Well I have started down the long road to becoming a platinum printer. After seeing the strong work of Donald McCullin produced in platinum several years back at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, I new I had to travel this path.
Donald McCullin - History of his platinum prints.
The photograph below is titled "Early Morning at the Kumbha Mela, Allahabad, India 1989" and was made by the great social documentary photojournalist Donald McCullin. My friend Larry owns a Silver Gelatin fibre version of this wonderfully compelling image.
I fell in love with the look of the platinum prints I saw at the McCullin National Gallery show. In the future I hope to create important photographs using this same platinum pocess. The trick is how to learn all I need to learn? I am a self taught photographer for the most part with the odd workshop and some help from various photo friends through the years. Almost all of my photography is a result of working hard by myself and figuring stuff out. I have now started this figuring stuff out part with platinum printing. Been reading a fair amount online was well as watching YouTube videos. I understand the basics of how things work but have never actually coated a piece of paper, exposed a negative or made a platinum print before.
I am currently studying how to make digital negatives for alternative processes. I think I would like to try enlarging my 6x6 Rollei "Forgotten Laughter" portraits into digi negs then making 8x8, 11x11, 15x15 sized platinum prints. I want to also work with my vaious "Forgotten Laughter" 5x7 negs. This process could also work well using my existing 8x10 sex workers on white background negs and future negs from projects such as "Lost Innocence" (sex workers portraits) and "In the Path of Buddha" (Buddhism in South East Asia).
I originally thought of getting a high end UV printer that ran about $4000 USD but am thinking for now I might have to settle for this model (see link) from Freestyle. It runs at $799 USD, which is something I can currently afford. I do not want one of those half assed shitty homemade UV printer jobs. I always work my best using good tools, so do not want a crap UV light source. The more expensive model $4000 model has a vacuum feature which creates a better bond between the negative and the paper. I have read that this vacuum sync ability creates superior prints, but for now I think I need to settle for the cheaper $800 ($179 shipping) USD version. If I become a high end printer in this process and sell some platinum photos I will later buy the better vacuum UV light source version.
Here is the freestyle UV light source I will probably buy soon. It also comes in a larger 30x36 version.
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/262024-Arista-UV-Lightsource-20x24
I would also need to buy a kit like this from Bostick and Sullivan. Palladium is added to the process to save on costs.
Platinum and Palladium Combination Kit
Note* I already own, 4x5, 8x10 and 11x14 (I think) contact printing frames, will have to get some bigger versions to use with this UV light source printer. I want to go as big as 20x24, thou I am unsure of the costs of making such a large print.
I am so excited by the platinum possibilities! As usual it's just me, myself and I getting all this stuff done but that's part of the fun! Doing it on you own, and trying to create important, lasting, empathetic photographs is wher it is at!
"Ain't Photography Grand!!"
Donald McCullin - History of his platinum prints.
The photograph below is titled "Early Morning at the Kumbha Mela, Allahabad, India 1989" and was made by the great social documentary photojournalist Donald McCullin. My friend Larry owns a Silver Gelatin fibre version of this wonderfully compelling image.
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| Photograph by Donald McCullin, platinum print by Paul Caffell’s 31 Studio |
I am currently studying how to make digital negatives for alternative processes. I think I would like to try enlarging my 6x6 Rollei "Forgotten Laughter" portraits into digi negs then making 8x8, 11x11, 15x15 sized platinum prints. I want to also work with my vaious "Forgotten Laughter" 5x7 negs. This process could also work well using my existing 8x10 sex workers on white background negs and future negs from projects such as "Lost Innocence" (sex workers portraits) and "In the Path of Buddha" (Buddhism in South East Asia).
I originally thought of getting a high end UV printer that ran about $4000 USD but am thinking for now I might have to settle for this model (see link) from Freestyle. It runs at $799 USD, which is something I can currently afford. I do not want one of those half assed shitty homemade UV printer jobs. I always work my best using good tools, so do not want a crap UV light source. The more expensive model $4000 model has a vacuum feature which creates a better bond between the negative and the paper. I have read that this vacuum sync ability creates superior prints, but for now I think I need to settle for the cheaper $800 ($179 shipping) USD version. If I become a high end printer in this process and sell some platinum photos I will later buy the better vacuum UV light source version.
Here is the freestyle UV light source I will probably buy soon. It also comes in a larger 30x36 version.
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/262024-Arista-UV-Lightsource-20x24
I would also need to buy a kit like this from Bostick and Sullivan. Palladium is added to the process to save on costs.
Platinum and Palladium Combination Kit
Note* I already own, 4x5, 8x10 and 11x14 (I think) contact printing frames, will have to get some bigger versions to use with this UV light source printer. I want to go as big as 20x24, thou I am unsure of the costs of making such a large print.
I am so excited by the platinum possibilities! As usual it's just me, myself and I getting all this stuff done but that's part of the fun! Doing it on you own, and trying to create important, lasting, empathetic photographs is wher it is at!
"Ain't Photography Grand!!"
