Process guide

What is a cyanotype print?

Cyanotype is one of photography's oldest blue-printing processes, known for luminous Prussian-blue tones and a tactile connection to sunlight, negatives, botanicals, and paper.

A photographic blue, not a filter

Traditional cyanotype uses light-sensitive iron salts, sunlight or UV exposure, and water development to create a blue image. bluepoppyprints uses this visual language for handmade-style prints, custom photographs, and archive-inspired editions.

Why every print feels different

Cyanotype is loved for variation: exposure, paper texture, water, negative density, and drying can change the final blue. Slight shifts are part of the charm, not a defect.

Best subjects

Strong silhouettes, portraits with clear light, botanical forms, architecture, sea and sky, pets, and old family photos all translate beautifully into cyanotype blue.