*Blue Patterned Back*
Cyanotype
Model: Lara
Sometime in September I finally got hold of some cyanotype solution which allowed me to start this project, but way back in May or June I’d actually order the new Bergger Cyanotype kit. It finally arrived and even though I have a little bit of the solution I found here left I decided to give the Bergger solution a try. It’s a different quality of blue, and the yellows do wash out entirely (although I have tried « expired » paper coated with the Bergger solution yet). This one is probably a tad overexposed: on this paper the « whites » tend to wash out a little bit more. Still I like the impact of this picture a lot.
Hi Benoit,
Saw your posts on the alternative photographic processes group on FB. Then looked up your articles on 35MMC. Which led me here.
Your images from this series are stunning. I’m just hoping that you manage to translate them into cyanotypes worthy of the image (hint: this one isn’t quite there yet).
One thing is the whites (yes, this image is overexposed) and the washing out of yellow. But the other thing that will require some learning is the reduced dynamic range of the process. In your images from this series, I really love the tonality and gradients. Most of that is completely lost in this print here (mostly in the shadows). An important part of printing cyanotypes well is a step called linearization (it’s a calibration process to ‘remap’ the tones of the digital negative to compensate for the shortcomings of the cyanotype process). When you have your new printer, I’d encourage you to go through the process described on http://www.easydigitalnegatives.com (it’s all free and very good information) to create a calibration curve (or gradient map) for your negative creation. Of course, this does not apply if you print via contact print of film negatives (which only makes sense for the larger sizes of MF film, i.e. 6×6 upwards).
Anyhow, I’m really looking forward to seeing the original images coming to life as cyanotypes.