Need Advice for beginner Platinum and Palladium Printing

[Dankinnane]

I'm new to Platinum and Palladium printing and would greatly appreciate any advice! I've made a few test prints, and I'm having difficulty figuring out the right amount of emulsion and exposure times.

Some questions I have:
- Does the amount of emulsion make a difference in whether an image will appear lighter or darker? I made 2 test prints, both at the same exposure time but with one that had slightly more emulsion. The one that had more emulsion came out darker. Please take a look at the attached images.

- My images appear soft and a little out of focus despite the negative being sharp and in focus. Is there something I might be doing wrong, or is the soft print just a natural characteristic of platinum and palladium prints?

- Is the clearing bath reusable, and if not, what is the safest way of disposing of the used clearing bath?

- Will there always be equal amounts of Palladium and ferric oxalate when mixing the emulsion? And how do you guess how much Platinum to add?

- My exposure times are somewhere around 15-22 minutes. This seems too long compared to some YouTubers I follow who claim to have 5-11 minutes of exposure time. I bought the same UV lights as Tim Layton after watching his YouTube video describing his UV printer - Tim Layton's Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRPtAVi_jU

Thanks for taking the time to help! I'm sure I'll have a million more questions as I go on...

[Scott Davis]

I'm new to Platinum and Palladium printing and would greatly appreciate any advice! I've made a few test prints, and I'm having difficulty figuring out the right amount of emulsion and exposure times.

Some questions I have:
- Does the amount of emulsion make a difference in whether an image will appear lighter or darker? I made 2 test prints, both at the same exposure time but with one that had slightly more emulsion. The one that had more emulsion came out darker. Please take a look at the attached images.


Yes, the amount you use will make a difference. Without knowing exact quantities of solution you used, which paper you're using, and a number of other variables that could be at play here, impossible to say with 100% certainty, but that is a probable culprit if not at least a contributing factor.



- My images appear soft and a little out of focus despite the negative being sharp and in focus. Is there something I might be doing wrong, or is the soft print just a natural characteristic of platinum and palladium prints?


Are you putting your negative emulsion side down when you print? If not, then that could contribute to softness of your prints. Regardless, a Pt/Pd print will not be as sharp as a silver gelatin print. Without knowing your standards of comparison or your expectations, hard to say if they're excessively mushy or not.



- Is the clearing bath reusable, and if not, what is the safest way of disposing of the used clearing bath?

No, clearing bath is generally one and done. It is safe to pour it down the drain if you are on city water - it should be ok for septic systems too but double check. I've not paid attention to that because I'm on city water so it is a non-issue for me.



- Will there always be equal amounts of Palladium and ferric oxalate when mixing the emulsion? And how do you guess how much Platinum to add?


Yes, always equal amounts of metal salts and ferric oxalate. This includes NA2 if you are using the NA2 method of contrast control. The amount you use depends on the size of the print you are making, and the paper you are using. As a specific example, I generally use about 7 drops of metal salts and 7 drops of FeOx per 5x7 inch print, take that up to about 16x16 for an 8x10 on either Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag or Bergger COT320. Other papers require more solution per print of the same size.



- My exposure times are somewhere around 15-22 minutes. This seems too long compared to some YouTubers I follow who claim to have 5-11 minutes of exposure time. I bought the same UV lights as Tim Layton after watching his YouTube video describing his UV printer - Tim Layton's Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRPtAVi_jU


I'm not familiar with the specific UV box in question you're using, but your times are not radically outside the range of exposure times I have experienced. One thing that definitely affects exposure time is humidity - if your paper is too dry, the exposure times will run very long, and your contrast will be low. Are you coating and exposing as you go, or are you pre-coating your paper in batches? Pre-coating is not recommended unless you have very good humidity control mechanisms. I used to use a setup that used fluorescent black light tubes for my lamps and I would get 12 minute exposures in spring/summer/fall, with times dropping off to 20+ minutes in the dry winter months. I have switched to LED black light fixtures now and my exposure times are in the 2 minute range with the lamps I use.

[Dankinnane]

Hi Scott, thanks so much for the response!

I was using one of my 4x5 negatives on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag. I started with 7 drops of Pd, 7 drops of FeOx, and 4 drops of Pt. I eventually worked my way up to 11 drops per Pd and FeOx and about 7 drops of Pt after realizing it made the print darker. Does that sound like too much emulsion for a 4x5?

It is good to know that the humidity will affect exposure times. I have not been paying close attention to the humidity, but I plan on getting a small humidifier for my room.

[Scott Davis]

Hi Scott, thanks so much for the response!

I was using one of my 4x5 negatives on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag. I started with 7 drops of Pd, 7 drops of FeOx, and 4 drops of Pt. I eventually worked my way up to 11 drops per Pd and FeOx and about 7 drops of Pt after realizing it made the print darker. Does that sound like too much emulsion for a 4x5?

It is good to know that the humidity will affect exposure times. I have not been paying close attention to the humidity, but I plan on getting a small humidifier for my room.

That sounds like too much solution. Also, what were you trying to achieve with the blending of Pt and Pd? Were you using the Pt as a contrast agent, or just trying to change the color of the print? My strongest recommendation would be to stick to one metal (palladium) and keep the amounts equal (ie 7 drops of Pd, and 7 drops of FeOx). For a 4x5 inch negative, I'd try cutting your quantity back to 4 drops of each. What developer are you using? Potassium Oxalate? From the look of your prints I'm assuming you are brush coating - what brush are you using?

