Artist Ethan Jantzer creates photograms that take photography back to its roots. Moments of boredom while working at a photo lab led Ethan to experiment with raw film and lights and to hone a process he likens to creating a sunburn on film. Just about any object sparks his interest — fish, twine, grass — and he uses liquids such as Gatorade and Windex to achieve the colors he wants. Whether he’s creating a short movie or experimenting with subjects and techniques, Ethan loves the what-if hunt that keeps this art form fresh.
How do you create your photograms, and how did you first come up with this idea?
The medium and basic process of creating an image without a camera dates back to the 1700s. The photogram is how photography began. The techniques I use to create my work is rather unique though and is something I’m always refining. The way a photogram is produced is best understood when you think of it as a sunburn on film. If you were to lay in the sun with a leaf on your back, at the end of the day you would have a sunburn in the shape of that leaf. I essentially do the same thing using large sheets of photographic film or paper.
Most people that study or have studied photography have created photograms. It’s often just a quick exercise used to illustrate how light-sensitive materials work. Years ago, I was working in a professional photo lab, and on my lunch hour I would sneak into a darkroom and mess around a bit. One day I started exposing raw sheets of film to various lights, creating small color studies of sorts. Those “Hey, I’m bored… what happens if I do this?” images quickly led to lots of experiments with sheet film and the basis of my unusual process.
In total darkness, I lay objects on top of or in front of large sheets of photographic film or paper. Once the composition is in place, I flash light through colored liquids like Gatorade or Windex. This burst of saturated colored light creates shadows that are captured on the film or paper. By combining multiple flashes of light from various angles, I am able to create unique photographic images. One thing I really like about the process is how it forces me to pay attention to subtle changes in an object’s form or texture. I guess the same could be said about the images. The lack of detail makes us address or at least acknowledge the often overlooked and subtle details.
experimental223 