Fucus nodosus
1843-1853
Imagine making a photocopy, but with sunlight and seaweed! Anna Atkins created this striking image by placing actual seaweed directly onto light-sensitive paper and letting the sun do the rest. This technique, called a cyanotype, results in that gorgeous Prussian blue background with ghostly white silhouettes. Atkins is a true pioneer of photography—her 1843 book featuring images like this is widely considered the first book ever illustrated with photographs, beating out the famous William Henry Fox Talbot by a year.
- Technique
- Cyanotype
- Material
- Paper
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