Ryan Van Der Hout

My work explores the nature of the photographic medium through various non-traditional photographic processes. A photographic image made without a camera explores the materials themselves rather than the outside world seen through the camera. Utilizing photograms, enlargergrams, light drawings and cliche verre, what is seen through my work is the process of making and the interaction of light with photographic paper. These are often manifested through the shadows of our world, but sometimes through the direct action of light. While these images are not necessarily the recording of the outside world, the paper still records - photography always records - the moment of its own creation.

Photogram: Produced by placing objects directly onto the surface of a photo-sensitive material, such as photographic paper, and then exposing it to light. The varying tonality of the resulting silhouetted image is determined by the transparent, translucent and opaque qualities of the object photogramed. (Vanitas and the Death of the Darkroom, Figures, Icons)

Enlargergram: Similar to a photogram, however the object is not placed directly on the photographic paper but projected directly upon it through an enlarger as one would work with film in an enlarger. (Fruit, Halfway to Mars)

Light Drawing: An image made through the direct action of light on the photographic paper, often utilizing a beam of light to effectively draw on the photographic paper. (Light Compositions, Light and Objecthood)

Cliche Verre: An image is drawn or etched onto a glass plate or film and photogramed, the resulting image is a highly textured rendering of the original drawing. (Halfway to Mars)

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