I'm delighted to have finally found a way to reasonably photograph some of my autochromes. These are certainly the jewels of the collection and over the next two weeks, I'll be posting several. The following three have a few things on common, they are a larger format for autochromes, roughly 5" x 7" which make them particularly difficult to see properly without adequate lighting. This is essentially the first time I've experienced their beautiful details all at once, without having to inspect them through the loupe one square inch at a time. The other commonalities are gloriously obvious. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, please be sure to view on black.
Autochromes taken inside or around greenhouses really do it for me. It's the combination of flowers en masse and glass panes that is particularly attractive. The second scene is wonderful for it's almost gloomy early-spring mood, and the addition of the house in view gives it delicious gravitas. But for me, the award for most beautiful element goes to the luscious dirt in the bottom left corner of the third autochrome. You can smell it, you can feel it - cool, aromatic and fertile! Simply simply sublime.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThese autochromes are quite beautiful. Were these produced by yourself or are they much older from being acquired in your collection? I've been researching to see if anyone has recently been successful in reproducing this rare process, but I haven't had much luck with getting any leads.
Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for the posting!
All Autochromes are quite beautiful! These are old, the real thing from the '20s or so. I don't know anyone with the mad skills to make modern autochromes because you'd have to be as much a hobby chemist as photographer. There are some crazy folks doing daguerrotypes and tintypes, but with Instagram being so easy to digitally wash a picture into starch particles, who would go through all the trouble?
DeleteMind you, if I knew how - I would!
Thanks for stopping by!