This Month in the Gallery

Seasons of Remembrance

Ellen Lee Hoverkamp faced a four year long battle with ALK-positive (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) non-small cell lung cancer after being diagnosed in 2019 and died on October 10, 2023. Throughout her illness, she continued creating her acclaimed botanical scanner photography, using art as both a creative outlet and a source of resilience. Hoverkamp was a pioneer in creating these unique images using a technique called scanner photography, or scanography.

Instead of using a camera, she carefully arranged fresh flowers, leaves, seed pods, and other natural objects directly on the glass bed of a high-resolution flatbed scanner or sometimes suspending them just above the bed using wire and an inventive armature . She typically scanned in total darkness with the lid opened creating an ethereal black background; giving the finished images a dramatic, luminous and gravity-defying appearance . The scanners camera captures exceptionally fine detail, allowing viewers to see delicate textures, patterns, and subtle color variations that are difficult to achieve with conventional photography or with the naked eye.