This isn’t a figurative description of Bacca’s artistic style. Inside a darkroom, Bacca literally shines beams from bright LED lights onto light-sensitive paper. While directing and manipulating each color, Bacca is able to create unique, vibrant pieces that catch the eye of anyone viewing her art. Surprisingly, no computer or camera is ever used during any part of the process.
“I went to U of O, and I was studying photography there,” Bacca said. “I just started thinking about the roots of photography, which literally means ‘to write with light.’”
The process is so inventive that Bacca, after patiently waiting three years, was just awarded a U.S. patent on Jan. 18 for her ground-breaking artistic method. Bacca developed this approach while attending the University from 2003 to 2005.
“Natasha’s process and resulting work is highly innovative, as evidenced by the recent award of a U.S. patent to her,” Jane Ujhazi, owner and director of the River Bend Fine Art, said.
Bacca began this thought process while dealing with the transformation of the photography world.
Growing up as a photographer attracted to the classical approach of dark room photography, where photos were taken on film and developed in a darkroom, Bacca noticed photography was becoming digital. The need for darkrooms and film, an aspect Bacca enjoyed most about photography, was being phased out by better technology.
“I knew that was kind of the direction photography was going, but I really just have a passion for the darkroom,” Bacca said. “I knew I was too young to be a dinosaur by staying in the darkroom all of the time, so I knew I had to change with the photographic world.”
Realizing that she could create vibrant works of art without ever making contact with her surface or using digital technology, Bacca chose to pursue a master’s in education over a master’s in fine art.
While working on her educational degree, Bacca continued to practice her new art form. 
Like most new art forms, Bacca found that her creations were a product of trial and error.
“It took me a couple of years just to perfect the style,” Bacca said. “I have a background in photography, so I understand the chemicals, the paper and the concept of lighting, but I hadn’t really put it into practice yet.”
Since photo paper is only developable once, Bacca still describes her art form as an ongoing process, even after practicing it for over half a decade. She said that it can take quite a few tries before she gets the desired final product.
“Because I’m working in the dark, and I don’t see the piece until its completed, I don’t realize I made a mistake,” Bacca said. “I might think I’m working on one section of the paper, but I might be a couple of inches off.”
The hard work and attention to detail has paid off for Bacca, who has received a fair amount of success.
Deschutes Brewery selected Bacca as its Jubelale artist for 2010 and a piece from Bacca’s collection was selected to be featured at NASA in Florida. Bacca’s art is also featured at Ozone Fine Art Gallery in Newport and River Bend Fine Art Gallery in Bend.
“Those who do appreciate Natasha’s work seem to universally react positively to the depth of color and are fascinated with her use of colored light pens in a darkroom to create her images,” Ujhazi said.
Bacca has accomplished all of this while also teaching photography part time at Central Oregon Community College.
Between it all, Bacca finds herself in the darkroom on a daily basis, creating new art while enjoying the time-worn passion of photographers everywhere.
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