Solargraph spotlight – Elspeth Haston

EH Negative

EH Negative

Elspeth Haston, Deputy Herbarium Curator of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, placed her canister in the upper window of the RNLI Lifeboat Shed, looking across between the bridge and the Granary of Victoria Harbour, Dunbar.

EH Positive

EH Positive

The solargraph has good examples of sun trails and light reflected on the window pane. The harbour wall and other buildings are visible along with vignetting from the curve of the paper in the canister.

The RNLI will be having the Dunbar Lifeboat Fete on 21 July 2012, starting with a High Street Parade at 1.15pm and continuing at Dunbar Harbour from 1.30pm

Solargraph spotlight – Colin Will

CW Negative

CW Negative

Colin Will is a poet, publisher and a member of the Tyne and Esk Writers

CW Positive

CW Positive

Colin Will’s solargraph has has only a few sun trails from it’s higher elevations – allowing the static objects in the foreground to be seen.

Colin Will has composed a haiku on his image –

Light tracks on paper
Sun morsed by passing cloud
An arc of sky shines

Solargraph spotlight – Lesley May Miller

LMM Negative

LMM Negative

Lesley May Miller is a sculptor, poet and book artist who resides in Dunbar. She is member of the Dunbar Writer’s group and the Artist Book Group.

LMM Positive

LMM Positive

Lesley May Miller’s solargraph clearly shows the sun tracks and the houses opposite the placement site. The pale, jaggy line was probably produced when the solargraph had the shutter opened and was moved into position. The pale lines to the right show reflected light.

Blue Prints

The blue print, also known as the cyanotype was invented by Sir John Herschel in 1842, as a means of copying notes and diagrams. Anna Atkins used this photogram process in 1842-43 to document a selection of plants and seaweeds by placing the specimens directly onto the sensitised paper to allow daylight to activate the chemical coating creating a sillhouette effect. Anna Atkins is widely regarded as the first female photographer.

We followed in her footsteps.

Cyanotype 2 UV exposure

Cyanotype 2 UV exposure in clip frame.

A clip frame is used to hold watercolour paper which has had a solution of potassium ferricyanide / ferric ammonium citrate brushed on. Seaweed is arranged across the surface and the glass clipped down to keep everything steady. The sun now gets to work, the UV rays providing the power to the chemical reaction.

Cyanotype 2 in pool

Cyanotype 2 in pool

After several minutes the exposed areas of the coated paper can be seen to change to a dull grey colour and the print is ready for rinsing. An initial rinse can be made in the rock pool with a fresh water rinse required later to remove the salt.

The Solargraphs Return

Image

solargraphs returned

Example solargraph canisters.

As we made these canisters in December we wondered how the experiment would turn out. Would it work? We are about to find out as the first batch have been returned after their 6 month exposure!
Thanks to those who allowed us to install these little cameras around their homes and to JC for gathering 12 of these in for us.