Platinum Printing & Paper Making Workshop
In partnership with The Cleveland Print Room and Morgan Paper Conservatory - Billy Delfs hosted the first (hopefully of many) Platinum printing and paper making work shops. In this workshop we were taught the basics of Western paper making to produce a collection of cotton-hemp paper to print upon. These selections are the final platinum prints produced on my hand made cotton-hemp paper.
Why Print in Platinum?
Platinum/palladium printing is one of the oldest photographic processes still in active use. A contact-based alternative to silver printing developed in the 1870s, it produces images embedded directly in the fibers of the paper rather than sitting on its surface. The result is a print with exceptional tonal depth and an estimated archival life of several centuries. Each print is coated and processed by hand, making every edition materially unique.
Beyond the cool factor, platinum printing is easier to do in a studio/at home setting. The emulsion is not nearly as light sensitive as silver gelatin printing and while more expensive, any where from 5x-10x more expensive, the ease of process, tonal depth, and archival nature of the process makes it well worth the investment. Exposed with a large format film or printed acetate negative and a UV light - a platinum printing station can be set up and broken down with ease where ever light and time permits.