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Writer's pictureC L Davies

How to create a watergram


 

The technique to create watergrams is an easy, fun and fast way to produce beautiful and unique patterns. You will only need a few things to get started:

  • A darkroom with chemicals for developing black and white photographs – develop, stop, fixer and water baths

  • Photographic paper

  • A shallow tray to hold water

  • A DSLR camera/ a flash headlamp or similar light source

  • A spray bottle with water, pipettes or a cup

  • An assistant (if possible).

Gather all of the equipment you need in the darkroom with the lights on. Fill the tray with enough water to cover a sheet of photographic paper once the lights are off and place the tray on a flat surface. If using a cup, fill the cup with water or make sure there is water in your spray bottle if using this instead. You can also agitate the tray which will create wave patterns in the print. To create the print you will need a light source, grab your camera if it has a flash and remove the lens, set it to manual and press the button to release the flash. If you are using another light source then ensure that you test this with small pieces of photographic paper rather than going straight onto a whole sheet of paper.

Once you are ready turn the main lights off, turn on the red lights and place your photographic paper in the tray so it is submerged. If you have an assistant their job will be to pour the water from the cup into the tray or spray the water with the spray bottle and/or agitate the tray, whilst you aim the camera at the tray and press the button to set off the flash. I have found that holding the camera around a metre and a half works well. If you do not have an assistant you will have to multitask doing both the spraying/pouring as well as activating the flash, this is tricky but achievable with practice.

Once the flash has gone off, stop spraying or pouring the water and remove the photographic paper from the tray. Begin the development process, this is the same as when developing photographs however you will have to closely watch the print and judge if it has developed enough, leaving it in the developing fluid for too long will result in a very dark print. Continue with the stop, fix and water bath as normal. If your print does not develop or is white this is underdeveloped and you will need to move your light source closer and experiment with the flash settings.



 

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