I knew I'd end up spinning off in multiple directions! Some time ago I was talking to my other half about ways of capturing images without using a camera or having to faff about with a darkroom. At the time he suggested light sensitive paper, which I'd never heard of, but thought it would be great for a shrimp skin I have lying about (that sounds weird... it's not really lying about - I have shrimp in my fish tank and they shed pretty frequently!) I used my photocopier to capture this one...
Anyway, I digress, have now had a look for it, found it to be relatively inexpensive (£4.99 for 10 A5 sheets) so purchased a couple of packs to have a play with. The proper term for sun printing is 'cyanotype' I found a really good blog about the process by confessions of a design geek along with links to an exhibition, Shadow Catchers, that was held at the V&A. This has led me to look at the work of Anna Atkins and several other camera-less photography artists. The umbrella term for images 'made directly onto photographic paper through casting shadows, manipulating light, or chemically treating the surface of the paper' is 'photograms'. Have pasted my favourites below.
Arch (2007/08) by Susan Derges blends photograms of plants and scans of ink falling through water.
Christening Dress from My Ghosts (1997) by Adam Fuss
Anna Atkins Algae Cyanotype
Lastly there's a really good link here describing the cyanotype process.
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