Cameraless & Organic Processes

This workshop proposes a theoretical and practical experience centered on cyanotype and its potential as a form of registration and trace. It will begin with an introduction to the technique, its historical origins, and the first authors who explored the idea of imprint and image fixation, from John Herschel and Anna Atkins to contemporary uses of cameraless techniques as a space for experimentation and memory.

Building on this foundation, a collective action on the beach conceived as a performative and experimental process will take place, during which several pieces will be produced to become part of the Blueprints project collection. In this phase, participants will directly observe the variables of the process such as light, humidity, water movement, and time, and how these influence the final result.

In a final stage, each participant will work individually on previously emulsified fabrics, exploring wet cyanotype, interaction with sand and sea, and post solarization while incorporating chance, error, and materiality as central elements of the visual language.

Schedule

• Introduction to cyanotype, its history, and cameraless image references

• Collective reflection on the relevance of cameraless techniques in contemporary photography

• Collective action on the beach and creation of pieces for the Blueprints project

• Observation of process variables: light, water, humidity, time, and movement

• Individual work on emulsified fabrics

• Exploration of wet cyanotype, interaction with the natural environment, and post solarization

• Closing session and group review of the results

In this workshop, participants will explore the creation of aquagrams from both a technical and experimental perspective, addressing their historical foundations as well as the chemical and physical processes involved. The reactions that occur in silver gelatin paper during the formation of an aquagram will be examined, along with their relationship to phenomena associated with cymatics, understood as the visual study of vibration.

When necessary, basic darkroom concepts will be reviewed, including exposure times, development, stop bath, and fixing, in order to ensure a clear understanding of the process. The aim is to establish a solid technical foundation before moving into practical experimentation.

The practical component begins with the production of traditional aquagrams, using tray movements and variations in flash position. Experimental variations are then introduced, incorporating different materials and conditions such as moving water with a hair dryer, mixtures of water and oil, and the use of ice, bags, leaves, or other elements commonly associated with the photogram process, with the goal of expanding the formal possibilities of the technique.

In a later phase, participants will work specifically with water movement generated through vibration, by installing a speaker beneath the tray and exploring how water responds to continuous frequencies and musical fragments. The workshop concludes with the final production of cymatic aquagrams, investigating the direct interaction between vibration, water, and light.

Schedule

1. Introduction to aquagrams: references, history, and chemical and physical foundations

2. Review of basic darkroom concepts, when necessary

3. Production of traditional aquagrams using tray movements and flash

4. Exploration of experimental variations with water, materials, and photogram elements

5. Introduction to vibration and water movement through sound

6. Final production of cymatic aquagrams and review of results

In this workshop, participants will explore the anthotype process as a plant based and eco conscious photographic practice, combining historical context, scientific foundations, and hands on experimentation. The session revisits early photographic research through figures such as Herschel, Talbot, and Somerville, while also connecting these origins to contemporary artists working with botanical and environmentally sensitive methods.

The workshop examines photosensitive natural pigments, the fading process, and the way pigment selection shapes both visual and conceptual results. Special attention is given to how variables such as heat, pH value, and the use of negatives or positives influence image formation. Participants will experiment with plants and vegetables such as beetroot, spinach, turmeric, and flower petals to observe their different tonal qualities.

The practical component centers on sourcing and preparing materials, extracting pigments through blending and filtering, and testing color intensity before coating paper with plant based emulsions. The process continues with drying, preparing positives, and setting up exposures, encouraging a process oriented approach that values testing, comparison, and collective reflection.

Outline

1. Introduction and objectives, theory and historical context of anthotypes

2. Science and aesthetics of plant based pigments and key process variables

3. Collection of plants and preparation of materials

4. Pigment extraction, testing, and evaluation of color intensity

5. Paper coating and drying

6. Creation of positives and exposure setup

7. Review of exposures and group discussion

In this workshop, participants will follow a field-based cyanotype protocol that combines experimental photography, ecological fieldwork, and collective outdoor printing. The session is inspired by the project One Green Eye, the Other Blue: Herbarium of the Anthropocene, bringing together photographic practice and environmental awareness.

 Participants will take part in a short dérive to a nearby vacant lot or post-industrial margin, gathering spontaneous plants growing through cracks, rubble, and abandoned ground. Large cotton textiles, pre-sensitised the night before and transported in opaque black bags, will be used on site to compose cyanotypes directly with the collected plants, emphasizing the role of place, time, and environment in the image-making process.

 After exposure under direct sunlight, the group will return indoors to develop the textiles in water, watching the emergence of Prussian blue. Inside, participants will also see a demonstration of cyanotype chemistry preparation and the coating of small textile samples, reinforcing a complete technical understanding of the process from preparation to final image.

