polymer photogravure prints
These images are hand-printed photogravure, or photopolymer prints
Photogravure is an intaglio printing process that held a central place in 19th Century photography, with practitioners such as Peter Henry Emerson who brought the art to the highest standards by the end of the Century. Because of its quality and richness, photogravure was used for both original prints of photographs and high-quality photo-reproduction of works such as old master paintings, as it excels in capturing the slightest variations in tone.
By the early 20th Century photogravure was only used by some fine art photographers like Alfred Stieglitz, and it was almost extinct by mid-century. Today it is seeing a revival, with few photographers re-discovering this antique printing process.
These images were made using a photopolymer plate, a type of plate that rivals the quality of traditional copper plate photogravure. The process involves a series of exposures of the polymer plate: a first exposure with a random dot screen (aquatint screen) followed by a second exposure to a positive transparency of the image. This dual exposure produces an "etched" polymer plate containing many thousands of indentations that correspond to a negative image of the original photograph. After drying and curing, the plate is manually inked, with the ink settling into the etched grooves on the polymer plate. The image is then by pressing the inked plate onto paper.
My reason for using this process is that, in this age of digital, screen-based reproduction, I enjoy the physicality of a print as a counterpoint. Something to be held. Furthermore, though being a print, the process of manual inking, wiping and pressing means that each impression is in some way unique.
Below is a brief video showing the printing process - please get in touch if you would like to know more or enquire about buying prints that are not listed in the shop.