A key reason lies in the photographic paper we use. Each type of paper has its own chemical composition and therefore reacts differently to light. In our project, we use hundreds of different papers – some of them more than 50 years old. (see images below)

Comparing Different Photographic Papers

To illustrate these differences, we carried out a small experiment:
We exposed fifteen different types of photographic paper to light. Half of each sheet was covered with black cardboard (Image 1).

Result: In Image 4 the different color nuances of each paper can clearly be seen.

After two hours of exposure: the uncovered parts had already darkened significantly.

After another two and a half hours: the previously covered areas also darkened until each sheet showed a uniform tone (Image 2–3).

Negative and Positive – An Example

In the following image you see on the left a sheet of photographic paper exposed for one year as a negative:

• Areas with a lot of sunlight appear in deep blue (for example, the traces of the sun).
• Areas with less light exposure remain brighter (such as the house in the picture).

When we invert this negative into a positive, the complementary colors emerge:

• The blue traces of the sun become a strong red.
• The house shifts from purple/yellow to green/blue.

Photographs with a short exposure time (7–14 days) usually appear more monochrome.
With long-term exposures, however, a wide spectrum of colors often develops.

Chance as Part of the Art Project

What the final image will look like is something we can never predict. This element of chance is an essential part of our project: every photograph becomes a unique work of art.

We would like to thank the I.G. Schwarz-Weiß Fotoclub Weil der Stadt e.V. for kindly providing the photographic papers used in this experiment.

Der Beitrag How black and white photo paper becomes colored erschien zuerst auf The 7th Day

All right, I thought, and ordered two film cans for 10 EUR each. That’s a fair price for the fact that I don’t have to place the negative in a can myself and drill a hole in the right size. I’m too impatient for that. I don’t have to develop and scan the film either – wonderful. The Cameras came immediately, but they seemed so valuable and meaningful to me that I left them lying around for 11 months….

On New Year’s Eve 2012, I found myself on the roof. For a long time I had pondered where and how I would fix the cans – especially in winter with snow. The images should be as different as possible, so I took one direction to the west (1), one direction to the north (2). I was curious to know if you would see the traces of the night fireworks, and I already suspected that the shaky ventilation cap might lead to a double contour for Motive 2. Never mind!

Then the waiting started: In summer, 7 days of exposure time, in winter it is two weeks. After that, you take the cans back in, take the negative out of the can and send it back to Przemek Zajfert. A little later you can download your image from the password-protected gallery. The motifs are also shown in the public gallery and on facebook.

Anyone who has ever wanted to experiment with such a pinhole camera: it couldn’t be easier.

You can’t control the distribution of tyour pictures: every project participant has access to the password-protected gallery and can download the originals. Still, I enjoyed it. I have just ordered three more Cameras. This time it will be quicker to set up and to send it in!

This is a blog post from the participant Jacqueline Esen. Visit her blog here.

Der Beitrag There is a story behind every picture erschien zuerst auf The 7th Day

Ant Image from The 7th Day

In this image from the art project The 7th Day, the pinhole camera itself became part of the story. During the long exposure, the small hole of the camera obscura was probably enlarged by a bird. We have seen this happen with several cameras before, especially when they stay outside in nature for a long time.

Because the hole became larger, ants were able to enter the camera. Some of them were even still on the photo paper when the camera was sent back to us after the exposure. As a result, this ant image was shaped not only by light and time, but also directly by nature.

From the participant’s letter:

“Hello Przemek,
Now I am very curious to see what came out of it. A bird helped a little with my camera obscura. Many thanks in advance to you and your family.
Andreas”

These kinds of coincidences are part of The 7th Day. The cameras often hang outside for weeks, months or even years. During that time, they are exposed to wind, weather, animals and many other influences. Therefore, birds, spiders, squirrels or ants can touch the camera, damage it, or even enter it.

This makes every image unpredictable. The final result is not only shaped by the location and the exposure time, but also by everything that happens around the camera during that period.

In the center of the image, you can see a brighter circle. This was probably caused by too much light entering through the enlarged hole. Because of this, the photo paper was heavily overexposed. An image that may have already existed before the bird interfered was most likely destroyed or covered by this extra light.

However, that is exactly what makes this photograph special. It is not only a solargraph made with a pinhole camera, but also a visible example of how nature can become part of the photographic process.

At The 7th Day, images are created through light, time, place and chance. Sometimes the camera is not just a tool. Instead, it becomes a small space where nature and photography meet in an unexpected way.

Image title: Andreas 03

Der Beitrag Andreas ants erschien zuerst auf The 7th Day

Photographys of the nature

The photography was not just the work of the sun, but also the work of a spider and a bird. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce would call it „photografies of the nature“.

By Przemek Zajfert

Der Beitrag The longest exposed picture of the world erschien zuerst auf The 7th Day