Susan Derges photogram

Susan Derges 

Derges was born in London in 1955, and is an English photographer. She studied painting at the Chelsea Collage of Art and Design for 3 years, she then went on to studied at the Slade School of Art for another 2 years. She then turned to photography where she explored different cameraless techniques, such as imprinting images directly onto photographic paper using either natural or artificial light. Techniques she has continued to concentrate on and develop to this day.

For 4 years she lived and worked in Japan, where she received a Rotary Foundation Award. She then continued to carry out postgraduate research at Tsukuba University. 

As Derges trained in painting, she had always expressed an interest in abstract art because "it offered the promise of being able to speak of the invisible rather than to record the visible"[1]. She chose to focus on cameraless photography after experiencing frustration by the way, that she described as "the camera always separates the subject from the viewer"[1]. Her images are often beautiful, conjuring theoretical and fugitive meanings. Her methods are mostly experimental, she is constantly searching for new cameraless methods of recording imagery, including photograms. While still connecting with the world around her.

Analysis of one of her photos 

This is one of Derges more famous photograms its called River Taw, taken at night on January 19 1999. 76.2 cm x 30.5 cm. 

What does it look like This image shows an decade tree branch taken at night, possibly during the winter months due to the lack of leaves on the trees. Another indication is the icy blue water that appears to be cold. The ripples in the water could have been made artificially or caused by wind. 

How was it made Her idea was to place the paper in the water and expose it to a microsecond of hand held flashlight. The first piece of paper she tried floated off. After many nights out she began to come up with a technique by lacing photographic paper on the river bed and using an aluminium slide to hold the paper, which she submerged just below the water's surface.

How does it make you feel
This image emanates an ominous atmosphere this is done through the constant use of dark colours and cryptic shapes caused by the branches. I believe Derges was trying to give this effect and create a mysterious feeling, and makes me feel that the image could be foreshadowing something bad, or could possible be representing the change that is to come when spring comes back around and the dead tree is reborn.  

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Derges