Anthotype
Photographs made from crushed flowers.
Coat paper with juice from beetroot, spinach, or red cabbage—expose under sunlight for days. The unexposed dye remains, the rest fades.
Coat paper with juice from petals or berries, then leave it in sunlight for days under a positive image. The sun bleaches the exposed areas.
- ▸No chemicals — just plant juice and sunshine.
- ▸Wherever the picture blocks the sun, the original color stays.
- ▸Prints fade over time; they're meant to be temporary.
History
Mary Somerville and Sir John Herschel experimented with plant dyes in the 1840s. The medium has had small revivals as an entirely non-toxic, slow-photography practice.
Process
- 01
Crush plant material (berries, petals, leaves) and extract juice.
- 02
Coat watercolour paper; dry in darkness.
- 03
Place a positive transparency on the coated paper.
- 04
Expose to direct sunlight for hours to weeks.
- 05
Remove transparency; image remains as unfaded dye.
Strengths
- +Non-toxic
- +Endless palette
- +Meditative process
Limitations
- −Not permanent—fades in light
- −Exposure measured in days
- −Can't be fixed
Sources & citations
References for the history and process described above.
- 01Anthotypes — A Practical Guide — Alternative Photography (Malin Fabbri)
- 02John Herschel's Plant-Based Photography — Royal Society