The Waves:
When water became the negative.
Medium
Watergram
Year
2024
Series
8 Gelatin Silver Prints
Exhibited
Ada slaight Gallery, September 2024
Making vibration visible
A watergram is a cameraless photograph made by using water as the negative. This project began with my research into cymatics: the study of patterns produced through vibration.
I filled a bowl with water and used a mallet to create vibrations, similar to the way a singing bowl is played. A flash from above lit the moving surface and recorded the wave patterns on gelatin silver paper at the bottom of the bowl. Changes in water volume, height of the flash from the paper, frequency, and the force of the vibration produced different images with various tones.
The Waves
Water is a recurring subject in my work, but in this series it also became part of the photographic apparatus. Rather than appearing in front of a camera, the moving surface bent and redirected the light itself. Each print records a pattern that existed only for the instant of exposure, making the interaction between sound, water, and light visible.
Exhibited at Ada Slaight Gallery, the eight circular prints were installed as a vertical sequence. The arrangement allowed each image to remain distinct while still reading as part of one movement. Together, the series preserves vibrations that would otherwise disappear when the water became still.