To my mom.

I am still not 100% sure how to feel about this cyanotype printing session. Sometimes, I know it was a bust. Other times, I get excited about the results, and printing more of them for toning and other experiments. This one landed somewhere in between. I was not disappointed but I also did not have the high of success. It was another printing session where I experimented with both the cyanotype negative tone curve as well as the paper. So much for working one variable at a time.

All of these prints are special as I was able to visit the locations with my mom. Longer distances and difficult terrain are no longer her forte but she wanted to join me for these trips and pushed through to victory. So while you don't see her in these prints I do. She's there!

Between Gates, PernštejnCyanotype

Between Gates, Pernštejn Castle, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7"  Smooth Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Smooth Strathmore 140lbs Watercolor Paper

As a result, you see 4 different papers featured in today's post from the smoothest UCreate 90lbs paper to the roughest Shizen Design 140lbs. In general, I am still a huge fan of the Shizen Design paper, its very rough texture, and somewhat unpredictable results. That paper also requires a bit more contrast in the negative as it's the overall form that is important, not the details. The details just get lost. Not all subjects land themselves well to that lo-fi solution. I am slowly learning which paper to start with and based on the look how to adjust.

The first two prints are from the wonderful Pernštejn Castle located in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands of the Czech Republic. You have seen the castle on this blog before and I am sure you will see it again. Both of these are on a heavier weight Strathmore paper that is not as smooth as the basic UCreate paper but its texture is very subtle.

The view below is one of the most obvious and overused cliches at this location but I can never resist anyway. I always try to find something new but also repeat my previous favorites. After all, no two days are the same, the weather, the light, the seasons, the camera, the film. There are just so many variables that it would be rather difficult to leave with an identical photo as before. The small courtyard just past the gate gives the Pernštejn castle a wonderful fairy-tale setting. And the bridge connecting the castle to the tower in the distance is a signature feature of the castle. After re-tuning my negative contrast I was quite pleased with how the cobblestone in the shadows of the gate came through.

Through the Inner Gate, PernštejnCyanotype

Through the Inner Gate, Pernštejn Castle , Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Smooth Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Smooth Strathmore 140lbs Watercolor Paper

From the Pernštejn Castle we are moving to Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic. Our first stop was Petrov, the short local name for the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul. As we circled around it and were about the pass through the stone gate I noticed the view up to the right over the wonderful street lamp and its shadow. And I am quite happy with how it came through on the softer textured watercolor paper.

Petrov ArchitectureCyanotype

Petrov Cathedral Architecture, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Textured Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Textured Meeden 140lbs Watercolor Paper

I attempted the same print on the rough lo-fi Shizen Design watercolor paper but as you can see, it did not suit this scene so well. I feel that too much of the detail disappeared and the above version is the stronger one.

Petrov ArchitectureRough Cyanotype

Petrov Cathedral Architecture, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Rough Textured Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Rough Textured Shizen Design 140lbs Watercolor Paper

Our next stop was by the city hall where I climbed the tower for a bird's eye view of the city below and the Špilberk Castle in the distance (top left). For this print, I felt I wanted as much of a photo-like print as possible. I wanted a close match to what a darkroom print would look like just in blue and without the darkness. Therefore, I reached for the paper that preserves the most detail, the smooth UCreate 90lbs watercolor paper. And with the new lower contrast curve for my negative I was able to get very close. Well at least in my head I did. Since I have not made this as a darkroom print yet I can't really tell. I can imagine it though. Maybe still a bit light in the highlights but overall a good range of tones.

Brno City Hall Tower ViewCyanotype

Brno City Hall Tower View, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 4" x 6" Smooth Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Smooth UCreate 90lbs Watercolor Paper

The final print below is from the same 4" x 6" negative but on 5" x 7" textured Meeden watercolor paper. That paper usually loses some detail and darkens the scene a notch. That was why I chose it to see what would happen with the highlights. And it did not disappoint. The "framed" look on the larger paper also adds another variation that I usually do not go for but wanted to try it again.

Brno City Hall Tower ViewCyanotype Variation

Brno City Hall Tower View Variation, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Textured Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Textured Meeden 140lbs Watercolor Paper

Thanks for joining me for another adventure with cyanotypes. This was the 18th "episode" and since I am behind on posting, I can already share with you that I have enough material for several more. If only there were more hours in each day. Photographic printing is so much fun!

Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy

Previous posts in the Cyanotypes series: 1. First Cyanotype - 2. More Cyanotypes - 3. Highlands Cyanotypes - 4. How do Cyanotypes Happen? - 5. Cyanotypes V: Tweaking the Curve - 6. Cyanotypes VI: Toning - 7. Cyanotypes VII: More Toning - 8. Cyanotypes VIII: Toning Different Papers - 9. Cyanotypes IX: Horní Rozsíčky - 10. Cyanotypes X: From Black and White or Color - 11. Cyanotypes XI: Moravian Countryside - 12. Cyanotypes XII: Prague Castle - 13. Cyanotypes XIII: American History - 14. Cyanotypes XIV: Gulf Shores, Alabama - 15. Cyanotypes XV: Different Take on Travel Photography - 16. Cyanotypes XVI: Nostalgic Pernštejn - 16. Cyanotypes XVII: Rajhrad Monastery Variations - 17. Cyanotypes XVII: Rajhrad Monastery Variations - 18. Cyanotypes XVIII: Pernštejn, Brno

If you like cyanotypes, you can explore the Cyanotypes Photo Gallery dedicated to my growing collection of them. Would you like to browse through traditional darkroom wet prints? Visit my Darkroom Photo Gallery and enjoy!

Helfštýn Castle Tower and WallsCyanotype Karlštejn Castle Tower and WallsCyanotype Pernštejn CastleCyanotype