Mordançage: Altering the Photographic Image

Mordançage is an obscure and striking darkroom technique developed in the 1970s by French photographer Jean-Pierre Sudre, evolving from the 19th-century bleach etching process. In this new online workshop, Canadian visual artist and filmmaker Ella Morton introduces you to the core principles of mordançage and guides you through altering existing silver gelatin prints and black-and-white film. You learn how this process creates unexpected veils, textures, and surface changes that expand the creative possibilities of analog photography.

This workshop focuses on transforming photographs and film you already have rather than creating new darkroom prints. Before the workshop begins, you receive a materials list and guidance for setting up a safe workspace at home. You bring your own silver gelatin prints and/or black-and-white film to use as the foundation for your mordançage experiments. While a traditional darkroom is not required, the process uses hazardous chemicals, so you follow recommended safety practices, including proper ventilation, the use of appropriate protective equipment, and the safe, responsible disposal of photographic chemicals and materials.

In the first session, Ella introduces the mordançage process through pre-recorded demonstrations, images, and instructional materials. She walks you through the bleaching, developing, and emulsion manipulation techniques used to create the distinctive effects associated with this process, while explaining how variations in chemistry and timing influence the final image.

Throughout the workshop, you apply mordançage to your own photographs or film and bring works-in-progress to class for feedback. Through demonstrations, assignments, and discussions, you continue refining your technique while experimenting with different approaches to image transformation. Ella also shares her creative process and discusses how this historic technique continues to find new life within the ongoing “analog resurgence” in contemporary fine art photography.

By the end of the four sessions, you have a deeper understanding of the mordançage process, hands-on experience working with photographic materials, and the confidence to continue incorporating this unique analog technique into your own practice.

Ella’s experimental approach to analog processes has earned her international recognition, with exhibitions across Europe and North America. Her deep knowledge of alternative photographic techniques, combined with her artistic vision, makes her an ideal guide for understanding the nuances of mordançage and discovering new creative directions in your own work.