Denny Moers

By Lexi Shy
BRISTOL, R.I.__ Bathed in the glow of red safety lights, and the stench of film development
chemicals fill the room, Denny Moers places a sheet of glass onto a developing print to begin
fogging his image.

Fogging is a technique that can be used when developing silver chloride photograph prints from
black and white film. Prints go through a series of chemical baths in order to produce an image
on the paper. The process begins with developer, which brings the image into sight and then
proceeds to the stop bath, which stops the developing chemicals.

The process of fogging is then applied which is the exposure of different amounts of light to
create an array of altered tonalities on the print that were not originally in the photograph. A
fixative chemical is then applied to solidify the image on the photograph paper.

“Fogging is a fluid process with water, developer, and fixer constantly interacting,” Moers said.

The 62-year-old Roger Williams University Visual Arts Photography professor and Los Angeles
native, is well known for his use of chemical and light manipulation on film prints in the
darkroom to create stunning creations that are more than just photographs.

One of a kind images are what Moers strives to create. When working in film and hand
developing he has created his own innovative method of mono-printmaking that is very uncertain
and irreversible once done.

“It’s difficult to pre-visualize this type of work, with this method of printing I feel the notion of
monoprint is more or less absolute since I am unable to duplicate the form, emotion, and
structure of any previous print,” stated Moers.

With his focus on one of a kind images Moers puts heavy emphasis on editing in his
photography courses. The rise of digital media has sped up and changed the process of editing
and manipulating photographs. Students in Moers’ foundation classes are challenged to work in
film.

Film work allows his students to slow down and when developing prints provides the
opportunity to chemically manipulate their photographs, which is not possible when working in
digital photography.

“I want students to remember that one picture is not necessarily as potent of an expression as
another, so I encourage manipulation and editing,” Moers said.

Sarah Griffin, a junior Roger Williams University student, explained the principles that were
ingrained in them during her time in Moers’ Foundations of Photography course.
“Some of the main ideas that Denny tried to teach us were the importance of composition and
mastering skills in the darkroom,” stated Griffin.

Described as freeing, creative, time consuming, and rewarding, Moers’ course forces his students
to focus their attention on the composition and artistry of printmaking.

“He has really helped improve my photography skills and his work is amazing. Although it has
some dark undertones, there are beautiful nuances to it; his technique is very innovative,” Griffin
later said.

A photograph layered in dark undertones alongside beautiful nuances is the perfect description of
Moers’ work in monoprints. Most of Moers’ photographs consist of abandoned structures and
forlorn landscapes.

“I can’t say I have a reason for photographing these structures, I guess everything else was just
taken,” Moers said.

Moers’ photographs focus on the visual remains of old culture and the abandoned eerie scenes he
captures are strongly enhanced by his work in the developing process.

Although most of Moers’ technical work isn’t done until the darkroom, the setup of his thought
process before and during a shoot is extremely important.

“I constantly refer to the rhetorical question ‘what is my subject?’ and ‘how am I seeing the
subject in a way that cannot be photographed by someone else?’ It is important to know this,”
Moers stated.

Moers is still continuing his exploration of point of view and subject matter today, he has spent
the past week focusing on abandoned structures that have been reclaimed by nature. He is
planning on continuing his innovative methodology of chemical manipulation with these
photographs as well.

“I like turning photography on its head and making a one of a kind photograph rather than
indulging in the multiple of negative or digital photography,” Moers said.