 The workshop frames printing as a more-than-human ritual, where plants, light, weather, and human action come together to produce the image, encouraging a collective and ecological approach to photographic practice.

 

 Outline

1. Introduction to cyanotype basics, ecology of ruins, safety notes, and explanation of pre-sensitised fabrics

2. Field walk to a nearby vacant lot and gathering of spontaneous urban plants, with discussion on botanical resilience

3. On-site setup for printing: opening black bags and laying out pre sensitised textiles

4. Composition with collected plants and solar exposure outdoors

5. Return indoors for rinsing and revelation of the prints and drying in shade

6. Demonstration of mixing cyanotype chemistry and coating small textile samples

7. Final sharing, documentation, and group reflection

In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the New Resinotype process through a combination of theory and hands on practice. The session covers the basic principles of the technique, focusing on the materials involved, the step by step workflow, and the way different image zones can be treated to control density and visual balance.

The theoretical section also introduces monochrome resinotype, offering a clear technical foundation before moving into the practical phase. The goal is to understand how the process behaves before applying it directly.

The remainder of the workshop is dedicated to experimentation, giving participants time to apply the technique, test variations, and gain confidence through making. The emphasis is on learning the process through direct practice and material experience.

Outline

1. Theory: materials, resinotype process, treatment of image zones, and introduction to monochrome resinotype

2. Practice: hands-on work applying the New Resinotype technique

In this workshop, participants will explore anthotype printing as a sustainable photographic process based on natural pigments and sunlight. Images are created using emulsions extracted from flowers, leaves, or spices, offering an ecological and non toxic approach to image making.

Participants will prepare their own emulsions, coat paper, and expose images using acetate positives or plant materials for photograms. Alongside the practical work, the session introduces the historical roots of early photographic processes and the idea of ephemerality versus fixing.

The workshop also addresses ways to preserve the results, including keeping prints in the dark, sealing them with varnish, or scanning them. The aim is to connect ecological awareness with experimental photographic practice.

Outline

1. Introduction to anthotypes, sustainability, and process overview

2. Preparation and filtering of plant pigments

3. Coating and drying of paper

4. Setting up and exposing prints in sunlight

5. Review of results and discussion on preservation

6. Optional additional prints if time and weather allow

This workshop proposes an experimental approach to black and white photography through alternative processes and camera-less techniques. The practice combines traditional photochemical procedures with organic and material interventions, opening the darkroom as a space for exploration.

Using everyday and natural materials, participants will work with plantograms, billetograms, aquagrams, contact prints, and double exposures in the darkroom. The objective is to explore how matter, gesture, and transformation can alter the construction of the photographic image.

The process includes the chemical treatment of leaves, the use of banknotes as negatives, manual development, and the combination of previously produced techniques to create hybrid images. The workshop invites participants to rethink photography through practice, understanding the darkroom as a territory of experimentation where image, support, and process become integrated.

Schedule

1. Introduction to alternative black and white processes and overview of the workshop dynamics

2. Plantogram: preparation of leaves by removing the cuticle, boiling with bicarbonate, drying, and producing contact prints using the leaves as negatives

3. Billetogram: introduction to black and white printing in the darkroom and creation of prints using banknotes as negatives in the enlarger

4. Aquagrams: introduction to the technique and key references, practical production, and inversion of prints through contact printing or by using them as paper negatives

5. Double exposure: explanation of the technique in the darkroom and combination of two previously produced processes, such as billetograms and aquagrams

6. Collective review of the results and workshop closing

In this workshop, participants will engage in an advanced exploration of resinotype focused on positive and negative printing and tricolour workflows. The session combines theoretical grounding with extended hands on practice, allowing for deeper technical control and a more precise understanding of the process.

The workshop begins with a theoretical introduction covering materials, the resinotype process, zone treatment, and monochrome resinotype as a technical foundation. This first phase prepares participants to build a solid base before moving into more complex colour and tonal strategies.

After an initial practical session, a second theoretical block introduces work with positives and negatives, tricolour resinotype, and exposure times.ে. Participants then continue with hands on experimentation, applying these concepts directly to their prints in order to develop greater control over colour, contrast, and tonal balance.

Outline

1. Theory: materials, resinotype process, zone treatment, and monochrome resinotype

2. Practice: hands-on resinotype work

3. Theory: positives and negatives, tricolour workflows, and exposure times

4. Practice: continued hands-on work applying advanced techniques

In  this workshop, we’ll dive headfirst into the world of Lumen  Print’o’grams, combining lumen prints, photograms, and other experiments  that are hard to explain but easy to enjoy. The idea is to  approach photography as a living process, where light, chemistry, time,  and our hands hold as much power as the camera… or even more.

