Mahonie (Mahonia Aquifolium)
Common name and Latin name of plant or pigment: Common name: Oregon grape or holly-leaved barberry, Latin name: Mahonia aquifolium (German Wikipedia); also known as Berberis aquifolium (English Wikipedia)
“Mahonia aquifolium” by Bernd Hutschenreuther
Place, Country: Dresden, Germany
Parts used: Fruit, (dark blue lilac)
Amount: 5 fruits, for a print 10 cm x15cm
Extracted by: 5 ml Isopropanol for one image
Thinner: Additional isopropanol if needed
Application: Brushing
Layers: 3…5 thin layers
Substrate: Glossy photo paper for printers, 10cm x 15cm
Created with: Photogram of a Mahonia aquifolium leaf on glossy photo paper for Printers
Exposure: 4 hours / UV LED spotlight
Month, season and year: August, summer 2025
UV strength: LED Spotlight (100W equivalent)
Temperature: 22° C (at the beginning)
Humidity: 19% (at the beginning)
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: The sun was almost absent during the last days, it took me 3 days for one picture with sunlight. I thought about the motive, and in the end I decided on self-reference. So I took a mahonia aquifolium leaf. I observed: If I use UV, I get a blue image in dry areas, and a violet hue at wet places where water evaporated during exposure. The cause is the paper. I used glossy photo paper for printers, that seems to be alkaline. Hence its color changes to blue - as a kind of pH indicator. However, in sunlight the leaf evaporates water and the part of the emulsion becomes more neutral or even slightly acidic and the color changes to a lilac tone. On Anthotype Day, only one image is allowed. I used UVlight from LED for the final picture. I published a comparison of both sunlight and UV LED exposures on my Flickr site.
Additional information: I used Mahonia fruits. They are mildly toxic but still edible. According to Wikipedia, they are not suitable for children. I handled them with care during the anthotype process.
Instagram: hutschinetto@alternativephotography_com
Website: Mahonia (Mahonia Aquifolium) | Flickr
I am a Supporting Member.
Note: The classification of Mahonia as a separate genus varies by region and source. Both names refer to the same plant.
Mahonie (Mahonia Aquifolium)
Common name and Latin name of plant or pigment: Common name: Oregon grape or holly-leaved barberry, Latin name: Mahonia aquifolium (German Wikipedia); also known as Berberis aquifolium (English Wikipedia)
“Mahonia aquifolium” by Bernd Hutschenreuther
Place, Country: Dresden, Germany
Parts used: Fruit, (dark blue lilac)
Amount: 5 fruits, for a print 10 cm x15cm
Extracted by: 5 ml Isopropanol for one image
Thinner: Additional isopropanol if needed
Application: Brushing
Layers: 3…5 thin layers
Substrate: Glossy photo paper for printers, 10cm x 15cm
Created with: Photogram of a Mahonia aquifolium leaf on glossy photo paper for Printers
Exposure: 4 hours / UV LED spotlight
Month, season and year: August, summer 2025
UV strength: LED Spotlight (100W equivalent)
Temperature: 22° C (at the beginning)
Humidity: 19% (at the beginning)
Contrast: ✿✿ (Medium)
Challenges or observations: The sun was almost absent during the last days, it took me 3 days for one picture with sunlight. I thought about the motive, and in the end I decided on self-reference. So I took a mahonia aquifolium leaf. I observed: If I use UV, I get a blue image in dry areas, and a violet hue at wet places where water evaporated during exposure. The cause is the paper. I used glossy photo paper for printers, that seems to be alkaline. Hence its color changes to blue - as a kind of pH indicator. However, in sunlight the leaf evaporates water and the part of the emulsion becomes more neutral or even slightly acidic and the color changes to a lilac tone. On Anthotype Day, only one image is allowed. I used UVlight from LED for the final picture. I published a comparison of both sunlight and UV LED exposures on my Flickr site.
Additional information: I used Mahonia fruits. They are mildly toxic but still edible. According to Wikipedia, they are not suitable for children. I handled them with care during the anthotype process.
Instagram: hutschinetto@alternativephotography_com
Website: Mahonia (Mahonia Aquifolium) | Flickr
I am a Supporting Member.
Note: The classification of Mahonia as a separate genus varies by region and source. Both names refer to the same plant.