Cyanotype Workshop led by Peter Gosnell

In advance of the upcoming symposium, Shadow Without Object, Peter Gosnell led a workshop teaching seven selected students how to make Cyanotype prints. Gosnell, Teaching & Learning Technician in the Photography Resource Centre at Camberwell, taught them how to prepare their digital images to be made into ‘tuned-in’ silver halide negatives for printing. The Cyanotype process was then introduced to them within its historical context, and they learned how to be discerning about what papers they selected to use with the Cyanotype printing process. The morning session taught them best practice in how to sensitize papers, dry sensitized paper, calculate correct exposure, and wash-out and dry printed-out paper. In the afternoon students worked independently under supervision.

Shadow without Object considers emerging photographic technologies against a wider historical context of overlooked and marginalised practices, exploring in particular one of the medium’s long-held and contentious theoretical tenets which describes the physical relationship between a photograph and its subject ' the index. The symposium is a 1-day event taking place on Friday 4 December at Chelsea College of Arts.

Imperial size cyanoprint from a laser print of a digital collage of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown's edited work at Syon House in west London, framed by iconic images of Brown and the churches at which he was baptised, married and buried, to mark the tercentenary of Brown's birth in 1716. Painted digitally by Alasdair Saunders with assistance from Camberwell staff at the digital print and photographic facilities.

Imperial size cyanoprint from a laser print of a digital collage of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown's edited work at Syon House in west London, framed by iconic images of Brown and the churches at which he was baptised, married and buried, to mark the tercentenary of Brown's birth in 1716. Painted digitally by Alasdair Saunders with assistance from Camberwell staff at the digital print and photographic facilities.

Alasdair Saunders, MA Fine Art Digital student at Camberwell, was one of the students who participated and told us of some of the outcomes. ‘The workshop was extremely instructive and most efficiently organised. The Cynotype was much admired during the MA pop-up show on Wednesday 25th November and as a result a number of other co-students have asked me for introductions to the technical staff running the symposium and workshops. I believe that the broader public will likewise much appreciate the Cyanotype, if and when, it is on display at Somerset House in June 2016 as part of a photographic exhibition to mark the tercentenary of Lancelot Capability Brown in 2016. I am meeting with the Syon House management next week to discuss its possible use as part of their celebrations and, if these and other discussions advance, many more such prints could be required.

The success of these initiatives will create opportunities to credit Camberwell with the Cyanotype process before a wide audience. It will also require me to further exploit the Camberwell facilities.’

Top image: Giacomo Raffaelli With a Relative Uncertainty

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