# CYANO - Cyanotype Photos — Sunprints without a darkroom

> Digital simulation of the historic cyanotype photographic process. (iPhone/iPad app by Levi Foster.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyano-cyanotype-photos/id6802050987 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Levi Foster](https://appshunter.io/developer/1854976064)
- Category: Photo & Video, Graphics & Design
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 2 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 1 MB
- Languages: American English, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified, China), Mexican Spanish
- Released: 2026-09-12
- Data updated: 2026-11-10
- Monetization: free

## What is CYANO?

Cyanotype is the oldest surviving photographic process, and the reason old engineering drawings are called blueprints. Paper is brushed with iron salts, a negative is laid on top, and it is left in the sun. What develops is Prussian blue, in water, with no darkroom and no chemistry set.

CYANO does the chemistry in software.

This is not a blue filter. A cyanotype is blind to red and green and sees only ultraviolet and deep blue, so it renders the world at the wrong brightness. That is the whole point of it. A bright yellow sign goes almost black. Green leaves go dark. A blue sky burns straight through to bare paper, taking the clouds with it. Two colours your camera recorded as equally bright come out at opposite ends of the print.

Everything here is simulated from the physics rather than approximated with a preset. The sensitiser's response is integrated against sunlight across the spectrum, the pigment is built up through the Beer-Lambert law with the way it clumps at high concentration accounted for, and the tonal curve falls out of the photochemistry instead of being drawn by hand. What you get is what the paper would actually have done.

And it reads each photograph before printing it, the way a printer reads a negative and makes a test strip, so the exposure suits the picture in front of it rather than some average one.

WHAT YOU CHANGE

Sun: how long the print was left out. Overexpose it and the shadows merge into one mass, the way they really do.

Paper: cotton rag, rough watercolour, or buff. The base colour shows through everywhere, because in this process the paper is part of the picture.

Toning: tea, tannin, or red wine. These convert the Prussian blue into iron tannate rather than tinting it, which is why a toned print reads as a different process and not a recoloured one.

Brushed edge: the uneven coating of a hand-brushed sheet. Two prints of the same photograph are never quite the same.

Formula: the classic 1842 sensitiser, or the modern one: faster, and it weighs colour differently.

The app prints at full resolution, keeps nothing, and puts no mark on your pictures. There is no account, no subscription, and nothing is sent anywhere.

## Key features

- Simulates cyanotype chemistry digitally
- Adjustable sun exposure
- Selectable paper types
- Toning effects (tea, wine)
- Simulated brushed edge effect
- Choice of sensitizer formulas
- Full resolution printing

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Rest of the Cabinet | $4.99 | one-time |


## Is CYANO safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess CYANO.

## Is CYANO legit?

CYANO - Cyanotype Photos appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for CYANO is 65 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.


## Frequently asked questions about CYANO

### How does CYANO simulate cyanotype prints?

CYANO simulates the cyanotype process digitally by modeling the physics of light interaction with iron salts. It accounts for the sensitizer's response to sunlight, pigment development via the Beer-Lambert law, and the resulting tonal curve, mimicking real-world photochemical reactions without actual chemicals.

### What are the adjustable parameters in CYANO?

You can adjust the 'Sun' exposure time to control shadow detail, select from different 'Paper' types like cotton rag or watercolour, and apply 'Toning' effects such as tea or red wine. The app also allows for simulating a 'Brushed edge' and choosing between classic or modern 'Formula' sensitizers.

### Does CYANO require a darkroom or chemicals?

No, CYANO performs all the chemistry simulation within the software. You do not need a darkroom or any physical chemicals to create cyanotype-style prints with this application.

### What is the difference between CYANO and a blue filter app?

CYANO is not a simple blue filter. It accurately simulates how cyanotype is blind to red and green light, rendering colors at different brightness levels than a standard camera. This means bright yellow objects appear dark, and blue skies are rendered differently, capturing the unique tonal response of the actual process.

### Does CYANO add watermarks or keep my photos?

No, CYANO prints your images at full resolution and does not add any watermarks or marks to your pictures. The app also keeps nothing and sends nothing anywhere, ensuring your privacy.

### Is CYANO available on Android devices?

Based on the provided data, CYANO is currently only supported on iPhone devices. There is no information available regarding Android compatibility at this time.

### How often is CYANO updated?

The application was last updated on 2026-09-12, with version 1.0 being the latest release. Further update frequency information is not available.

### What is the age rating for CYANO?

CYANO has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. This indicates it contains no content typically considered inappropriate for children.

## Version history (last 1 release)

### 1.0 — 2026-09-12

No release notes.

## Apps similar to CYANO

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Cyanotype Photo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyanotype-photo/id6798884424) | — | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Cyanotype - Sun Print Filter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyanotype-sun-print-filter/id6793945568) | — | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Frame 13 - Retro Film Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frame-13-retro-film-camera/id6804364541) | — | $0.49 | Photo & Video |
| [Pointillize](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pointillize/id6775783795) | — | $0.99 | Photo & Video |
| [KaKa Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaka-camera/id6793096672) | — | $1.99 | Photo & Video |
| [Jeju Filter: Landscape Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jeju-filter-landscape-camera/id6809725788) | — | Free | Photo & Video |

## More apps by Levi Foster

- [MODUL8 - Glitch Art Effects](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/modul8-glitch-art-effects/id6755617539)
- [Harmony Palette](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harmony-palette/id6757116756)
- [FRMT - Film Simulation](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frmt-film-simulation/id6800928630)
- [Dollop: Color Mixing Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dollop-color-mixing-game/id6807468926)
- [Kippu: Learn Japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kippu-learn-japanese/id6814644162)

All apps by Levi Foster: https://appshunter.io/developer/1854976064

## Related topics

[cyanotype](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cyanotype)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-11-10.*