making regular photo paper POP

We discussed this on the alt list a number of years ago, using normal BW
paper such as Ilford MGIV as a POP, exposing it to a contact negative
outside in the sun for a period of time, then no developing but fixing. I
have had a chapter on it in my Experimental Workbook since 2000. When I
have taught that process there's usually only a student per class that tries
it out.

NOW, this week, a student in Senior Thesis came to class wanting to do
"lumen prints". I had no idea what that was, expecting it was using the
juices from plants to expose a print, something that Suzanne Izzo had in a
traveling portfolio a while back.

However, the student lent me the book overnight, and these "lumen" prints
are none other than POP photograms! The book is called Primal Images and
the prints are by Jerry Burchfield. He has exposed plant specimens from the
Amazon jungle to all kinds of photo papers, outdated ones especially, to the
hot summer sun, rain, for 15 minutes to several hours, put them in a box for
fixing when returning home.

I have to say the book is beautiful, the work is beautiful, the colors are
amazing, and I am so thrilled to see such a successful application of this
process that certainly has been nothing new to the alt list for the last
almost decade...
Chris
Received on Thu Sep 1 08:23:51 2005