Photograms

Sunflower

Photograms are images made in the darkroom without the use of a camera. Objects—in these examples, plants and tree parts—are placed on light-sensitive silver-based photo paper. (To see in the dark, I use a red safelight, which has no effect on the paper, which is then exposed to a short burst of white light.)

If the object is thick (such as a stem or an opaque leaf), no light reaches the paper, rendering a striking white design. Areas that are exposed to direct light turn black. In-between thicknesses render shades of gray.
The exposed paper is then placed in a tray of developer, then fixed for permanence.