Photograms

What is a Photogram? 

A Photogram is a photographic image that is created without using a camera by placing objects directly on to light sensitive material such as photographic paper and exposing it to light. 

The result of the photogram depends on the materials of the objects used as for example, objects that are made of metal or plastic will appear white because they are not transparent so they will not be exposed to light.Objects that are semi transparent such as glass will appear grey and fully transparent objects such as light sensitive photographic paper will appear black as they will be completely exposed to light.

Some of the first photographic images made were photograms.

William Henry Fox Talbot paced leaves and pieces of material on to sensitized paper and left them outside on a sunny day to expose. The result of this was a dark background with a white silhouette of the object used. Man Ray was an photographer who used photograms and referred to them as Rayograms.