The initiative of World Anthotype Day was started here by us, and the first event took place 2022. This will now (hopefully with your support) be an annual event on the 3rd Saturday in August last Saturday in October. It is a global event, and everyone who is an experienced or aspiring anthotyper is invited to take part.
The FIFTH World Anthotype Day will open in August. It seems like a long time off, BUT, we want to send you a friendly reminder since the most common reflection over the last two years was “I should have exposed longer”. Just saying. 🙂 That is one of the reasons why we exchanged the deadline from August to October.
- OPEN: 1st August 2026
- DEADLINE: 31st of October 2026, midnight, your own timezone.
- THEME: No theme, but a mission to find an UNUSUAL emulsion to grow our anthotype emulsions database!
- Here are the emulsions used in the past World Anthotype Days
How to join World Anthotype Day:
- All info you need to take part in World Anthotype Day.
- If you are new, here is how to learn the process.
- Here is a good list of supplies.
- Here is the first book on Anthotypes and THE book to get in-depth with the process.
- Sign up for the Anthtoype newsletter and you will not miss a beat (scroll down)
The mission of World Anthotype Day: Find unusual emulsions
We are looking for UNUSUAL and UNIQUE emulsions. Some have been used several times, so try to find a new one. The point of World Anthotype Day is to grow the database of DIFFERENT emulsions as much as possible. Here are the most common ones (so please find something else):
– Algae, spirulina (Spirulina maxima)
– Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)
– Bird vetch (Vicia cracca)
– Black turtle bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)
– Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus)
– Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosom)
– Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis)
– Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea)
– Chard, common (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla)
– Cosmos, garden (Cosmos bipinnatus)
– Dahlia (Dahlia pinnata)
– Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
– Paprika / Red pepper / Chili (Capsicum annuum varietals)
– Pokeberry, common (Phytolacca americana)
– Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
– Raspberry, common (Rubus idaeus)
– Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)
– Rocket (Eruca Sativa)
– Saffron crocus / Zaran saffron (Crocus sativus)
– Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
– Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa)
– Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
– Walnut (Juglans nigra)
– Watercress (Narsturtium officinale)
Using mixes of plants and pigments
Experimenting with plant and pigment mixes is a wonderful way to explore new possibilities – and we absolutely encourage it! However, for World Anthotype Day, please only submit a mix if it truly stands out. Since the database aims to help artists find distinct new emulsions, only send your mix if it offers something exceptional – like noticeably better colour, contrast, or stability. In short: experiment as much as you like, but only share it if it is exceptional. Using a mix, it should also be something that others can replicate, since the database is to enable others to use the information. Make sure to include an image containing ALL pigments used in one image.
New to anthotypes?
Imagine creating photographs from flowers, leaves, berries—even kitchen herbs—and developing them using only the power of the sun. This is the charm of anthotypes, a 19th-century photographic process that continues to inspire artists around the globe for its natural, non-toxic, and surprisingly versatile approach.
Invented in the 1840s by Sir John Herschel, the anthotype process is deceptively simple: you crush plant material to extract its pigment, apply the emulsion to paper, and expose it to sunlight beneath a transparency or object. No darkroom, no chemicals—just light, time, and nature.
World Anthotype Day is a celebration of this botanical art form. Started by Malin Fabbri, editor of AlternativePhotography.com, the initiative has grown into a vibrant, annual collaboration. Artists from over 30 countries take part each year, experimenting with over hundred of unusual plants and sharing their discoveries in what has become the world’s largest open anthotype emulsion database.
“Anthotypes continue to be an obsession for me,” says Fabbri.
“Ever since I discovered this gentle, plant-based process in 2008, I’ve been captivated by the idea of making images from nature itself. With World Anthotype Day, we’re building something that lasts—a resource for everyone interested in alternative photography.”
What makes the process so exciting is its range of possibilities. Different plants yield different tones—from earthy browns and golden yellows to cool blues and deep greens.
More quick links:
- Need to brush up on your skills? Read the anthotype article:
- Find inspiration in the previous year’s books and see all the new pigments added this year in the database!
- We’re working hard to run this event on the website, gallery, database and social media. Please buy us a coffee if you can!
- Take notes, document your anthotype process, and you’ll be ready to go!
- Protect your clothes from stains – check out our aprons!
Enjoy! And don’t forget to share and invite friends! If you have any questions, just comment below!
Entries from 2024:
Happy anthotyping!
Rated 9,8 - based on 224 votes
Rated 10 - based on 2 votes
World Anthotype Day
World Cyanotype Day