[Fred L]

hmm, Bostick and Sullivan suggests 6-2-7-1 (Pd-Pt-FeOx1-FeOx2). Are you adding both Ferric Oxalates, as the ratio of both Ferric Oxalates has an effect on contrast, which might be the issue here. fwiw, I use Bostick's droplet ratio but may adjust FeO2 if I want to adjust contrast (or use Ammonium Citrate developer).

[Dankinnane]

I guess I just assumed you were supposed to add Pt. Based off of the videos I’ve watched, it seemed like that’s what everyone does. But I guess that’s not the case?

Yes, I’m using potassium oxalate and just a random brush from Home Depot. I’ve heard Hake and Richeson brushes are best though.

[Scott Davis]

I guess I just assumed you were supposed to add Pt. Based off of the videos I’ve watched, it seemed like that’s what everyone does. But I guess that’s not the case?

Yes, I’m using potassium oxalate and just a random brush from Home Depot. I’ve heard Hake and Richeson brushes are best though.

The reason to add Platinum to your solution is either A: change the color or B: change the contrast. Palladium is more chocolate brown in color and (somewhat) lower in contrast; Platinum is more cold neutral gray and (somewhat) higher in contrast. Many people use NA2 (Sodium Platinum) as a contrast control agent in their Palladium prints. That may be what you're seeing people do online.

Do yourself a huge favor and get one of the Richeson 9010 ("magic brush") brushes. It will make coating much easier, and you'll also waste less chemistry because the brush (properly wetted and blotted before coating) will absorb less chemistry. After you're used to using the Richeson, I'll suggest switching to one of the Japanese hand-made brushes - they're beautifully made, a bit pricier than the Richeson, but they eliminate a flaw in the Richeson (the metal ferrule - the Japanese brushes are hand-stitched and have no metal, so they can't rust). But you can learn on the Richeson for half the price of the Japanese brushes. You can get the Richeson brushes at many art supply stores, or order them online at Jerry's Artarama or Cheap Joe's Art Supply.

If you want some good video instruction on this process, I HIGHLY recommend seeking out Bill Schwab's videos on YouTube - his channel is North Light Photographic Workshops. He, like many of us, uses the NA2 method for contrast control. I started out using the A+B method with the two different flavors of FeOx, but quickly switched to NA2 because it gives you a lot more flexibility and doesn't produce grainy, gritty images when you have to increase the contrast.

How consistent is your exposure and processing for your sheet film? If you make silver gelatin prints from your negatives, do most of them print at the same contrast (the odd burning/dodging excepted), or do you have to adjust contrast between negatives frequently? The reason for this question is that if you can get your contrast in your negatives well-controlled, that will make your life a lot easier when printing pt/pd. You'll waste a lot less chemistry re-printing to tweak contrast that way.

[Dankinnane]

Scott, can’t thank you enough for all this insight. It’s greatly appreciated! I will definitely get myself a Richeson brush. I’ve actually seen a few of Bill’s videos, they’re very helpful

I’ve never made a gelatin print but I’ve been trying make digital negative prints so that I can edit my photos in photoshop before making a Pt/Pd print.

I’m gonna go make some test prints with this new knowledge and I’ll be back with some new photos to share. I appreciate the help so far and look forward to more advice if it’s available!

[Gary Samson]

I strongly urge you to get a book on platinum printing, this will save you much time, frustration and money. The best publication is: Platinum & Palladium Printing, Second Edition, by Dick Arentz,Focal Press, but I think it is out of print. There is a tremendous amount of information about chemistry, paper choices, drop count and print finishing. Perhaps you can find a used copy.
There is some good info on YouTube, but a book by an accomplished practitioner like Dick Arentz is invaluable.

[Fred L]

As well online tutorials, I can't stress enough how effective learning during an in person workshop can be (mine included several digital negatives made from my files, all paper and chemistry). You can see/watch everything up close and also ask any questions that pop into your head. I consider the money spent for my workshop, money very well spent.

fwiw- I'm only using platinum and forgoing palladium as I like a more neutral tone in my prints.

fwiw2-never used Richeson brushes but now only use Kobayashi-san hake brushes (which are not so expensive if you order directly from Japan).

[Scott Davis]

I strongly urge you to get a book on platinum printing, this will save you much time, frustration and money. The best publication is: Platinum & Palladium Printing, Second Edition, by Dick Arentz,Focal Press, but I think it is out of print. There is a tremendous amount of information about chemistry, paper choices, drop count and print finishing. Perhaps you can find a used copy.
There is some good info on YouTube, but a book by an accomplished practitioner like Dick Arentz is invaluable.
Yeah- the two best books, the Arentz book and the Sullivan & Weese book, are both out of print, and are very expensive on the used market. Here is one good one, although it is a different version of the process than what he's trying to do: https://www.routledge.com/Platinotype-Making-Photographs-in-Platinum-and-Palladium-with-the-Contemporary/Malde-Ware/p/book/9780367415952

Another good one is the Christopher James book on alternative processes: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Alternative-Photographic-Processes/dp/1285089316/