How to make a photogram

A photogram is making a print in a photo lab without using a camera. By placing objects onto a piece of light sensitive paper in a darkroom, you can use an enlarger to cast light onto the paper and capture the silhouettes of the objects.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• A 8 x 10 cut piece of photographic paper
• A dark room
• An enlarger or a focused light source you can turn on and off
• A few small objects (keys, coins, etc.)

1. 

   Begin by setting your enlarger to shed an area of light that is slightly larger than the size of your 8 x 10 piece of photo paper.

2. 

   Next, lay out your photo paper under the enlarger where the light will shine down.

3. 

   Then arrange your objects onto the paper in any fashion.

4. 

   Switch the enlarger on and expose the paper for approximately 5 seconds.

5. Finally, carefully remove the objects and you're ready to develop.

Tips & Warnings

• By shortening or lengthening the time of exposure you can control how dark you want the background of the silhouettes to be. The shorter the time, the lighter the shade will be.

• All steps must be done in a dark room photo lab with only small red or orange safe lights on. If the photographic paper is exposed to any other lighting it will ruin the sheet.