Alternative photography and international community
- PhotoED Magazine
- May 15
- 5 min read
25 Years of AlternativePhotography.com
What started as a small online resource has grown into a thriving international community of artists, experimenters, and lovers of alternative photographic processes.
AlternativePhotography.com started its journey in the 1990s when founder, Malin Fabbri was living in London and studying at Central St. Martin’s School of Design. She says,
“I’ll never forget seeing my first cyanotype. I was captivated by its handmade quality – the brushstrokes of chemicals, the vibrant blue, and the painterly effect of the print. I didn’t know what alternative photographic processes were, and I had never heard of cyanotypes before, but in that moment, I found the topic for my master’s thesis.”
Over the next two years, she researched, studied, and fell in love with the versatility and artistic expression of alternative photographic processes.
“Back then, finding written material on the subject was not easy. I uncovered a few rare art books in the London Printing Library, including an amazing copy of Anna Atkins’ cyanotype book. While textbooks explained the chemical process, I wanted to explore the artistic potential of these techniques. To do that, I needed to connect with artists.”
Art and Technology Connections
In 1999, Malin completed her thesis and wanted to share it, however, as a student with little money, printing and mailing was expensive. Devastated at the thought of her work left to gather dust, and motivated to give back and share with others, Malin launched cyanotypes.com to publish her thesis.
The internet was slow and clunky at the time, modems eked and beeped as they dialled up patchy connections to the internet, but artists were enthusiastic to share their work and information. Communication was focused through email lists, and group email conversations. Soon after the site launched, one of the artists she had worked with reached out to ask if she could publish his essay on her website. Other requests soon followed, and the site grew steadily, with more art, essays, and how-to tips being published regularly.
Soon, Malin discovered, “there was more to life than cyanotypes,” so the name cyanotypes.com became limiting. In 2000, she registered the domain AlternativePhotography.com, and the platform became a hub for a wider range of alternative photographic processes.
By 2002, the site featured over 50 artists and included a wealth of resources like instructional articles, essays, and tips for finding chemicals and supplies. It grew organically through word of mouth as contributors shared it with one another, and teachers introduced it to their students.
After years of working with fighting spam in chat forums on the website, we closed them and shifted group sharing to Facebook. In 2009 we started the Facebook group ‘Alternative Photographic Processes’. Malin says, “This group now has over 64,000 members, and I’m so grateful to the volunteer moderators that work tirelessly to keep discussions engaging and free from trolls and spam. Without them, it would not be possible. We were latecomers to the Instagram party, but when COVID struck, we needed new ways to support the community. In the summer of 2020, we launched our account, @alternativephotography_com, and it has been steadily growing with over 13K followers to date!”
Love not money
It's interesting and important to note that AlternativePhotography.com offers itself as a free resource and platform for artists. Malin says,
“We don’t charge for access to learning materials, and we don’t get paid. We do this because we love doing it. Our goal is to keep it hands-on, fun, and inspiring, and to make it easier for photographers to connect with each other. If you appreciate what we offer, we would be grateful for your support. All contributions go towards running the website.”
Publishing Alternative Photography
Over the years the team at AlternativePhotography.com have published several projects to showcase work from the creative community. In 2006, the first edition of Alternative Photography: Art and Artists published as a coffee table book with an aim to inspire people to try something new.
In 2010, a calendar event was launched. Artists submitted images created with alternative photographic processes, and the community voted to select 12 winners. This annual event ran four years, until they lost their printing partner. Unable to find an affordable replacement, the event was paused for what turned out to be a decade.
Inspired by motherhood, Malin's interests shifted towards exploring non-toxic photographic process to work with. These investigations culminated in in the publication of the book, Anthotypes – Explore the Darkroom in Your Garden and Make Photographs Using Plants.
In 2022, the calendar project was revived as “A Tribute to Anna Atkins,” with over 100 artists creating images in Anna Atkins’ honour.
The 2023 event theme was more experimental: creating composites by combining techniques, processes, and ideas into something entirely new. This pushed artists to stretch the boundaries of creativity – merging processes, reassembling materials, and mixing media. The stunning results inspired the 2024 calendar and journal, and a compilation book, Pure Inspiration, Volume 1 – Composites.
Days
Following the lead of World Cyanotype Day, founded by the Shootapalooza collective and led by Judy Sherrod, AlternativePhotography.com launched World Anthotype Day to honour the art of making images with plant-based emulsions and sunlight.
Celebrated on the last Saturday in October, this event brings together a global community of artists passionate about plant based image making. Unlike other ‘days’, it has no set theme but a clear mission: to expand the database of plants and pigments that can be used to make anthotypes. Participants worldwide collect local plants, create emulsions, coat paper, and expose prints in the sun. They then share their research notes and results, contributing to a free, growing online emulsion database.
To participate and find out more, visit: AlternativePhotography.com/world-anthotype-day
No rainbows or unicorns
Many individuals and groups generously share their knowledge and expertise. However, Malin notes,
“running a learning resource is not always rainbows and unicorns. Over the years, we have also faced challenges, including content theft by others claiming to be “curators”, pawning content off as their own and selling it in their courses and books. However, the majority of our community is generous, supportive, and committed to learning and sharing.”
Today and ahead
Today, AlternativePhotography.com features over 900 how-to articles, highlights the work of 400 artists, and hosts regular events. Operated entirely by volunteers, it remains a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing free access to educational resources. The platform showcases artists’ works to spark creativity and fosters opportunities for photographers to connect and share knowledge. Its guiding philosophy captures this mission:
“As much as possible, for as little as possible, to as many as possible.”
This independent learning resource relies on the generosity of its members to keep the lights on.
Celebrating 25 years
To mark their 25-year milestone, the team behind the website is launching a new book, Alternative Photography: Art & Artists, Edition 2. This much-anticipated publication showcases the work of 137 artists, working in everything from cyanotypes and bromoil prints to platinum/palladium and wet plate photography. It’s a tribute to the incredible creativity in alternative processes – and a celebration of the artists keeping these techniques alive.
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