Bere Forest, a photo from Hampshire, England

Photographer's Note

This is a darkroom cyanotype, printed on fibre-based paper (large neg, contact-printed in hazy sunlight for about 20 minutes), and the result scanned on a flatbed. I was teaching traditional darkroom techniques, and this was in fact one of the demonstration prints. I.E. this isn't the result of P'shop manipulation!

Bere Forest is today the rump of a much larger area of woodland which covered much of S.E. Hampshire in the Middle Ages and up to the Eighteenth Century, being one of the remaining parts of the Royal Forest of Bere, used by English Kings for hunting. It once covered an area stretching from the River Test at King's Somborne in the west through Hursley, Eastleigh, Bishop's Waltham and Denmead to Rowland's Castle in the east. The forest was used as a source of oak for the navy to use in ship building.

CLODO, tyro, kabel, patdeph, dip has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

serp2000 (29206) 2012-04-30 1:20

Hi, Will,
Outstanding art work! I like your work. My compliments! Splendid monochrom picture, nice frame. Two points from me.
Serghei

SnapRJW (18752) 2012-04-30 4:48

Hello Will - I love woodland and your delicate cyanotype is soft, delicate and extremely beautiful. A wonderful image. TFS and best regards Rosemary

CLODO (24726) 2012-04-30 8:18

Hi Will

Very original post for an old technique, and amazing framing.
regards
CLODO

tyro (13101) 2012-05-01 1:35

Hello Will,

This is a remarkable photograph, quite outwith the realms of what we are used to seeing here on TE nowadays. Far removed from the rather technical, clinical and perhaps rather sterile pictures we are used to seeing these days from our modern digital wizardry, this picture has a wonderful ethereal and almost mystical feel to it. And, of course, it's a real tribute to older photographic techniques as well as to someone who can still master them!

As I say, the ethereal quality is lovely and the textures and lighting are superb.

Beautiful!

Kind Regards,

John.

P.S. I wonder if this website is doing funny things again - I can't quite work out how this photograph has only had four critiques and yet somehow appears to have earned eleven points. Very strange, although it is certainly worth more points than that!

notrap (4690) 2012-05-01 1:52

Hello Will,
I like this "frame" which is no frame like what we do nowadays in PS, but perhaps achieved with a sponge. I would be glad to get such a result in postprocessing, but maybe it would never have the same touching spirit.
Kind regards,
Elvira

kabel (991) 2012-05-01 19:58

Hello, a very original and unique art photograph. Thank you for explaining the process in your notes. Nice subject matter and the extraordinary process you used to bring it to fruition. This photo expands our usual definition as to what we see in the world around us and how it is presented to us.
TFS,
Karen

chrisvek (5483) 2012-05-02 13:23

Hello Will

Very nice shoot with perfect cold colors.Very nice lightning and perfect framing with effects.Great atmosphere.Well done!

Have a nice evening
Chris

mesutilgim (67982) 2012-05-02 13:39

Hello Will,
Different technique, perfect effect !
That's the reason why I still keep my darkroom.
I hope that I can also post in next days one of my albumine prints !
TFS and bets regards
MESUT ILGIM

guftgu (22) 2012-05-03 5:27

Hi Will,

This photo is unique. First the photo taken is excellent. Monochrome effect has come real good and second the frame. Something real outstanding. Congrats.
Regards and keep sharing.
Sudhir Kaushal

mauro61 (52527) 2012-05-03 12:41

ciao Will,
mi piace molto questo effetto dentro cui collochi l'immagine ripresa.
Scena monocromatica di grande bellezza e classe,
bravo
saluti
maurizio

patdeph (35738) 2012-05-03 13:58

hello Will
this technique has given a splendid result, and I love how this is framed.Superb artistic work, I like very much.
Regards
Pascale

dip (21919) 2012-05-03 23:54

Hi Will,
very impressive the result of this technique!
very interesting posting,
thanks for sharing,
Dimitris.

bornav (436) 2012-05-22 4:12

Hi Will,
This is a fascinating photo! The bluish hue makes it resemble like a scene from Celtic folktales or the Dark Ages. I also like the effects which you've applied on the borders.

speedymanu (3148) 2012-08-27 6:22

Hello Will,

Congratulations for using and mastering such a process. Moreover, congratulations for this very delicate and artistic composition which suits this process so finely. You've avoided the gimmicky use and created something truly original.

Emmanuel