This document provides guidance for students on inventing their own photography processes. It recommends learning the basics without a camera, studying pioneers like Fox Talbot and Daguerre, and understanding both historical and modern alternative processes. Students are encouraged to read books on the topic, explore online resources, consider necessary materials like light-sensitive agents and preservatives, and ultimately invent and name their own process to teach others. The goal is for students to think creatively and connect their invented process conceptually.

1. How to Invent
Your Own
Photography
Process
Lessons for
Photography
Students

2. 1. Be Creative!

3. If you do not have
the ability – don’t
waste your time!

4. 2. Learn the
basics!

5. Be aware
that you can
make a
photograph
WITHOUT a
camera!

7. 3. Learn from the pioneers

8. William Henry
Fox Talbot
© W_H_F_Talbot/Wikimedia-Commons

9. Louis-Jacques
Mandé Daguerre

10. 4. Know the processes

11. HISTORICAL PROCESSES

12. a m b r o t y p e , d a g u e r r e o t y p e ,
c a l o t y p e , c y a n o t y p e , s a l t p r i n t ,
i v o r y t y p e , p h o t o g r a v u r e , e t c .

13. M O D E R N VA R I AT I O N S O F
H I S TO R I C A L P R O C E S S E S

14. 3 5 m m d a g u e r r e o t y p e ,
c o n t e m p o r a r y t i n t y p e , l i q u i d
l i g h t , p h o t o p o l y m e r , e t c .

15. IN CAMERA PROCESSES

16. 3d anaglyph photography, talbotype ,
infra red photography, etc.

17. NON CAMERA PROCESSES

18. a s t r o p h o t o g r a p h y , k i r l i a n p h o t o g r a p h y ,
p h o t o t r o p i c d r a w i n g , s c a n o g r a p h y , X - r a y
( r a d i o l o g y ) a r t p h o t o g r a p h y , e t c .

19. DEVELOPING PROCESSES

20. caffenol, cross processing, autochrome
photography, etc.

21. DIRECT POSITIVE PROCESSES

22. bayard process, daguerreotype, liquid light
emulsion, wet plate collodion, physautotype,
etc.

23. PHOTOMECHANICAL PROCESSES,
TRANSFERS AND PRINTS

24. albumin print, gelatin silver print,
gum print, ivorytype, orotone print,
etc.

25. 5. READ!
The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes, by Christopher James
Primitive Photography: A Guide to Making Cameras, Lenses, and Calotypes by Alan Greene
The History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present by Beaumont Newhall
A Guide to Early Photographic Processes by Brian Coe and Mark Haworth-Booth
Photographs of the Past, Process and Preservation by Bertrand Lavédrine
Photo-Imaging: A Complete Visual Guide to Alternative Techniques and Processes by Jill
Enfield
Photography Beyond Technique by Tom Persinger
From pinhole to print by Malin Fabbri, Gary Fabbri and Peter Wiklund
Coming Into Focus: A Step-by-Step Guide to Alternative Photographic Printing Processes by
John Barnie
Digital Negatives: Using Photoshop to Create Digital Negatives for Silver and Alternative
Process Printing
by Brad Hinkel and Ron Reeder
Handbook of Non-Toxic Intaglio by Henrik Bøegh

26. 6. explore!
www.alternativephotography.com
http://dutchalternativephotography.blogspot.com
www.apug.org
www.f295.org
www.niepce.com
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock/things-to-see-and-do/fox-talbot-museum
www.eastmanhouse.org

27. 7. THINK…

28. Is there a rule
saying a Petzval
lens should only
be used for the
Collodion
process???

29. Does a
Kallitype have
to be printed
on a paper?

30. 8.
DREAM!

31. Don’t forget to connect
the process you are going
to make with the concept
you are going to use it
for!

32. 9 .
T h i n k
o f
w h a t
y o u
n e e d …

33. Light sensitive agent
Bearer
Binding agent
A dark space
Light
Developer
Fixer
Preservation means

34. 10. CONSIDER THE
FOLLOWING…

35. Chemical substances:
• Dangerous / not
• Obtainable / not

36. DAY LIGHT
STUDIO
DAY LIGHT
DARK ROOM

37. SLOW
to
VERY SLOW
PHOTOGRAPH

38. HOMEMADE
INSTRUMENTS
(CREATIVE)
V S
EXPENSIVE DEVICES

39. 11. invent!

40. 12. give it a
name

41. 13. TEACH
AND SHARE
ON…

42. http://www.alternative
photography.com

43. http://dutchalternativephotography
.blogspot.com

44. SUCCEEDED?

45. Start your next
INVENTION!
© 2013 An Zuriel for