About us

About AlternativePhotography.comAlternativePhotography.com is all about historical photographic methods in use today – that means mixing emulsions and coating paper by hand. Learn how to print photographs with these techniques, and share your experiences with others. We are a non-profit organization and rely on contributions from supporting members.

We have spent 23 years and 100 000+ hours developing it. Not one person gets paid to do the work, it’s all done voluntarily. 

  • Learn: Artists, photographers, and other curious people can learn alternative photographic processes and we will supply the information to learn for free.
  • Get inspired: In our galleries, we show artists’ work and encourage them to tell how they work, to inspire others to get hands-on
  • Connect: Make it easier to connect with other photographers working with alternative photographic processes, all over the globe.

How it all started

It all started over 21 years ago, when I, Malin Fabbri (previously Malin Hylén) the editor of AlternativePhotography.com completed my MA in Design Studies with Alternative photography as my selected subject, at Central St. Martin’s School of Design in London in January 2000. I spent about 2 years researching the perception of images and how they compare to ordinary stock photography. That’s when I discovered and fell in love with alternative photographic processes. The process I used to do my research was Cyanotypes.

In those days, as far as the theory went it was hard to get hold of written material on the art of Cyanotypes. There were several books on the chemical process – but many dealing with the art of Cyanotypes. I only managed to find a few dusty books that I was privileged enough to have access to in the London Printing Library – including an amazing copy of Anna Atkin’s book on Cyanotypes. Thanks to the internet I was able to ‘talk’ directly to artists and some of them had websites. Just to put it in perspective: back then we used email lists and really slow modems that beeped and the discussion if images should be allowed on the internet or if it slowed it down too much was ongoing.

What was very striking was that everyone I contacted was VERY enthusiastic, sending me information, answering my questions and sharing their knowledge. Their enthusiasm really kept me going for the two years I worked on this project. When it all came to an end, I felt devastated at the thought of putting the results in the loft to gather dust. I had worked hard on collating all the information – some very hard to get hold of – and felt I had to share it with others – as people had shared with me.

The easiest way to share all the knowledge was the internet. I bought the domain name Cyanotypes.com on 8 April 2000 and published my thesis there. Some artists surfed “the net”, found the site, and asked me if I wanted to publish their images there too. I said ‘yes – why not?’ and it all grew from there.

Everyone was not working in Cyanotypes, so the name was misleading so we changed the name to AlternativePhotography.com on 22 November 2000. I never imagined it would take off as it did. In October 2002 – a year and a half later – there were 50 artists represented in the galleries on the site.  Today there are many more artists and over 900+ articles on different processes.

So, basically, this is now a site full of information on anything to do with Alternative photography and processes. The site relies on contributions from Supporting Members to cover costs – no one gets paid and it relies on the users (you) to contribute and share knowledge and to participate in the community. 

Help us grow even more

We don’t charge for learning and we don’t get paid. We do this because we love doing it – and we also believe learning should be free. We want to do photography as it should be: hands-on, fun and inspiring. We want to make it easier to connect with other photographers working with alternative photographic processes. But we really appreciate it if you help us with the running costs of the site. Please click here to help funding the site or click here to link to us.

We hope you enjoy it.

– Malin Fabbri, Editor, June 2020

Get the t-shirt and show your love for alt. proc.!

Tshirts
Mugs and pins
Also caps, stickers, bags and buttons
Go to our CafePress shop

 

 

In the press

Interview with Malin Fabbri in Cameradiere camera clubs newsletter September 2021, see page 20-21.

The logo

The logo is an old symbol for salt. Apart from salt being an ingredient in many of the processes, the handmade feel of the logo also represents the alternative processes. And we like to have fun:

Alternative Photographic Processes
February 11: Talbot’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
February 14: Valentines
Alternative Photographic Processes
March: Frederick Scott Archer published
the collodion process formula in 1851
Alternative Photographic Processes
March 7: Sir John Herschel’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
March 8: Womens international day
Alternative Photographic Processes
March 14: Einstein’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
March 16: Anna Atkins’ birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
March 17: St. Patrick’s day
Alternative Photographic Processes
March 19-21: Spring equinox
Alternative Photographic Processes
March 22: World water day
Alternative Photographic Processes
March – Earth hour
Alternative Photographic Processes
April 5: Site birthday (born 2000)
Alternative Photographic Processes
April 7: World health day
Alternative Photographic Processes
Easter
Alternative Photographic Processes
April 16: Denmark day
Alternative Photographic Processes
April 23: World book day
Alternative Photographic Processes
April 25: Anzak day
Alternative Photographic Processes
Last Sunday in April:Pinhole day
Alternative Photographic Processes
May 17: Norway day
Alternative Photographic Processes
May 25: Nerd pride day
Alternative Photographic Processes
June 6: Andy Warhol’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
June 6: Sweden day
Alternative Photographic Processes
June 12: UK day
Alternative Photographic Processes
June 21: Midsummer
Alternative Photographic Processes
July 1: Canada day
Alternative Photographic Processes
July 4: Independence day
Alternative Photographic Processes
July 14: Bastille day
Alternative Photographic Processes
August 6: Van Gough’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
August 27: Man Ray’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
September 21: International peace day
Alternative Photographic Processes
September 23: Autumn
Alternative Photographic Processes
October 4-10: World space week
Alternative Photographic Processes
October 27: Roy Lichtenstein’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
Halloween
Alternative Photographic Processes
November 18: Daguerre’s birthday
Alternative Photographic Processes
November 26: Buy nothing day
Alternative Photographic Processes
Thanksgiving
Alternative Photographic Processes
Winter
Alternative Photographic Processes
December 10: Nobel peace prize day
Alternative Photographic Processes
Christmas: 1 advent
Alternative Photographic Processes
Christmas: 2 advent
Alternative Photographic Processes
Christmas: 3 advent
Alternative Photographic Processes
Christmas: 4 advent
Alternative Photographic Processes
Christmas eve: 24 December
Alternative Photographic Processes
Christmas day: 25 December
Alternative Photographic Processes
New Year
 

3 thoughts on “About us”

  1. Thank you Spiffy for all your contributions over the years! And for moderating the Facebook group. 🙂 Much appreciated. And, what you describe is exactly the reason we are here. We love it when people turn off the telly and “get their hands dirty”. 🙂

  2. I am a long time fan of yours and the work you do. You have exposed many thousands of people to the beauty of alternative process photography, and have jump started the hobbies and careers of many thousands more. The original, small but nicely designed website that I found while seeking information on cyanotype really did change my life in that it opened up a world of artistic expression that has served as my primary creative outlet for many years now. Even my pinhole and darkroom/film practice originated with your website and my early work with alternative processes. I think that most of the people practicing alternative process today can trace their beginnings back to you and your website and the FB page in very few steps, very few degrees of separation. And you did it while studying and working, and raising a family, blazing a trail where none had gone before. Very few people have made such an impact in any field, nor have inspired so many others. Congratulations!

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