Photodynamics is defined as “the science dealing with light in its relation to movement in plants.” This series of work gives a perspective on plant life, particularly flowers, which is at once scientific and abstract. After moving to San Francisco in 1997, I began collecting native wildflowers on Bernal Hill as well as non-native plants taking their place. The flowers have been taken apart, flattened and recomposed in the darkroom in order to convey a sense of movement and emphasize a variety of forms- petals, pistils, stamen and pollen. This results in unique prints made without a camera. Light projected through the actual plant membranes creates the photographic image. I used a Durst enlarger with a glass negative carrier to create these.
The original area that I enlarge is approximately 2x2 inches square. The petals, sandwiched between glass, considerably magnified and rendered in black and white are reduced to their most basic elements and quite removed from what we usually think of as flowers. I see this work as related to the "photograms" of Anna Atkins and Talbot in the 1800’s, scientific photography such as the work of Dr. Paul Fries, the photographs of plant forms by Joan Fontcuberta, the photograms of Adam Fuss and work of Susan Derges.
Images 1-9, 16x20" unique silver gelatin prints. Images 10-17, 11x14 unique silver gelatin prints