Photogram

A Photogram, also referred to as Cameraless Photography, is a photographic image made without a camera by placing objects directly onto the surface of light-sensitive photographic paper and then exposing it to light. The print is developed in the darkroom using the three-bath chemistry of developer, stop, and fix. The usual result is a negative shadow image that shows variations in tone that depend upon the transparency of the objects used. Areas of the paper that have received no light appear white; those exposed for a shorter time or through transparent or semi-transparent objects appear grey, while fully exposed areas are black in the final print.

Mordançage

Mordançage is an alternative photography technique based on a late nineteenth-century etch-bleach method that produces unique photographic relief prints through chemical and physical manipulation of fully processed gelatin silver prints. The Mordançage solution works in two ways: it chemically bleaches the print so that it can be redeveloped, and it lifts the black areas of the emulsion away from the paper giving the appearance of veils. Once the emulsion is lifted, it can be removed or manipulated depending on the desired outcome. Areas where the emulsion is removed appear in relief (raised from the surface.) Mordançage prints can become oxidized during their creation, further altering the tonality of the image.