Cyanotypes

Discovered in the mid-1800s, the cyanotype uses a solution of iron salts and sunlight to create a deep rich blue. Contact printing with paper and cyan was often used by Victorian-era botanists doing fieldwork, most notably Anna Atkins who is credited as the author of the first photography book. In keeping with its historical roots, Elizabeth creates cyanotypes with found natural objects from her own garden or near the shores of Lake Michigan in southeastern Wisconsin.