Botanical Abstractions on 16mm

July 18th – 11am-3pm

In this one day workshop, participants will explore phytography and cyanotype techniques directly on 16mm film, using non-toxic developers, sunlight, and organic materials to create experimental moving images. Through hands-on processes, we will transform film into a living surface where botanical traces, chemical reactions, and abstraction collide.

The workshop will begin at the Interbay Cinema Society in the NWFF, where we’ll prepare our film before heading to Cal Anderson Park to forage for plant materials. Using the daylight, we’ll create either cyanotypes or phytograms directly onto film, then return to the Forum for the final washing process. Once the film has dried, we’ll screen everyone’s work together before sending it out for high-resolution scanning so each participant receives a digital copy of their finished film.