Jan de Jong
Allowing Ads
Out of curiosity I recently bought a cheap (10 Euro) UV flashlight, it claimed to be 365nm and 30Watt. Not that it matters, I wanted to see if it would have any effect on Cyanotype emulsion or other UV processes. In any case as soon as it arrived I prepared some paper with Cyanotype emulsion for my normal photo-gram exposure. I found quick that even the shortest flash, which I do on close range like direct on the glass or a few mm over the subject would lead to blue. So that was a good start. Taking it a bit further it allows to work on a piece of paper in sections and changing the darkness by repeated or longer or closer shining the light. Working gradually to fill the paper.
A disadvantage is that visually there are only a few tones that stand out, ie the yellow of the unexposed, the blue of short exposed and then the bronze color when longer exposed. You have to remember a bit where you were to make the very deep blue. The good thing is that because the light is intense due to keeping it very close to the paper the total time to work an image is about 2 minutes.
Overall I think these flashlights can be used for more abstract but also very good to do some burning on normal prints where a negative is used. I was surprised by the extra possibilities this opens.
The left image was made using a dried fern leaf and tracing over it to get the silhouette only. The right image, I would call it a mountain view illusion was created by just using 2 pieces of paper as mask and one of them had 2 small holes in it to create the "birds" and "trees".
It is a way of working very quick, for example the right image was created in 2 minutes and including rinsing 30 minutes later the print was drying.
Just wanted to bring this in the group for those who are not aware or were curious if these flashlights re any good.
cheers
Jan.
A disadvantage is that visually there are only a few tones that stand out, ie the yellow of the unexposed, the blue of short exposed and then the bronze color when longer exposed. You have to remember a bit where you were to make the very deep blue. The good thing is that because the light is intense due to keeping it very close to the paper the total time to work an image is about 2 minutes.
Overall I think these flashlights can be used for more abstract but also very good to do some burning on normal prints where a negative is used. I was surprised by the extra possibilities this opens.
The left image was made using a dried fern leaf and tracing over it to get the silhouette only. The right image, I would call it a mountain view illusion was created by just using 2 pieces of paper as mask and one of them had 2 small holes in it to create the "birds" and "trees".
It is a way of working very quick, for example the right image was created in 2 minutes and including rinsing 30 minutes later the print was drying.
Just wanted to bring this in the group for those who are not aware or were curious if these flashlights re any good.
cheers
Jan.