ABSTRACT
Hand alteration is a way to expand the photographic lexicon and is not meant to replace traditional modes of working. Hand-altered work allows photographers to prolong their interaction with the process and/or re-interpret past works, thereby redefining the temporal and/or technical architecture of the image. A photogram is a cameraless, lensless image made by placing 2-D or 3-D objects directly on top of light-sensitive material and then exposing it. The process of making chemical images on light-sensitive material can be traced back to the origins of photography, but it was Pierre Cordier who actively researched this area to make lensless, fine art photography. Printing masks can be used to block exposure to different areas of the light-sensitive material. Cordier says, "The chemigram, which combines the physics of painting and chemistry of photography, is most likely the ultimate adventure of gelatin silver bromide". Many workers also employ "localizing" products, such as oil, varnish, and wax, to create more complex forms.
