In order to create this image, I created 3 light drawings using my mirrorless digital camera. The light drawings were made using a slow shutter speed, focusing on a source of light – in this instance, fairy lights and a lamp and then moving the camera to capture a sense of movement. I then imported the photographs onto my phone and scanned them into a ‘PolaroidLab’, which converts photographs on your phone into polaroid images. By doing this, it means that I achieve an image I am happy with, but still get to manipulate the polaroid. Once I had the polaroid images, I peeled back the layers using a hairdryer to leave a transparent film of the image. I then layered the three transparencies together and scanned them, creating a digital image that has not been Photoshopped at any part of the process. To be honest, I did not peel back the polaroids particularly well – the image peeled away from the film in places and congealed and there is chemical residue left on the films – this is what makes them all the more interesting.
I am interested in the process of manipulation and the resulting abstract images, this image reads in many different ways – it’s fleshy, moist and floral and I definitely see fingerprint patterns within it. It is intriguing and I’m not sure why, but it really works and hopefully leaves the audience wondering what it is. This image looks fantastic when projected to around 1.5m x 1.5m, the transparency of the image really shines through. When exhibiting this piece I really need to consider how the light travels through it and whether I exhibit it as a projection, or print it onto glass, or other semi transparent material such as voile and hang it as a series.
