What is Experimental Photography?

Experimental photography can be defined as anything that one uses to alter or otherwise change a photography in a way that differs from just taking a photograph. Often, the phrase refers to darkroom developing techniques. However, it has grown to include effects inside of modern digital cameras and techniques involving camera usage, such as extended exposures. ‘Experimental’ is now even applied to some digital editing techniques.

There are several Experimental Photography techniques that many photographers (including the ones highlighted in this WordPress) that they have used to create their array of works and art. If you want to see their works just click on the About section in the right hand side of the site or click on their individual respective names under the About section.

If you want to find out a bit more about ‘What is Experimental Photography’ please read on…

In-Camera Techniques:

Many people consider the options present within many digital camera to be there just for fun but to a serious photographer, they can help them experiment in their work.

Some ways to use in-camera settings for experimental effects:

• White Balance: This setting is meant to compensate for the type of lighting used in photos. There are normally settings for daylight, cloudy weather, fluorescent bulbs and more. Using the ‘wrong’ setting can sometimes create interesting effects – such as heavily saturated or colour stripped images.
• Flash: Common digital camera settings include red-eye reduction, night lights and delayed flash option. Using these for other means can create images with streaky lights and photographs that look more like painting than pictures. For example, using red-eye reduction flashes on night skies can often create painted red skies.
• Colour Settings: Most digital camera feature the ability to choose colour settings such as sepia, black and white, negative image and solarization. A quick setting change can change your image from plain to wow.

Camera Usage Techniques

Some of the most fun and user-friendly techniques for experimental photography are methods that involve how one uses their camera. Some of these methods give the photographer a great feel of power because they will feel ‘in charge’ of their photograph.

• Focus: A common camera technique in experimental work is purposely taking a photograph that is not in focus. This can include the full frame being out of focus of just the foreground. This technique is often bolstered by using colouring techniques for a more frightening feel.
• Extended Exposures: An extended exposure is a photograph that leaves the film exposed to light for longer than normal times. It is commonly used in night photography to get photographs of night skies and celestial bodies. It is also used to create lines of light or to capture action. On many older manual SLR’s, the procedure can be performed by setting the camera dial to a certain setting and holding the button down for as long as desired.

Extended Exposure

• Double Exposure: This technique involves impressing two often separate images on one frame of film. In fact, one could impress as many photos as they would like on a single frame of film. This technique is performed in old SLR’s by manually choosing to not advance the film. This can also be performed on digital SLR’s by in camera settings. It can also be achieved through the wonder of Photoshop.

Processing Techniques

Processing Differences

There are literally hundreds of different experimental methods to producing artwork by processing photographs. Some of the most common methods are covered below.

• Since colour and black and white films are developed in different chemicals, experimental photographs can be created by simply developing a roll of black and white film as a roll of colour film or vice-versa.
• Pre-exposing photographic paper; printing images on photographic paper by using light and not an enlarger; and overexposing portions of photographic paper are three common methods of using photographic paper or experimentation.
• Photograms are images made by placing items on photographic paper and then exposing them to light. This method does not even involve a camera!

Other Experimental Methods

Some other techniques are often used in experimental ways –

• Toy cameras are often used in experimental ways. Many use these ‘cheaper’ devices in creative ways to bend light.
• Pinhole cameras have been used by many famous Dada artists to create unique images.
• Almost any photograph can become ‘experimental’ in the digital age by manipulating the image through software such as Photoshop and Lightroom – one can invert colours, bend the lines in the photograph, blur the image, and much more.