Gradient (Rose Hips II), 2008
Scanned image, 46.8" x 33.2" ca. @300ppi (id#1061)
All images in this series were created with a flat-bed scanner, using either reflected or transmitted light.
These rose hips were arranged according to color, and then scanned - the gradient was not applied by digital photoelaboration.
Berries I, 2005
Scanned image, 23.9" x 18.9" ca. @300ppi (id#1062)
Aralia berries. First of a series of many scans made over the course of about 45 days, leaving the berries undisturbed on the scanner glass as they dessicated. Seen by reflected light.
Berries XXI, 2005
Scanned image, 23.9" x 18.9" ca. @300ppi (id#1063)
Aralia berries. The final scan of this series. Seen by reflected light.
Juniper Boughs, 2006
Scanned image, 46.8" x 33.2" ca. @300ppi (id#1064)
Small branches of a juniper bush, seen by reflected light. The light source of the scanner usually has a softening effect on the subject. Here it has instead, oddly, the harsh, paparazzi-like effect of flash used at night.
Untitled (Fluffy Seeds, Compressed), 2004
Scanned image, 20.1" x 15.9" ca. @300ppi (id#1065)
Many one of the kinds of seeds that propagate by the wind, seen by reflected light.
Untitled (Pollynoses, Vertical), 2005
Scanned image, 20" x 12" ca. @300ppi (id#1066)
Of a variety of Japanese Maple, these seeds are naturally greenish when mature but still fresh, and quite small, slightly bigger than seen here on the web.
Untitled (Pollynoses), 2005
Scanned image, 5.9" x 12.1" ca. @300ppi (id#1067)
Of a variety of Japanese Maple, these seeds are naturally reddish when mature and dry, and quite small, a little smaller than seen here on the web.
Untitled (Leek II, Reflected Light), 2005
Scanned image, 12.2" x 5.9" ca. @300ppi (id#1068)
A layer of a leek, flattened against the scanner glass, seen by reflected light.
Untitled (Leek II, Transmitted Light), 2005
Scanned image, 12.8" x 6.9" ca. @300ppi (id#1069)
A layer of a leek, flattened against the scanner glass, seen by transmitted light.
Untitled (Leek VI, Transmitted Light), 2005
Scanned image, 12.8" x 6.9" ca. @300ppi (id#1070)
A layer of a leek, flattened against the scanner glass, seen by transmitted light.
Ice XII, 2006
Scanned image, 20" x 14" ca. @300ppi (id#1072)
A thin slab of ice, taken from the surface of a bucket of water in the garden, seen by reflected light. (Don't do this yourself - when the scanning was done, the underside of the scanner glass had become all fogged over. The condensation condensed further into droplets, which dried and left spots all over the scanner glass. A devil to remove and clean.)
Feather (Reflected Light), 2005
Scanned image, 25.2" x 7.7" ca. @300ppi (id#1073)
A single gray feather, seen by reflected light.
Feather (Reflected Light), 2005 (detail)
Scanned image, 7.7" x 6.4" ca. @300ppi (id#1073)
A detail of the feather, seen by reflected light.
Fluff II, 2009
Scanned image, 20"x15" (id#1075)
Many one of the kinds of seeds that propagate by the wind, seen by reflected light.
Leaf II (Reflected Light), 2006
Scanned image, 34.9" x 19.5" ca. @300ppi (id#1076)
A single leaf, seen by reflected light.
Fluff A, 2006
Scanned image, 20"x12" ca. (id#1077)
Flowers that dispense one of the kinds of seeds that propagate by the wind, seen by reflected light.
Untitled (Cavolfiore Romano), 2007
Scanned image, 24.6" x 24.3" ca. @300ppi (id#1079)
A variety of cauliflower with an unusually pronounced, fractal-like form. Here the light of the scanner and the three-dimensionality of the subject (as well as its rather bizarre form) combine by chance to suggest deep-sea images.
Untitled (Dried Poppies), 2008
Scanned image, 34.6" x 32.2" ca. @300ppi (id#1080)
Two rows of poppy seed heads, seen by reflected light.
Fern Back, 2007
Scanned image, 24" x 7.3" ca. @300ppi (id#1081)
The underside of a fern frond, showing the many spores ready to drop.
Three Sprigs (Reflected Light, 3D), 2008
Scanned image, 30.5" x 25.4" ca. @300ppi (id#1082)
Although not very evident on the web, this image has a depth of field (or zone of sharp focus) confined to the parts that were closest to the glass, since the subjects were left uncompressed.
Five Sprigs (Transmitted Light, Compressed), 2008
Scanned image, 29" x 32" ca. @300ppi (id#1083)
Here the subjects were pressed close to the glass, so the image is sharp almost everywhere.
Medaglioni di Papa (Pope's Medals), 2007
Scanned image, 34.8" x 29" ca. @300ppi (id#1084)
The seed pods of the Lunaria (known in English as Honesty, I suppose for their transparency), and in Italian commonly as "medaglioni di papa", or pope's medals, seen by transmitted light.
Semi di Zucca (Pumpkin Seeds), 2006
Scanned image, 59.1 x 42.3 cm (24.6" x 17.6") ca. @300ppi (id#1085)
Pumpkin seeds, seen by reflected light.
Cilantro (Coriandolo), 2005
Scanned image, 40" x 33.2" ca. @300ppi (id#1086)
Leaves of cilantro, or coriander, seen by transmitted light.
Foglie d'Acero (Maple Leaves), 2006
Scanned image, 40" x 33.2" ca. @300ppi (id#1087)
Leaves of the Japanese maple, seen by transmitted light.
Scans of Natural Materials
This group of scans tries to render something unabashedly aesthetic, to exploit the inherent formal qualities of the subjects. As such, it has always been the nature of the materials themselves that determines the "compositional" approach - their size, number, thickness, color, texture, and degree of transparency. I mainly want to show the materials for what they are, so the arrangements are very straightforward.
With single objects, big or small, I like to isolate or frame the area that interests me - e.g., the "Ice XII" or "Leaf II" or "Fern Back". With very large quantities of small items, such as the "Pollynoses" or "Pumpkin Seeds" or "Berries I & XXII", they are not even composed - they are simply distributed evenly on the scanner. (An exception is the "Rose Hips", which had to be arranged in order of color.) Somewhat smaller quantities, like "Dried Poppies" or the two "Pollynoses" images, require very careful arrangement to create the surface tension or visual rhythm that I like. The same goes for comparatively simple compositions like "Medaglioni di Papa" or the two "Sprigs" pieces.
All images in this series were created with a flat-bed scanner, using either reflected or transmitted light. Generally there has been little or no retouching, and no photo elaboration except for minor tonal adjustments.
© 2014 Allen Schill. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or used without prior written permission from the author. Anyone is welcome to link to it, or to quote brief passages, but I would like to be notified.
© Copyright Allen Schill