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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Autochrome

AUTOCHROME was the earliest practical method of color photography, created by the brothers Auguste Marie and Louis Nicolas Lumière, and first marketed in 1907.

A distinctive feature of Autochrome is its muted palette of colors, based on orange, green, and violet. While unable to duplicate many colors, such as bright red and blue, many thought that this process produced subtle, beautiful, and delicate images, while avoiding the garish color often found in newer methods. Autochrome remained popular, particularly in France, until the 1950s.

Here is my attempt to reproduce the color of Autochrome. I'm working on images like these for an exhibition.

Unusual sky color illumines buildings in the Soulard neighborhood in Saint Louis, Missoui, USA
Buildings in the Soulard neighborhood of Saint Louis.

Autochromed yellow flowers

Autochromed yellow flowers 2

Autochromed purple flowers

Autochromed water lily

Missouri Botanical Garden (Shaw's Garden), in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - purplish tulip
Autochrome can't show red.

Pink flowers
But Autochrome is famed for its subtle pink hues.

Missouri Botanical Garden (Shaw's Garden), in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - lily

Silver Lake Park, in Highland, Illinois, USA - pink Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty) wildflower

Missouri Botanical Garden (Shaw's Garden), in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - red tulip
Red becomes orange.

Missouri Botanical Garden (Shaw's Garden), in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - purple flowers

Cliff Cave County Park, in Mehlville, Missouri, USA - wildflower meadow in fog
Cliff Cave County Park, in Mehlville, Missouri.

Pere Marquette State Park, near Grafton, Illinois, USA - panorama of indian mound
Indian mound at Pere Marquette State Park, near Grafton, Illinois.

Saint Francis Xavier Church, in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - nave
Saint Francis Xavier Church, in Saint Louis.

Holy Angels Parish (former Saint Bernard Church), in Wood River, Illinois, USA - Marian garden
Holy Angels Church, in Wood River, Illinois.

Saint Francis de Sales Oratory, in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - Palm Sunday procession
Saint Francis de Sales Oratory, in Saint Louis.

Saint Peter Roman Catholic Church, in Jefferson City, Missouri, USA - altar of Saint Joseph
Saint Peter Church in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - full sanctuary
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
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1 comment:

  1. Tina aka SnupnjakeWednesday, August 10, 2011 5:51:00 PM

    I think I like this technique? color pallette? with the pinks, purples and blues. The pink waterlily is my fave. St. Francis Xavier looks right. :)

    ReplyDelete