“Photograms for many artists are constructions based on realistic imagery. I prefer the abstract nature of the image shadow based on partial transparency, translucency, and the presence and absence of material such as lace or mesh.” (Les Rudnick, (2011). The Photogram – A History. Photograms, Art and Design. Retrieved from: http://www.photograms.org/chapter01.html )
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| Blown Away - Photogram, 2014 |
After revisiting photograms this week, I
have come to relate very much to the quote above from photographer Les Rudnick.
You see, traditionally, I explore a lot of narrative in my own work. I like to
concoct all matter of fanciful tales to fuel the making of images. I tried to apply the same type of thinking to
my photograms; but at the end of the day the results of my process fell short
of my imagination. Initially I
approached the photogram too literally, like an illustration from a book rather
than an experiment with light and shadow.
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| Cutting Edge - Photogram c. 2000 |
When I was in high school I was lucky
enough to be able to take a photography class. We started with photograms and I
loved the results. When I try and consider what was different then, compared to
now, I realize that I was engaged more with the experimentation of it all. What
would objects look like after exposed? What kinds of patterns and intersections
of objects would be pleasing to the eye?
I was not trying to tell a story or to engage with a complex issue, I
was experimenting with light and shadow, and at the end of the day I feel like
the results were more pleasing.
So, after reflecting on that, I returned to the
darkroom with a renewed sense of experimentation. I tried to focus on working with refracted light
to create shadows balanced with opaque forms of solid objects. I found that
this approach was much more rewarding, and in the end, the images are actually more
thought provoking and complex than the more illustrative ones from my initial
return to the dark room. I tried some multiple exposure photograms
but found that my objects shifted too much for me to enjoy the results. I may try doing a few more of those in the
future though because the process intrigues me.
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| Cardinal Points, Photogram, 2014 |
Something else that I have re-discovered is
how much I enjoy the results of my test strips.
I find something about the long, narrow format coupled with the cut off
and intersecting objects to be terribly interesting. Perhaps the idea that I am able to imagine
what happens off the edges of the paper speaks to my love of narrative, but I
really enjoy the images that do not include the entirety of the forms used to
create the images.
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| Test strips |
Pedagogically, I think photograms are an
excellent project to start off with in a photography class because they allow
students to become familiar with the basics of the darkroom; its parts and
processes, without the added steps of working with negatives, and everything
that comes with that. It is a great way
to have students think about positive and negative space, and to begin to think in terms of how light works
in relation to the processes of photography and darkroom developing.
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