Towards the end of my 35-year experience working in my analogical laboratory, I have attempted to combine my two great passions, photography and nature. Having travelled a route: from observing nature, to focusing in detail and photography from nature

Looking to intimately fuse my work (talks about people, migration, breast cancer, feminism and ecology) with an ecosystem, inseparable modes, at a cellular level, in a unique reality, stemming from an ecological and sustainable way

During my work developing a garden project and absorbed in my thoughts, I lifted a pallet that was there for weeks. To my surprise, the grass below appeared completely yellow for the lack of sunlight while the gaps in the pallet allow the grass maintain its lush green colour

Suddenly, I was confronted with a provocative question: If I place a negative on a leaf would it transfer the image as it did on the grass?

To answer the question in this period of time that we live in, be it digital, artificial, impatient, polluting, virtual, noisy and ‘I have what I want’; swimming against the tide, being submersed in a natural, silent, manual, real, analogical and patient process

I spent 6 years trying to convince my plants to take on a photographic image on its leaf, only using chlorophyll and light from the sun

Once the image is generated on the leaf, it is left to dry in a natural way with the heat of the sun. Later it is encased to preserve, resulting in a ‘Photoleaf’

The leaves have a natural scale of colour when dry, going from bright yellow to dark brown, with infinite intermediate tones

I have dedicated a lot of time to achieve:

– Photographic quality

‘Leafmade’ better than ‘handmade’, including digital photography as the plants take on the image at a cellular level. Within the leaves the chloroplasts are much smaller than the pixels found in a digital camara, thus mimicking the photo quality

– With whatever photograph

The better the quality of the original, the better the result of the Photoleaves

– Large sizes

The gradual scaling up of leave sizes eventually meant the scaling up of all other components adding to its complexity.

The results achieved were up to 1 m x 80 cms (40″ x 32″), including capsule and frame, the works end up at 1.30 m x 1.10 m (51″ x 43″).

– All year round

When they are very active, and when they are lazy

– Conservation

Encased to maintain its colours, transportability and ready to display

– Reasonable timescale

The plants take two months to complete their work

Commissions

I am passionate

It is fulfilling to emotionally engage with Photoleaves that have a special meaning to you

Photoleaves from my library are immediate; for commissions this will take approximately two months

Solo exhibitions:

– Photoleaves, Fundación Tatiana, Ávila, España, 2024

Group exhibitions:

– Fundación Railowsky, Valencia, España, 2025

Commissions:

– “Doña Tatiana”, Fundación Tatiana

– “Ávila 1131”, Fundación Tatiana