The Alternative Processes

I became interested in “Alternative” photography pretty early on in my photographic journey. I began with manipulating glossy photo kiosk prints, soaking them in water and scratching patterns in the emulsion. Some of my prints soaked in warm aquarium water for weeks as the emulsion slowly peeled away, revealing layers of color and form. When I began using a computer and discovered the wonders of digital manipulation, I was finally able to easily and quickly deconstruct my photographs. But the ease and disposability inherent in the digital process began to lose some of its appeal, and I turned back to hands on techniques, discovering the wonders of Polaroid Transfer and Cyanotype

Part of my attraction to these alternatives is that I really enjoy the look; the rough and ill-defined edges, the wonderfully extravagant papers used, and the fact that these are one of a kind, unrepeatable works of art all appeal to me. In particular, the gorgeous deep blue of the cyanotype process really gets my attention. The fact that a 170 year old antiquated printing processes can be used to give new life and direction to modern digital imagery is quite interesting.