PLATINUM PRINTING Services

For decades, some of the most important photographers, museums, and galleries have relied on Sal Lopes for their finest exhibition quality prints and portfolios. He has worked on many of photography’s most iconic images dating from as far back as the Civil War to the present day. See Client Work

If you are a photographer, museum, or gallery interested in platinum printing, please contact Sal directly to discuss availability and pricing. If you are interested in platinum printing workshops or private lessons, Sal does offer occasional instruction for small groups. Please contact him for details.

About Platinum Printing

In 1873, the first workable platinum printing process was introduced by William Willis in England. This method of making hand-coated prints differs from silver as the final image is composed of pure metallic platinum or palladium. At the time, most photographs were printed using silver printing out paper (POP). These prints were reddish-purple in color and very objectionable to many photographers searching for a more neutral image color. Willis process would solve this and other problems by using a noble metal to create prints with more acceptable colors and greater permanence. Also, this process did not use hypo the main culprit in creating permanent silver prints.

Platinum printing is a contact printing process requiring a negative equal to the final image size. Some photographers print directly from larger camera negatives, while others must make enlarged negatives. Printing is most often done on acid-free unsized art paper or a vellum giving these prints a look very much influenced by paper characteristics and an image that lies within the paper. The coating is prepared for each print and contains a sensitizer, a chemical to control contrast, as well as the platinum and palladium. It is then brushed onto the paper and dried. The negative is placed in contact with the coated sheet using a contact printing frame and exposed with an ultraviolet light source or the sun. The print is developed, cleared, washed and dried.