In the nineteenth century, photographic emulsions were more sensitive to blue and violet light, resulting in overexposed skies that did not faithfully record any of the clouds, which might be visible with the naked eye. Photographers Carlton Watkins and Gustave LeGray began exposing separate negatives for the land and the sky with the intention of combining them later, as a more ideal expression of the landscape.
During lockdown in Summer 2020, I was really missing the freedom of the open road. To console my wanderlust, I began revisiting old negatives. After printing them, I used a hole punch tool to add a perfectly colored full moon to each scene.
In this way I am engaging in a physical amelioration of a moment, just like Watkins and his clouds.
