Platinum and palladium processes for producing photographic prints have been known since the mid 1800s and the early days of photography. As a process descended from the Cyanotype, it was known as Platinotype. Both metals are still used as an alternative process today in producing archival and museum suitable prints. In this form, palladium and platinum are very nearly interchangeable.

In the late 1800s, palladium was more expensive than platinum, and so saw less use in the printing process, but seemed to be viewed as a finer alternative. The book Platinotype by Captain Pizzighelli and Baron Von Hubl was released in 1886, translated by J.F. Iselin, MA. and edited by W. DE W. The forward:

“The growing popularity of the Platinotype process has induced the Council of the Photographic Society of Great Britain to authorize a reprint of the translation of the brochure by Captain Pizzighelli and Baron Von Hubl, which appeared in the Photographic Journal in 1883”

- W. DE W. Abney

Palladium prints produced warmer tones than platinum, which some preferred, and a heated developer was not required. Nevertheless, palladium printing did not see widespread use until 1910s. Both platinum and palladium prints have the reputation of being permanent due to the stability of the metal that constitutes the final image. In 1917 William Willis introduced his Palladiotype paper, the first commercially available palladium based photographic paper. In the 1930s, the Platinotype declined in favor of the mass production of gelatin silver papers and steep rise in the price of platinum, which had then become a strategic metal vital in the defense industry. A number of photographers continued to use the process, however.

Although platinum was again obtainable after World War I, its price remained extremely high. The war thus also stimulated experimentation with palladium photography. Some rather renowned photographers used the process. Alfred Stieglitz, printed mostly on platinum and palladium papers. Platinum was also preferred by his young protégés Paul Strand and Clarence White. Edward Weston used platinum and palladium papers throughout his early, greatest period; Edward S. Curtis, Irving Penn, Manuel Alvarez Bravo and most of the greats in the history of photography have all produced perfect, beautiful images in platinum or palladium.

After the Second World War, commercially available platinum paper was no longer available, forcing photographers to hand coat their paper, and eroding its popularity.

In the 1970s, the Platinotype saw renewed interest as a beautiful art medium more permanent than the commercially available silver based papers. Palladium differs from platinum to produce a slightly more “warm” image, with a bit more contrast. Some photographers learned to mix platinum and palladium together in varying proportions, to achieve even finer results than with either substance used alone. Today platinum and palladium prints are widely considered the princes of the photographic medium, and the greatest expressions of fine art photography.

For more information on palladium printing, please visit this article at AlternativePhotography.com.