What Is Scanography? How a Flatbed Scanner Became My Canvas
My introduction to scanography wasn't exactly love at first sight.
When I was in college, I remember people emptying the contents of their purses or bags onto flatbed scanners, creating images of whatever happened to be inside. Keys, wallets, loose change, receipts. Interesting? Sure. Something I was particularly excited about? Not really.
At least, not yet.
Later in my college career, I began looking for opportunities to exhibit my artwork and build my credentials as an artist. My primary focus was digital art and printmaking, so when I came across a call for entries for an exhibition devoted to scanography, I decided to give it a try.
Suddenly, that flatbed scanner started looking a whole lot more interesting.
What Exactly Is Scanography?
Scanography, sometimes called scanner photography, is the process of creating photographic images using a flatbed scanner instead of a traditional camera.
Most of us think of scanners as practical office equipment, used to digitize documents, old photographs, or that important piece of paperwork we probably should have filed six months ago. But a scanner is also an imaging device, complete with its own light source and sensor.
Unlike a camera, which captures an entire scene through a lens, a flatbed scanner builds an image line by line as its scanning mechanism moves beneath the glass. Objects resting directly on the glass can reveal incredible detail, while those farther away may appear softer or darker. Transparent materials, unusual textures, and even movement during a scan can produce some fascinating results.
In other words, a scanner can do things a camera can't quite replicate. And I wanted to see just how far I could push it.
Anything That Would Fit on the Glass
I started experimenting with whatever I could find. Flowers, mushrooms, seashells, egg yolks. Yes, egg yolks. I also played extensively with paint, exploring what happened when different colors, textures, and materials interacted with the scanner's moving light.
Some results were fascinating. Others were... well, let's just say not every experiment deserves a place in a gallery.
But that's part of the fun. I wasn't trying to make conventional photographs. I wanted to see what happened when ordinary objects were presented in an entirely different way. A mushroom became a study in structure and texture. A shell revealed intricate patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. Paint became something abstract and unpredictable.
And an egg yolk eventually became a piece called Circle of Yolk. Sometimes curiosity takes you to unexpected places.
Of course, experimenting with a scanner came with challenges, particularly when it came to backgrounds. With the lid open, unwanted light and strange reflections could interfere with the image. And believe me, the ceiling was NOT the artistic statement I was going for.
So I built a solution. Using foam core board, I constructed two open-bottom boxes that sat directly over the scanner glass, one black and one white. Essentially, I'd created miniature studios for my scanner, allowing me to control the surroundings while experimenting with three-dimensional objects.
Nothing fancy. Just foam core board and a little ingenuity. But it worked.
From Experimentation to Exhibition
In 2012, artist and organizer Gem Barton developed an experimental project called SCAN.IT, exploring scanning as an alternative to traditional photography. What began as a personal project attracted enough interest that she expanded it to include selected works from artists around the world.
The exhibition was held at Gallery40 in Brighton, England, in August 2012. I submitted seven pieces for consideration, and three were selected.
Circle of Yolk was exhibited during the second week, August 9–12, while Connectivity and Splat followed during the third week, August 16–19.
And suddenly, my experiments with a flatbed scanner were headed across the Atlantic.
There was a little international coordination involved, too. I arranged to have the artwork printed in England, communicated with the people handling the printing, and coordinated getting everything to the gallery. Gem picked up the finished prints.
It was an entirely different experience from preparing work for an exhibition closer to home. And it was pretty darn exciting.
What made the experience even more special was being one of only two students from my college to have artwork exhibited internationally. The accomplishment also caught the attention of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, which issued a news release about my work and the exhibition.
For a college student working to establish herself as an artist, that recognition meant a lot. What had started as an excuse to experiment with an unfamiliar technique had turned into an international exhibition opportunity.
Not bad for something that initially didn't interest me.
Seeing Ordinary Things Differently
Looking back, what I appreciate most about scanography isn't simply that it allowed me to create unusual images. It's that it challenged me to reconsider what photography could be.
A camera isn't the only tool capable of creating photographic art. Sometimes the limitations of a particular tool are exactly what make it interesting.
Scanography encouraged me to experiment, improvise, and pay closer attention to the details of ordinary objects. Those are things that have always fascinated me as a photographer and artist.
I still love traditional photography—the experience of being behind a camera, waiting for the light, searching for a composition, and discovering something unexpected. But I also love finding new ways to create images.
Sometimes that means picking up a camera. Sometimes it means working with layers in Photoshop. And sometimes it means putting an egg yolk on a flatbed scanner just to see what happens.
Because you never know where a little curiosity might lead.
Until next time — keep finding the beauty in the details.
All images Copyright © Janet Davis. All rights reserved. Artwork may not be reproduced or resold without the express permission of the artist.
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