Melitte Buchman's Salt Prints Of The Gowanus Win First Place In Soho Photo Gallery's Alternative Processes Competition

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Bulkheadbulkhead, large salt print

Photograph © Melitte Buchman

High Bridge, large salt print

Photograph © Melitte Buchman

Scientist Christie Leece and Melitte Buchman ready to take a canoe ride on the Gowanus

Melitte Buchman's waterproofed camera

Melitte Buchman taking photos on the Gowanus

Carroll Gardener and friend Melitte Buchman has been working on a series of salt prints of the Gowanus Canal as part of her 'America the Beautiful'  project. Her images of the canal were taken during two recent canoe rides with scientist Christie Leece.

Of choosing the polluted waterway as a subject, Melitte writes:
"I live two blocks the Gowanus Canal which an EPA superfund site in Brooklyn. It is a place that is both horrifying and magnificent at the same time. My intent in this body of work is to focus on the beauty of the place, one of the only undeveloped sites left in Brooklyn. Nature occurs here, Bitterns fish the waters, Pawlonia trees wedge themselves between embankments. Here sewage overflows and foul smells are balanced by massive trees, birds, and a wild waterway."

The salt prints of Melitte's photographs seem to capture the unique beauty of the Gowanus canal perfectly. Salt printing is an old technique of printing positive images on paper coated in silver salts. The technique was first developed by British photographer William Fox Talbot in 1839.

Several of Melitte's Gowanus salt prints have been selected for Soho Photo Gallery's 10th Annual National Alternative Processes Competition and it was just announced that her work won First Place.

The prints will be exhibited at Soho Photo Gallery from November 5–29, 2014. The opening for the show is on November 4th, 6 pm to 8 pm at 15 White Street.

To see more of Melitte's work, click here.

Soho Photo Gallery

10th Annual National Alternative Processes Competition

15 White Street, Manhattan

November 5–29, 2014 

Opening Reception: November 4, 2014 6–8pm