Richard Learoyd’s color visuals are created using one of the oldest methods of photography: the camera obscura. In literal translation from Latin, “dark room,” Learoyd utilizes a room-sized camera to expose photographic paper. The subject, sometimes a person or a still life, is situated in an adjacent room, separated by a lens. Utilizing direct focus, without the use of a film negative, light falls on the subject and is projected onto the photographic paper. The end result is a completely grain-free image. These larger-than-life visuals redefine the concept of a photographic illusion. Learoyd’s subjects, composed in a simple and straightforward manner, are highlighted through the use of a thin in-focus plane, replicating and enhancing the way that the human eye perceives. This is not without a nod to the works of Dutch Master paintings.
Learoyd’s monochrome gelatin silver contact prints are crafted using the negative/positive process, invented approximately 170 years ago by Englishman W. H. Fox Talbot. Employing a large, portable camera obscura of his own construction, Learoyd has ventured beyond his London studio, exploring the historically-rich English countryside, California coastline, and Eastern Europe, capturing images that have long remained latent within his imagination. These negatives can reach widths of up to 80 inches, resulting in the largest gelatin-silver contact prints ever created.
www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for his Fotomuseum Den Haag exhibition now available.
