Alternative Processes

Platinum and Palladium / Kallitype / Vandyk / Salt print

 

In today’s world, where digital printing technologies allow us to reproduce photographs with incredible speed and precision, alternative printing processes offer a different kind of experience. These processes challenge the artist, inviting them into a world of experimentation, learning, and constant refinement. I began this journey with a background in working with chemical labs, where I learned to understand and work with various materials and techniques. This deep understanding of the chemistry behind the processes has given me the ability to craft prints with attention to every minute detail, from the temperature and humidity of the environment to the exact combination of developers and chemicals used.

 I realized the shared basement space in my apartment could become my darkroom. To my surprise, all the magic most of prints you see today were born in that basement. This space, initially just a storage area, became the place where I could begin creating again, and I quickly realized that I could replicate my previous processes in a more personal, hands-on way.

These processes are not just technical — they’re deeply personal. They invite the artist to slow down, focus, and engage with the work in a way that digital printing simply doesn’t offer. It’s this complexity and precision in the process, along with the careful calibration of each element, that shapes my artistic practice.

Additionally, I have worked extensively with various toning processes. Toning offers a wide spectrum of materials such as gold, platinum, palladium, selenium that can shift the emotional tone of a photograph, enhancing the message or feeling being conveyed. Each material, has its unique way of accentuating the mood, and each presents its own challenges. I’ve made it a point to document every element that can influence these processes, ensuring that my work is not only precise but also reflective of the craft and the materials involved.

This journey has not just been about creating art; it’s been about understanding the history, materials, and techniques that make this medium so unique and allowing those elements to shape my work. The goal is to share this process with others — whether you’re an artist or someone interested in the intricacies of alternative printing—and to provide insight into the commitment, learning, and passion required to create meaningful, lasting prints.

 

Fleeting Touch, 2015 — 5X8 inches Digital Negative  —   Kallitype print toned with palladium on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Untitled#3,  2015 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative  —   (Left ) Kallitype print on BFK Rives paper — (Right) Kallitype print toned with platinum on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Dakhmeh, Yazd, IRAN, 2012 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative  —   Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Salt print exposed with sun, 2024 — 8X10 inches

Quincy Quarries, Quincy, Massachusetts, 2023

6X9 inches Digital Negative scanned from 120mm Infrared black and white film  —   Kallitype print toned with palladium on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Caspian Sea, IRAN,  2013 —  6X9 inches Digital Negative  —   Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Winter Storm, Massachusetts, 2024  —   6X9 inches Digital Negative  —   Kallitype print toned with palladium on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Arnold Arboretum plate#44, Massachusetts, 2023

6X9 inches Digital Negative Scanned from 120mm Infrared black and white film  —  Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Solar Eclipse, Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts, 2024 —  6X9 inches Digital Negative —  Kallitype print toned with palladium on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Mourning, 2010 —  6X9 inches Digital Negative  —  Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

‘A Man Who Loved the Ocean; A Man Who Feared the Ocean’ ,  Photomontage #1, 2018

6X9 inches Digital Negative  —  Kallitype print toned with platinum on Revere Platinum paper

Photomontage#5,  2017 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative — Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Still Life #3, 2009 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative  — Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Hezar Masjed Mountains, Khorasan, IRAN, 2010  —  6X9 inches Digital Negative  —   Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Lynn Woods Reservation, Dungeon Rock, Massachusetts,  2023  —  6X9 inches Digital Negative scanned from 120mm infrared black and white film —  Platinum/Palladium print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag paper

Arnold Arboretum plate #6, MA, 2023 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative — Kallitype print toned with palladium

Arnold Arboretum plate #9, MA, 2023 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative — Vandyke print, gold-toned, sun-exposed

Arnold Arboretum plate #14, MA, 2023 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative — Vandyke print, gold-toned

Great Meadows, Concord, MA, 2023 — 6X9 inches Digital Negative scanned from 120mm infrared black and white film — Vandyke print, gold-toned, sun-exposed

Hand study #6, 2024  —  6X9 inches Digital Negative — Vandyke print, gold-toned, sun-exposed

Willow Pond Meadow, MA, 2022 —  6X9 inches Digital Negative — Salt print, sun-exposed

Sleeping roommate, 2017, Boston —  5X7 inches Digital Negative — Salt print, gold-toned, sun-exposed and wax- sealed

Arnold Arboretum plate #12, MA, 2023 —  6X9 inches Digital Negative — Salt print, sun-exposed