Perhaps there is a specific name for this technique - I don’t know.
Some refer to it as impressionistic. Others invoke the name of the
Father of Impressionism by referring to it as the Monet process.
Whatever you choose to call it, it provides the opportunity to alter your
photograph to create a “sensory impression” rather than a literal truth.
This is based on techniques written up in Photographic, PSA Journal, and
demonstrated by fellow photographers. This is how I do it, but you
can alter portions if it works for you; the main purpose is to be creative!
2. Film. The slow to medium films (ISO 40 to 200) offer the best detail and color. Slide film is best unless you do your own printing or have a good relationship with the lab; the impressionistic effect may confuse the printer and/or machine. Since the light source is tungsten, a tungsten film (see list at end) will produce colors close to the original. If you use a daylight film (e.g. Velvia, Provia, Elite, etc.) the impressionistic image will have a much warmer (orange) balance unless you use a correction filter (Blue 80A or 80B).
3. Tripod. Exposures times with slow film will be in the 1/30 to 1 second or more range (depending on the intensity of your projector and the presence of a filter). This is too slow to handhold.
4. Projector. Any normal slide projector will work. It should have fairly even light throughout the image - an obvious center hot spot will look odd. A zoom lens is also good, especially if you have limited space to work in.
5. Original images (in slide form). Choose images that have good potential as an impressionistic image. Impressionism emphasizes light, so try slides with good light quality. This is a good way to try to redo images that have minor flaws (e.g. overexposed, not quite sharp, or composition not tight enough), although some mistakes just can’t be fixed!
6. Clear plastic or glass (CPG). The piece should be around 24”x24” - this can vary based on space allocations, camera lens and projector lens focal lengths or what you may have lying around. It shouldn’t be smaller than about 16”x16” or larger than 36”x36” and it doesn’t have to be exactly square, but should be close. Plastic (acrylic or polycarbonate) is more expensive but much safer than glass. Cost: $10-30. (See #8)
7. Vidalon Tracing Vellum. This is a type of tracing paper available in serious art supplies stores, such as art or drafting students patronize. It is very fragile, so handle it carefully. I have purchased it in 24”x36” sheets for about $2 per sheet. Call before you go to your usual supplier.
8. Textured plastic or glass (TPG). Finding this may be the hardest part of the whole process. In my demonstration, I use a plastic called New Lucerne (used for patio tabletops). You can get it at places that specialize in plastics, as well as the piece of clear plastic in #6. (Use the phone book and call first.) There are other designs available, but most of the ones I have seen have too strong a pattern. The glass versions are often called obscured glass, but again I recommend plastic as the glass versions are very heavy and fragile. Retail plastic shops often have remnant bins - these are much cheaper, but they may not have what you want. Cost: $20-30.
9. Method of support. You will need some way to keep the CPG and TPG vertical. Some have used clamps. Put two or three clamps along the bottom and use the grips as the support legs. One friend devised a clever gadget. I have two rectangular pieces of wood 1-1/4”x2-3/4”x24”. Resting on one 1-1/4” side, slots are cut through the top to about halfway (1-1/2” deep). The slots are about 1-1/2” apart all the way down the plank. I put the planks down side by side about 12-18 inches apart to provide a base for the CPG and TPG, which are placed in the slots.
Set up your camera and projector at opposite ends of the work area, facing each other. Height adjustments may need to be made after you have set up the CPG and TPG. The projector will need to be at the same level as the center of the glass, so it may need a separate stand or something to raise it up on the table.
Take the vellum and cut it to fit one side of the piece of CPG. Tape it to the CPG along the edges using clear packaging tape or wide cellophane tape. (If working with glass, be VERY careful.) Place it upright on the work surface using the clamps or slotted plank. The vellum side should face the projector.
Take the TPG and place it upright on the work surface using the clamps or slotted plank, between the camera and CPG.
Sometimes it looks better backwards, but be careful of obviously reversed components, e.g text, clocks, etc.
You will need to adjust the focal length of the camera lens, or move the camera back and forth, and adjust the camera up or down, to get the composition you want. Remember, try to keep the film plane parallel to the TPG, i.e. don’t tilt the camera up or down.
The following information was provided by Stanee Rae Pettit Murray:
The Impressionist technique you use has been popularized by a well-known New England photographer named Chris Beltrami. He calls it the Beltrami Effect, and even sells a kit with the stand, textured plastic, a how-to video, etc. Chris doesn't use vellum as the projection screen -- he supplied a white translucent soft plastic fabric, similar to the face of a softbox. He projected the image onto that, with the textured plastic a few inches behind it. The camera was behind the textured plastic, and focused on that. He suggests putting a piece of black electrical tape on the plastic, as a focusing aid, then removing it. He also suggests a piece of black mesh netting over the projector lens to cut the contrast of the projected image.
copyright ©Bertha Adamson
created by badamson@ix.netcom.com / last revised September 1999