Botanic Cyanotype Workshop

Join Parish Stapleton in Redfern for a slow and immersive introduction to cyanotype printing. This camera free photographic process uses sunlight or UV exposure to create luminous Prussian blue images from natural materials.

Parish’s practice is grounded in beauty, nature, and exploration through play. This workshop invites you into that way of working, experimenting without pressure and following curiosity rather than a fixed outcome.

You will be introduced to the history of cyanotype, from its development by Sir John Herschel in 1842 to the pioneering work of Anna Atkins, whose botanical studies became the first photographic book.

During the workshop, you will learn how to safely mix cyanotype chemistry, coat paper, and prepare it for exposure. You will explore composition by arranging botanical materials and considering light, shadow, balance, and negative space.

Using pressed flowers, leaves, plant cuttings, lace, and other natural materials, you will create a series of unique photograms. The washing and revealing stage is one of the most satisfying parts of the process, with each print emerging through a balance of intention and surprise.

You are welcome to bring your own botanical materials or meaningful natural elements. Thinner or pressed specimens tend to give the clearest results.

By the end of the workshop, you will leave with several finished cyanotype prints and the knowledge and confidence to continue exploring the process at home.

This workshop is suitable for beginners as well as those with existing creative experience. Group numbers are kept small, with up to six participants, and morning tea is provided.

What you will learn

• A brief history of cyanotype and its botanical origins
• How to safely mix and use cyanotype chemistry
• How to coat paper for printing
• How to compose images using botanical materials
• How to expose, wash, and reveal your prints
• How to continue experimenting with the process independently

Practical details

Location
Redfern, Sydney

Duration
2.5 hours

Group size
Up to 6 participants

Suitable for
Beginners and experienced creatives

Included
Materials and morning tea