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Cameraless, negativeless, gelatin silver prints
Solargrams are cameraless, negativeless, abstract color photographs produced directly on black and white enlarging paper using free light and standard black and white developing chemistry. Each print is an original..
Solargraphic images are related to photograms (made by casting shadows on enlarging paper during a free light exposure), in that the design is created by the interaction of light and the temporary position on the paper of one of three liquid chemicals normally used for processing black and white prints: developer, stop bath, and fixer. The resulting image is a photographic record of the motion of chemicals over the surface of the enlarging paper, i.e., the freezing in time of liquid flow processes.
The range of image colors (primarily earth tones) is created by harnessing a normally undesirable side-effect of black and white photo processing that is scrupulously avoided when making projection prints from film negatives - the tendency toward coloration of the gelatin/silver emulsion caused by random-order chemical processing.
The final product is a gelatin silver print which, after archival washing and mounting on museum board, is as permanent as a conventionally developed silver print.
Typically, solargraphic imagery ranges in character from totally abstract designs to semi-abstract pictures reminiscent of the desert and mountain landscapes of the southwestern United States.
The steps in production of a typical Solargram are:
1) black & white photographic paper is exposed to ambient room light (or left in open sunlight for a short period of time);
2) part or all of the paper is alternately dipped for a few seconds in fixer, stop bath, or developer (in any order);
3) the paper is re-exposed to sunlight (or a strong artificial light source);
4) steps 1), 2), and 3) are repeated until the desired image color and design are achieved;
5) the photograph is made permanent, dried, and evaluated for quality, then discarded or kept for exhibit.