#palladiotypes

[karingottschalk]

National Gallery of Art, Washington: Platinum & Palladium Photographs: Technical History, Connoisseurship, and Preservation

https://shop.nga.gov/item/748259/platinum-palladium-photographs-technical-history-connoisseurship-and-preservation/1.html “Edited by Constance McCabe, the volume presents the results of a four-year inter-institutional, interdisciplinary research initiative led and organized by the National Gallery of Art. Contributions by 47 leading photograph conservators, scientists, and historians provide…

[alternativephotographycom]

Mike Ware

Mike Ware - in the galleries at AlternativePhotography.com

Dr Michael J. Ware is a chemist and photographer, known for his work in alternative photographic processes. He has invented variations of processes and refined many of them. Here he shows his cyanotypes, argyrotypes, chysotypes and more. From: Bromley, UK. Shows: Argyrotypes, chrysotypes, cyanotypes, platinum, palladium, palladiotypes. [ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”53″…

[talbottodugdale-blog]

Mark Wei

Professor Nichole Frocheur

Historical Process

April 24, 2019

Platinum-Palladium Prints

The platinotype process was invented by William Willis and patented by him in 1873. There are several important variants of the platinotype process including Palladiotype, Platinum- palladium prints, Glycerin- developed platinotype, Satista iron- silver- platinum paper, and Ziatype. In Willis’s first patent, titled “Improvement in Photo- chemical Printing.” he described an early version of the platinotype process, and the chemistry involved silver or lead nitrates into the sensitizing solution. In his second patent, he suggested the possibility of using palladium as an image- forming metal. In Willis’s third patent, he excluded the use of both silver and lead. He also increased the amount of platinum that is being used in the sensitizing solution. The platinotype process was wildly popular, not only among the professional artist but also among the amateur photographers up until the start of World War I. One of the reasons that platinum prints are so desirable is because platinum is the most chemically stable metal found in nature. It was introduced as a stable alternative to the silver-based photographic process. This process was most often used by photographers of the Pictorialist movement in the early 20th century and by commercial photographers to create high-end portraits for clients.

When the platinotype process was first invented and spread to the masses, the chemical was relatively cheap. The cost of platinum paper in the early 1890s was about the same as silver bromide enlarging paper. However, the price of platinum metal began to rise by the early twentieth century when the chemical industry began to use platinum as a catalyst. World War I marked the end of commercial platinotype paper when the British government declared platinum a strategic metal and banned its use in photography.

Irving Penn, one of most famous fashion photographer of the twentieth century, started experimenting with platinum/ palladium printing since the early 1960s. As the cost of platinum escalated during World War I, there were no more commercially available platinum paper. A few artists continued to make platinum paper by hand, however, the process had been long forgotten by the time Penn embraced it in the early 1960s. He successfully transformed his celebrated photos into independent artwork with subtle, rich tonal ranges and luxurious textures that magazines or poster could never transcribe to the audience. Penn experimented with the process for many years, at first, he realized that he needed to coat, expose, and develop his print multiple times in order to achieve the richness and complexity he desired. However, that also meant that he needed to overcome some other technical difficulty, particularly on how to aline his photographs and how to make sure that the paper does not shrink in size after repeated submersion in chemicals. Penn also discovered that platinum produced a lavish tonal image and rich blacks but, used alone, could be “coarse,” while palladium gave delicate tones but lacked true blacks. Later he realized that when platinum and palladium were mixed together with the correct proportions and coated onto the paper multiple time could create the kind of luminous quality that he was looking for.

I was very lucky to be able to see one of Penn’s prints up close and personal at the Armory Show this year. The photograph was Cigarette No.34, the photo consist of a close up of two burnt cigarettes butt. Taking the photograph out of context and viewing it purely for its aesthetic quality. One can really tell that Penn himself is not just one of the best fashion photographer that the world has seen, but also a master printmaker. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, Penn really was able to nail the right proportion of platinum and palladium. The burnt cigarette has a true black that is so dark that it felt like it could trap light. The highlight is warm but with a delicate luminous quality. The quality of this printing process really shines with this print, where viewers can examine the life of these cigarettes, where the part that has been burnt is darker than the ones unburnt. But the transition of these two is very subtle and consistent. The excellent does not stop with the lavish range of tone. But also the texture of the print. Penn was able to use the chemicals to his advantage and show us the disgusting dark and grittiness of cigarette butts through his prints. The cigarettes are rough and matt, but with print overall has this subtle luminosity to it. Cigarette No.34 can and should be the textbook of the platinum-palladium printing process.

