"The Cannoneers" ~ Pallsdium Toned Kallitype

 This was actually the first print I made from the Civil War Reenactment portfolio. I knew what I wanted for the 'look', the color, rich blacks, deep shadows with some detail. It took several iterations of the process to finally arrive at the final print. That meant creating a new density <curve> to handle the high contrast of the original image; scanned from a 35mm negative, shot in 1990.

As for the color of the image, there are two primary colors working in this print. The sodium acetate developer [cool black tones] followed by a palladium toning of 8-minutes, of course, rendered the print a palladium print when completed. That palladium toning, not only replaces all the silver salts in the print, but leaves a warm tone. Those two together are very, very close to a palladium printed image developed in  potassium oxalate.

The previous image "Assembly at the Battlement" was developed in sodium citrate [warm toned developer] followed by a palladium toning of the same time. Those two in concert, leaves the overall print image much warmer overall, much like a palladium print developed in ammonium citrate, at 95ºF, rendering a very warm toned image, very close to a Van Dyke Brown. Using combinations of developer and toner, there are a number of outcomes available. An example being; using sodium acetate developer on the Kallitype, followed by toning in a Gold toner; gold chloride 1% equal with Thiourea 1%. This gold toner is an 'all at once' toner, instead of the normal top-down toner as most are, even palladium is a top down toner. That combination would leave an image very close to what a platinum print would  look like, the long scale and rich blacks. A trained eye would see the difference, maybe, in the middle tones, as platinum prints have a sort of smokey blue hue to the middle tones.

I have to say I'm happy with the finished print. It represents the image I had in mine and pre-visualized. The key, hanging on the canon's center support brace, in zone 2 shadow. One of the things I was working  on for the final print. More of the portfolio coming soon.

Palladium toned Kallitype

"The Cannoneers" ~ 11"x14"

Salem , Oregon 1990

"Assembly at the Battlement" ~ Palladium Toned Kallitype

 After more testing, the second image from the Civil War Reenactment portfolio is now finished. These images were scanned from forty year old negatives. I worked with the Civil War Council, Salem, Oregon, to videotape the reenactments and battles, two years running. I bivouacked with the reenactors, in their encampment. Stinkin' badges, work. I designed and laminated large 'official' identity badges for Image Associates Productions, photo and credentials, bold, on a lanyard. The television crews had to stay behind the yellow tape with spectators. I, and my team were on the battlefield, up close, full frame shooting. It was glorious.

In between taping sessions for battles and encampment reenactments, surgeon's tent, screaming wounded, Miss Vicki [lady of the night] being approached by the encampment chaplain, and complaining women, recruitment session and other most excellent pieces in the day and life of a Civil War reenactor type. Those two finished video tapes have since been converted; digitized, and on DVD now. The images of this portfolio came from the Salem, Oregon Civil War Reenactment; 1990-91 seasons. They are also from the 35mm film camera I carried at the time; Canon QT. Those negative images were recently scanned via a small Wolverine roll film scanner. Which is a most excellent scanner.

Second image in the Civil War portfolio. This print I shifted back to a warm toned under base color, before toning the print in 5% palladium toner for 7-minutes. Now, a [poor man's] palladium print, which, has a long tradition. Because of the low speed film I was using at the  time, the images are high contract to begin with, which is a lot more easily dealt with in hand coated formats. The first image; "The Cannoneers", was developed in the cool toned acetate developer, for a deeper black under print, to the palladium toning. I will also be reprinting The Cannoneers, developed in the cold toned acetate developer and toning with the Gold toner using thiourea formula; the all-at-once toner. It also is known for not just coating the silver salts, but replacing some of them with gold.

Palladium toned Kallitype ~ 1/2

"Assembly at the Battlement" 11"x14"

Salem, Oregon 1990-91

"The Cannoneers" Palladium toned Kallitype

 The printing has been disrupted, greatly. I have begun printing once again, with a dedicatd portfolio of images to be printed next. The images are from a Civil War Reenactment week in Salem, Oregon, in 1990-91. All the images are entirely period setting. I bivouacked with the several hundred rreenactors. Union camp, actually. I was mostly video taping the scenes, up close, on the battlefield, with the lens filled with actions. The photography mostly came during down time, when the different camps were bustling with activity of the day.

What I was after, wasn't so much photographing the actors, although that was done. My eye was looking for the personal touches of the actors, their tents, mascots, weapon stacks and cook fires. For me, the interesting part is seeing negatives I haven't laid eyes on for thirty years. It's befitting they be printed in hand coated methods; palladium prints, gold toned Kallitype and gum over palladium, prints.

I am pretty much printing these days on Hahnemuhle paper for the Kallitype/Palladium printing. Fabriano Artistico 140lb for the gum work. This image was developed in sodium acetate, then toned in 5% palladium toner. For those not familiar with palladium toning Kallitype prints, or any silver print, the palladium, being a more 'nobler' metal, replaces all the silver salts of what was a silver print, leaving only palladium salts in their place. A century ago this was the mainstay of platinum/palladium printers, being those two elements were as expensive then as they are now, relatively speaking, to botch a platinum print would have been a disaster for anyone other than someone with lots of money to  spare. They were referred to as a 'poor man's platinum~palladium.

I am asked, often, why I don't just refer to the prints as palladium prints, being they are. Simply because I issue a certificate of authenticity for each print I make. I have portfolios of platinum/palladium and palladium prints, printed in both raw materials. I differentiate duly for disclosure for the buyer. They should know exactly when the print was made, and how. But that's just me.

Palladium toned Kallitype

"The Cannoneers" 11"x14"

Salem, Oregon 1990-91