Special Effects By My Way of Painting With Light


Projection Photography by John Neville Cohen


Pure special effects photography using only light and film to create dramatic images, even with colour reversal film

without any digital software, or darkroom chemistry!


By John Neville Cohen

 

A lot of information and examples can be found on the Internet about ‘Painting with Light’ and they are all only about moving lights within a prolonged exposure. There are also a lot of examples about ‘Projection Photography’, but these are limited to the idea of simply projecting patterns, or text onto people, or buildings.

My own form of ‘Projection Photography’ was discovered in the early 1960’s, and this pure form of special effect photography provides far more opportunities and is so much more sophisticated. The magic lantern truly lives up to its earlier name, as it really provides the best magical method for creating photographic special effects!

So much that is possible digitally such as: image blending, masking, distorting, changing colours, and adding textures can be achieved with the projector. In addition, images can easily be manipulated with crystals and reflections too.

Since there is growing interest in analogue photography, these original special effect techniques, are now proving to be of interest again, as most of the possibilities available digitally, are surprisingly also possible with film, and all my creative photographs were taken on Kodachrome (the film had to be posted and processed by Kodak), so unlike other techniques, all these creations could be seen before exposing any film.

I did not always project onto a flat screen, but instead I projected images onto many other things that were to become the subject of the picture, for example I have created photographs of projected images on a butterfly wing, a feather, a shell, a flower, a leaf, and even on to the edges of the pages of a book.

Images (transparencies and negatives, both in colour and black and white) were blended too, by using more than one projector. These techniques enabled the freedom to create amazing new photographs, without any digital software, or darkroom chemistry.

My most famous, unique, and historical Kodachrome transparency is ‘Spirit of Spring’ consisting of a negative of a tulip combined with a portrait. This was the first ever Kodachrome transparency that had both a positive and a negative image, on the same emulsion.


'Spirit of Spring' Projection Photography by John Neville Cohen

Spirit of Spring

This photograph won the London Salon Trophy in 1967 and there were over twenty major one-man exhibitions of about 70 of my photographs the following year (many were organised by Kodak in the USA and UK). At that time, my photography was described as ground-breaking!

There are many more award-winning special effect photographs on my website as well as detailed information in ‘The Magic Lantern’ section, describing exactly how anyone can do it.


"...regarded as one of Britain's most original photographers." The Times. 16th December 1967 The Times Diary.

"A woman's face was exquisitely metamorphosed with the cup of a yellow tulip - a Femme - Fleur Picasso might have perpetrated had he taken to photography."
Arts Revue.
11th Oct 1969, Vol XXI No 20.


"Very marketable as well as interesting and adventurous in themselves with congratulations."
Cecil Beaton C.B.E. 8th March 1968


"… extends the boundaries of the possible in photography and shows us all how we can do so too."
Sir George Pollock
Bt., M.A. (Former President of The Royal Photographic Society 1978).





The Magic Lantern

[Logo Image]


Exhibitions & Awards

Details of one man exhibitions, reviews and awards


Introduction to The Author
by
Sir George F. Pollock Bt., M.A., F.R.P.S., F.R.S.A.


Preface & Acknowledgements

Each chapter is listed below so that you can jump straight to any you wish.
But to begin, for the first time, just click on '
Preface' and continue from here.

 What Exactly is Needed, for Projection Photography by John Neville Cohen

No Darkroom - No Computer Required

What Exactly is Needed?

Projection PhotographyTransparencies on a Light Box by John Neville Cohen

Page 1 (of 10 pages).

Projection Photography

The Magic Lantern Article

"How to"
by John N. Cohen M.inst.D.

 Adding Texture by Projection Photography, John Neville Cohen

Page 2.

Adding Texture


Portrait on Fabrics by John Neville Cohen Texture

Page 2.

Adding Texture


Projection Photography on a Feather, by John Neville Cohen

Page 2.

Adding Texture

Projection Photography, Reflections of projected images, by John Neville Cohen

Page 3.

Distortion & Reflections


Distortions with Projection Photography by John Neville Cohen

Page 3.

Distortion & Reflections

Projection Photography with Crystals

Page 4.

Crystal Patterns

Projection Photography, the  screen becomes the Subject.

Page 5.

The Subject Becomes The Screen

Projection Photography Using Colour negatives as well as transparencies

Page 6.

Sandwiching

Projection Photography, Blending with two projectors and masking

Page 7.

Two Projectors and Blending


Projection Photography, Blending with two projectors

Page 7.

Two Projectors and Blending


Projection Photography, Masking with two projectors

Page 7.

Two Projectors and Blending

Spirit of Spring created by Projection Photography

Page 8.

Spirit of Spring and Other Examples


Projection Photography, Blending colour with black and white images

Page 8.

Another Example


A portrait with a crystal, and an image of splashed paint

Page 8.

Another Example

Projection Photography, Using colour filters to blend.

Page 9.

Filter Blending and More Projectors


Projection Photography, Three projectors to blend even more.

Page 9.

Filter Blending and More Projectors

Projection Photography using Rear projection.

Page 10.

Rear Projection and Inspired Accidents



To The Portfolio


The poetic portfolio consists of an exhibition of 75 photographs.

All created by using these methods from my transparencies, please note the photographs in the portfolio pages are at very low resolution.

To see better examples please have a look at my 'Painting with Light' section.

#projectionphotography #specialeffects #Kodachrome #photography #paintingwithlight #film #portraits #johnnevillecohen #analoguephotography #creativephotography #Conceptual #Surreal #Dramatic #Fantasy #Expressionist #artisticphotography #Visualarts #Lightpainting

 
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John Neville Cohen

Articles for New Collectors
 
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The Cohen Collection  
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Information on our family business created by my Grandfather Joseph Cohen.

British Classic Jensen Cars  
(Author John Neville Cohen) Very informative about the rare Jensen 541S & CV8 sports cars, particularly about the little known superb Jensen 541S manual drive, a classic car with lots of photos.

Copyright Free or Royalty Free Stock Photographs  
These are exceptional value 18MB photographs that will not date!

A 'Special Effects' Course  
(Author John Neville Cohen)
 Amazing to see what can be done in pure  photography without any expensive equipment, computer, or darkroom.  All is achieved with a projector - the magical 'Magic Lantern'.  All details of this extraordinary technique is clearly explained and all for free!

Poetic Portfolio  
Fascinating photographic exhibition of 'The Magic Lantern' award winning 'special effect' photographs by John Neville Cohen.

La Alcazaba Apartment in Puerto Banus For Sale 
Outstanding 3 double bedroom apartment, all on one level, for sale at La Alcazaba, Puerto Banus, Marbella, Spain.

Investment Opportunities  
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Commercial Photography  
Professional photography and graphic design by Actuality photodigital.

Postage Stamps For Little People  
See all the pages and paintings for a unique way of collecting stamps.

The Planning & Paintings for The Album  
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Not So Distant Famous Relatives of the Bind Side of John's Family.
Marilyn Monroe, Sir Michael Balcon, Arthur Miller, Cecil Day-Lewis & Daniel Day- Lewis 

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