Tyler Shields, a contemporary fashion photographer based in LA, best known as “Hollywood’s favorite photographer” photographing every A-list celebrity in the area. Recently I saw a blog post of Shields creating his first platinum print. When comparing his print next to Penn’s print, it is obvious why Penn was not satisfied with his early prints. Shield’s print of women dressed in 20s bathing suit smoking a cigarette does not do justice to this printing process. Shield was only able to showcase the most obvious advantage of printing with platinum palladium, which is its exceptional tonal range. However, even so, he wasn’t able to nail down the smoke coming off the cigarette and the delicate transition of the skin tone, nor the texture of the skin and clothing. It seems harsh of me bashing on someone’s first print, however, it is obvious that Shield is not serious or as invested about this printing process as Penn did. Maybe I had high hopes for the platinum palladium prints to be popular again because a photographer as popular as he is could maybe spark interest for other people. His print might be able to fool the people that are not educated of this process and maybe profit a fortune because of how “special” this alternative printing process. But to the people who know what to look for, his first attempt is less than acceptable and should have kept in his basement like Penn. Platinum printing is an art form itself. The process itself is relatively simple, however, mastering the chemistry and printing process is not something people with a faint of heart could do so. It takes time, blood and sweat to do so. In the world of platinum palladium printing, it is easy to see the people that have actually invested their time to master the process and the ones that don’t.

Cigarette No. 34, New York,1972, printed May 1974

Irving Penn

Historical Fiction By Tyler Shields

Bibliography

“National Gallery of Art.” Irving Penn and the Platinum Printing Process,

www.nga.gov/press/exh/0208/backgrounder-platinum-printing.html.

Shield, Tyler. Historical Fiction.

Stulik, Dusan, and Art Kaplan. The Atlas of Analytical Signatures of Photographic Processes. ,

2013. Internet resource.

Penn, Irving. Cigarette No. 34. New York, May 1974.

[talbottomann-blog]

mike ware  kinza khan

On 28 Mar 2019, at 16:48, kinza khan <kinza.khan0223@gmail.com> wrote: Thank you so much!, much appreciated .I guess I’ll just ask the questions then ?

1) what inspired you to combine being a chemist and being a photographer ?

At first chemistry and photography were not -for me- activities that were “combined” - indeed quite the contrary. As a professional scientist, I was trained to a daily life of precise, convergent, analytical thought; but as a human I also sought a creative outlet of an artistic kind for divergent holistic thought. I was an indifferent water-colorist or sketcher or oil painter, but I did discover that expressive image-making by photography could provide me with this creative artistic satisfaction.At first, using the commercial silver-gelatin b&w medium, I took little interest in the chemistry: although it was easy for me to do, it was too much like work!But for the follow-on, see answer 4).I suggest for a fuller account you read my essay ‘A Bridge for Two Cultures’ on my website:

https://www.mikeware.co.uk/mikeware/Bridge_Cultures.html

which attempts to find a union between my scientific and artistic visions of the world.

2) In general do you think every photograph has to have meaning?

By “meaning” I take it you mean (!) expressive human significance. If so, my answer would be "No, by no means (!)”A photograph can be simply decorative, or documentary, or scientifically factual, without any intended meaning.But I think that photographs intended as works of art often do have intended meaning - I would not go so far as to say “must have”. "Beauty may lie in the eye of the beholder."For some idea about the way I intend meaning in my photographs, can I suggest that you find a copy of Christina Z. Anderson’s new book “Cyanotype”, (I’m sure your library must have a copy) and look at the commentaries I have written to accompany some of my images on pp. 77, 80, 107, 294, 297.

3) what printing process do you prefer and why?

The siderotype processes, i.e. those based on light-sensitive compounds of iron (usually oxalate or citrate complexes): platinotype, palladiotype, chrysotype, argentotype, argyrotype, cyanotype, etc.Because, as a chemist, I have been able to assist in the improvement of these near-obsolete and largely forgotten C19th century processes. For more details see the essay on my website:

https://www.mikeware.co.uk/mikeware/Ironic_Manifesto.html

These processes also have aesthetic qualities that I find very pleasing - see Answer 7).

