Watergram

What It Is

Watergram is a photogram variant — a contact print made without a camera or enlarger — using water as both the light-modifying medium and the image source. The wave patterns, surface tension structures, and refraction patterns of the water layer are recorded as a photographic image on silver gelatin paper.

The process was introduced at the San Casciano workshop (Almudena Romero, Day 4, 2025) as the final technique in a sequence from chlorophyll printing (botanical, days) → anthotype (plant chemistry, days) → cyanotype (iron chemistry, minutes) → lumen (silver halide, minutes) → watergram (silver halide, seconds).

Materials

• Silver gelatin photographic paper (same as lumen printing)
• Clear glass sheet (3mm recommended) — larger than the paper
• Water (distilled or clean tap)
• Flash unit or brief burst light source (5–20 seconds)
• Standard darkroom chemicals: developer + fixer

Process

From the San Casciano workshop (Day 4):

1. In subdued red/orange safelight: place photographic paper emulsion-side up on a flat surface.
2. Pour a thin, even layer of water onto the paper surface.
3. Place glass sheet on top. The water is now between paper and glass.
4. Gently move the glass with a wave motion — the key is a lateral movement that creates waves in the water without disturbing it completely. The movement is described as: "when water hits back on paper in the middle, earthquaky move."
5. At the moment of movement, trigger the flash: 5–20 seconds exposure depending on flash intensity and paper sensitivity.
6. Develop immediately in a very dilute alkaline developer: standard ratio is 1:9 developer:water; for watergrams, dilute to 1:10 or 1:11 to slow the development and give more working time to observe the result.
7. Fix for 4–6 minutes in acid fixer.
8. Wash and dry.

The Water Movement

The image quality depends entirely on the nature of the water movement at the moment of exposure:

• Still water → minimal image, mostly even exposure
• Gentle waves → interference patterns, refractive rings
• Strong agitation → more chaotic, abstract patterns
• Single drop on water surface before exposure → circular interference patterns (concentric rings)

The water surface captures a physical phenomenon — the way light bends through different water thicknesses — and records it as an image. The watergram is a direct imprint of physics.

Polaroid Lift (related technique)

Introduced on Day 4 of the San Casciano workshop alongside watergrams: the Polaroid lift technique transfers the image layer from a Polaroid photograph to a different surface. The Polaroid (not Instax — specifically Polaroid 600 or Spectra) is soaked in hot water; the image layer separates from the backing and can be transferred to paper, fabric, glass, or bioplastic. Note: Instax film does not lift.

Common Failures

• No image forms: Insufficient light exposure. Increase flash duration or use more powerful flash.
• Image is too dark / solarized: Too much exposure. Reduce flash time.
• Only flat gradient, no water pattern: Water was not moving during exposure. The movement must happen at or just before the flash.

Jay's Studio Note

The watergram is the fastest of all the processes in the San Casciano sequence — measured in seconds rather than days. But it requires the same quality of attention: waiting for the right movement, triggering at the right moment. The image cannot be planned. The photographer becomes a collaborator with physics — setting the conditions for something to happen, then recording what did. The diluted developer (1:11) gives a few more seconds to see the image emerging in the tray before it goes dark.

Related Materials

Lumen Print · Cyanotype · Chlorophyll Printing