Dawn Huddlestone

Cyanotypes land at the intersection of nature, photography, science, and art, all things that I love.

The cyanotype process, an alternative photographic technique, was created in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, an astronomer who was searching for a method to reproduce his notes, and popularized by Anna Atkins as a means of capturing botanical prints.

Paper, fabric, or other natural materials are coated with a UV-sensitive solution, covered with foraged botanicals, feathers, or a photo negative, and then exposed to the sun (or a UV lamp) to capture a contact print in stunning Prussian blue.

The chemistry and colour of cyanotypes can be altered using the wet cyanotype process (using primarily mildly acidic liquids), or by bleaching and toning, all to interesting effect.

It’s like magic! (But really it’s science.)

I am also a writer and editor and am fortunate to live in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada, a region filled with many forests and shorelines to explore.

Find me on Instagram @birchnotescreative.