Lumen printing can involve a lot of testing, and photographic paper is not cheap.
Keeping notes can help reduce trial and error and make better use of the paper. Record which paper was used and the conditions it was exposed. I tend to forget those details down the line.
The notebook contains 50 pre-designed pages for documenting Lumen, Cyanolumen, Chemilumen and Phytogram printing.
| $8.00 | Download eBook (PDF) and print it yourself. | |
| $18.00 | Best paperback option. | Buy from Lulu.com Same price but slightly better quality than Amazon. |
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How to use Lumen notes
By documenting your lumen experiments you can easily see what works and what can be improved. The customised layout includes:
- Photo paper selected – and the year if it has expired!
- Chemical solutions added
- Additives, acids, alkalines and any pigments
- Substrate – Whether you work on paper, fabric or any other surface
- Exposure time
- Fixing, toning or post treatments
- Reflection – this is where you learn from your mistakes
A notebook for you to document your process
- Format: Paperback, 106 pages (enough space to document 50 prints)
- Colour cover, black & white interior
- Printed by: Amazon/Kindle and Lulu
- Size: 15.24×22.86 cm or 6×9 inches
- Publisher: AlternativePhotography.com (2026)
- Cover image by Malin Fabbri
About the Lumen notebook
Lumen-based processes are wonderful to work with – playful, experimental, and full of unexpected beauty from both a carefully planned print to “happy accidents”. Changes in light, moisture, paper, chemistry, and exposure can produce remarkable results, making every print unique. But with so many variables, it is very easy to forget what you did once time has passed. And if you cannot remember the steps, how do you recreate a result?
This practical notebook is designed to help you record and refine your experiments. With a customised layout to document up to 50 lumen, cyanolumen, chemilumen, and phytogram prints, it helps you track materials, conditions, timings, techniques, and reflect on the outcome. A valuable companion for repeatable results, learning from your own mistakes, and developing your own creative process.
Lumen notes has a customised layout to document up to 50 lumens, including types of chemical solution, choice of substrate such as paper, additives, exposure time and additional post-process treatments. There is also room to reflect on the final results.
From Malin Fabbri
This notebook was simply born out of my own need to document and learn from my process. While researching the anthotype process and looking for emulsions, I wanted to find an easier way to document my findings to be able to share my research on different anthotype emulsions. I hope it can help others, too.
About the author
Malin Fabbri is the editor and founder of AlternativePhotography.com, author of several books on alternative photographic processes, and experiments with a variety of techniques such as anthotypes, cyanotypes, photopolymer gravure, chlorophyll prints, lumens, cyanograms, photosynthesis, pinholes and solargraphs.
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