful of feathers that I collected from the bank of the lank at my mother and stepfathers. Although it won’t be a large piece, the principal remains the same. I wonder though if the feathers are too translucent, but it will be interesting to try. As I type, they are outside in the sunshine. I didn’t put them out until later in the day so I will leave until sun set at around 9pm.