4)What had gotten you started with alternative methods of photography? What compelled you do get into this field?

By pure chance, in my reading, I came across George Tice’s work in the 1970s on rediscovering the platinotype process. This seized my interest as a chemist, and I felt I could contribute something here. That was not the case with current commercial silver-gelatin photography, which had already been near-perfected by the folk in Kodak and Ilford many years ago.

5)if not photographer  or chemist what other field would you have perused and why?

Mathematics, but although competent, I was not good enough to be a creative mathematician.Reason? The search for truth.

6)opinion on digital photography ? In comparison to the various alternative methods

My current everyday practice is now a hybrid of digital and analogue. I capture my images on a small highly portable digital camera, for convenience, but I still admire and respect those who can carry a 10x8 camera around! After some manipulation in Photoshop, I can then output large negatives on an inkjet printer for contact printing in siderotype processes. I used to have to make my enlarged internegatives in the darkroom on silver-gelatin material, or with a 10x8 camera. I think that some digital photographic technologies have had an enormously liberating and empowering influence on the wider practice of alternative printing methods, which are so slow they all require a large negative for UV contact printing. The downside of digital image recording is the ephemeral nature of the original image files, the dependence on high technology, and the lack of an original negative archive.

7) is their a single asthetic that continues to inspire you?

Siderotypes are ‘plain paper’ processes; i.e. the precious metal image is embedded as nanoparticles in the surface cellulose fibres of an uncoated sheet of paper. The image therefore has the surface texture of a fine art paper - a tactile quality that invites close inspection - and can render subtle nuances of tonal gradation. Such photographs have much in common with other media for ‘works of art on paper’ - engravings, etchings, mezzotints, pencil sketches, watercolours, etc.In contrast, I find the glossy reflective surface of the silver-gelatin photographic medium quite aesthetically unappealing.

Thank you so much for your time.

You’re welcome. I’ll attach a couple of articles you might also find more explanatory, to this email.

Best wishes, 

[magazinepourphotographe]

Contemplations

« Trois opérations : Voir, opération de l’œil. Observer, opération de l’esprit. Contempler, opération de l’âme. Quiconque arrive à cette troisième opération entre dans le domaine de l’art. » Emile Bernard.

« Contemplations » met en parallèle les regards de deux photographes: Pascal Bonneau et Anthony Morel.

Dans leurs séries « Palladiotypes » et« Entre les mondes » chacun scrute des lieux et des…

[richardpuckett]

Today I printed an image in Palladium-Platinum. The print is a 4x5 contact. The paper is Hahnemuhle Platinum. The sensitizer: 8 drops Magic Iron (Ammonium Ferric Ferrous Oxalate), 6 drops of 15% Palladium, 2 drops of 20% platinum. That the image printed out on completely dry paper is not remarkable: I announced the Palladiotype Supreme - pure palladium print out on dry paper - in 2012. What is remarkable is that I coated the paper on June 7, 2018, over three months ago. Yes. I have a marketable product: not just paper for printing palladium-platinum images, but for printing them on dry paper coated months earlier. The accompanying image is a cell phone snap of the print clearing in a tray of water. It is not crisp because the paper was shifting in the water. The negative is a silver negative exposed and developed for enlarging on silver gelatin paper, which is why the image is a little flat. Now that I know that the sensitizer on the paper keeps for months with no concern for storage in a damp place, I can tinker with different contrasting agents. I expect I'll offer packets of 8x10s in 7, 15, and 25 sheets. I am looking at the fall of 2019 to start offering paper.

[karingottschalk]

Exhibition Opening, Shan Turner-Carroll's 'Relics' at Grace Cossington-Smith Gallery, 11th November 2017

Exhibition Opening, Shan Turner-Carroll’s ‘Relics’ at Grace Cossington-Smith Gallery, 11th November 2017

An exhibition by photographer and multi-disciplinary artist Shan Turner-Carroll was launched at the Grace Cossington-Smith Gallery located in the Abbotsleigh private girls school grounds on Saturday, 11th November 2017.  We attended the launch event and made the photographs in this gallery.  The cluster of Sydney North Shore suburbs where we live in Ku-ring-gai and nearby was once known for the…