The Natural Process

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Research and Development Project 

August 2023 - July 2024 

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The Natural Process was a funded research and development project that took place in 2023–24, exploring sustainable plant-based processes for analogue lens-based photography in the context of the climate emergency. The project focused on deepening and consolidating Holdengarde’s research into natural photographic chemistry, resulting in a series of tested and refined plant-based developer recipes specific to Scotland’s landscapes. By addressing a gap in existing knowledge, The Natural Process contributed toward building a future resource for artists and practitioners working with analogue photography in Scotland and the wider UK. Developed through collaboration with artists, folkloric foragers, and sustainability specialists, the project began with a supported residency at Island Darkroom in the Outer Hebrides in 2023. The research brought together hands-on experimentation, theoretical enquiry, and sustainable photographic practice, laying the groundwork for a new publication and resource, planned for release in 2025.

 

The Natural Process was funded by Creative Scotland.