Friday, March 31, 2006

Negatives

Ever since I was given my first Kodak Brownie camera, I've been fascinated with the images on the negatives. I became even more interested with the advent of colour film.

The Negative button on the Images menu of Paint Shop Pro converts a digital image into its negative. I've found that sometimes structures that I haven't noticed in a colour photo stand out on the negative. It's a great discovery tool.

Here are some examples.

(Click on the images for enlargements.)
























































































1. Raindrops on Agave Victoria Regina
2. Eucalyptus leaves
3. Convolvulus
4. Bougainvillea
5. Hoary Tansy-Aster
6. Gossypium Thurberi (Desert Cotton)
7. Crocus
8. Miniature Yellow Rose

11 comments:

Kay Cooke said...

That is fascinating. What beautiful perspectives. Lovely colours - the opposites are just as lovely as the positives!

Endment said...

Thank you for sharing this wonderful study! There is so much food for thought, artistically, poetically and intellectually.

Pam in Tucson said...

chiefbiscuit, endment - It was fun to do. I usually find something new in a negative. Sometimes the negative is a great image, even when the positive isn't!

Jean said...

Oui, comme vous , je regarde souvent ce que devient mes photos sur le négatif .
C'est un autre monde !

robin andrea said...

Quite beautiful. I've never really looked at negatives, so it is surprisingly interesting.

Pam in Tucson said...

jean - Exactement - un autre monde!

RD - The discoveries never cease to surprise me. I've tried some other image manipulations, too - but the negative is always the one that seems more informative and more artistic.

Taradharma said...

this is so great, Pam! I, too, have always been fascinated by the negative image. I used to retouch negs for a living...printed as well.

your study is a beautiful thing...thank you.

Pam in Tucson said...

Tara - I'm glad you enjoyed my post. Retouching negatives for a living? Did you work in a photographer's studio? Sounds interesting.

Cyn Bagley said...

I love negatives too... especially black and whites. :-)

JLLove said...

Yep! Anyone who has worked with negatives and darkroom printing sees this. Sometimes when printing studio portraits I would have to fix images that reveal more under the clothing than subject would want to share!

Taradharma said...

pam,
I was a freelance photographer for about 6 years, and worked in a lab. I've got photo chemicals in my blood...all the way back to my great-great-grandfather who invented photo gadgets, like revolving background scenes, and a kind of flash powder.