The  session will be entirely hands-on: darkroom, photosensitive paper,  mysterious liquids, and plenty of moments spent turning the lights off,  turning them back on, or simply stepping outside to see what happens  when the sun decides to join the picture. We’ll experiment with  different exposures, timings, and different ways of manipulating the  materials to observe how each modification transforms the result.

It’s not about getting it perfect, but about seeing what happens.

About  letting the paper react, letting the chemicals do their thing, and  letting the image emerge in ways that can’t always be predicted.

The workshop is designed as an open, intuition-filled space, where the process is just as important as the final image, and where making mistakes is often part of the method.

At  the end, we’ll do a group review to see what has survived, what has  mutated, and what has turned out completely different from what was  expected… which is usually the most interesting part.

Outline

• Introduction to the lumen print’o’gram technique and its conceptual approach

• Experimental practice combining lumen prints, photograms, and mixed media

• Lab practice with control of materials and exposure times

• Practice with ambient light and results observation

• Collective review and final comments

In  this workshop, participants will explore phytogram image making as a  camera less process using plants as both image forming material and  developing agent. Sunlight becomes the exposure source, allowing  organic elements to shape the image through direct chemical and  physical interaction. Participants will learn how to prepare a  plant based developer, expose light sensitive materials, and experiment  with different emulsions and organic components. The session aims to provide a solid technical foundation so the process can be continued independently after the workshop. Alongside  the technical work, the workshop includes a sensory photographic  exploration through listening, observing, touching, and tasting to  deepen connection with place and subject. The focus is on how embodied experience can transform image making and inform the phytogram process.

Outline

1. Introduction to phytograms and plant based developer preparation

2. Collective walk in the Gothic area with guided sensory exercises

3. Drawing, writing, and photographing responses

4. Phytogram production and experimentation with plant materials

5. Group discussion and presentation of results

In this advanced workshop, participants will engage in a full cycle that combines field ecology, analogue cyanotype printing, AI image synthesis, and experimental publishing. The methodology connects environmental observation with photographic and editorial processes in a single integrated workflow.

The day begins with a collective dérive to a nearby vacant lot or post-industrial margin, where participants gather spontaneous urban plants and compose cyanotypes on large pre-sensitised textiles under sunlight. The emphasis is on recognizing the agency of plants, light, and place in shaping the image.

After rinsing and drying the textiles indoors, the afternoon session introduces a project-specific AI prompt protocol to generate hybrid images merging botanical forms, architectural blueprints, and cyanotype textures. Participants create algorithmic territorial abstractions that reflect on vacancy, memory, and post-industrial landscapes.

The workshop concludes with experimental micro-publishing, producing concertina booklets or poster zines that combine analogue cyanotypes with AI-generated imagery. The final stage completes a workflow that moves from terrain to plant, from analogue print to algorithmic image, and finally to editorial form.

Outline

Session 1: Morning

1. Introduction: hybrid methodology, safety notes, and pre-sensitised fabrics

2. Fieldwalk and plant gathering in a nearby vacant lot, with reflection on ecological resilience and industrial memory

3. Site preparation: laying out textiles and managing light exposure

4. Composition with collected plants and solar exposure

5. Return indoors, rinsing and drying of textiles, observation of Prussian blue

Session 2: Afternoon

1. Introduction to the AI protocol: datasets, prompting strategies, and interpretation of post-industrial ecologies

2. Image generation: creating hybrid territorial abstractions

3. Editing and selection, basic printing

4. Experimental micro-publishing: folding structures and combining AI images with cyanotype documentation

5. Final meeting, presentations, group reflection, and documentation

En este taller se propone una introducción práctica a los chemiroids combinando cámaras específicas con intervenciones directas sobre la imagen. La sesión comienza con el origen de estas cámaras y el contexto histórico de la empresa, para comprender su funcionamiento y su lugar dentro de la fotografía experimental.

A partir de esta base, se trabajará con máscaras y dobles exposiciones, analizando cómo estas técnicas permiten intervenir la imagen desde el momento de la toma. El objetivo es entender la cámara como un espacio activo de construcción visual.

La parte final del taller se centra en alteraciones químicas, explorando de forma práctica cómo distintos tratamientos afectan la superficie, el contraste y la lectura de la imagen. Esta etapa propone el laboratorio como un espacio de experimentación y transformación material.

Cronograma

1. Introducción a las cámaras chemiroid, su funcionamiento y contexto histórico

2. Trabajo con máscaras y dobles exposiciones: explicación y ejemplos

3. Alteraciones químicas: explicación del proceso y práctica aplicada