Leica M8, the Platinum/Palladium Print - Another article in Rangefinder magazine

[Riccis]

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For the second month in a row, Rangefinder magazine is running articles on the M8... Here is the link (http://www.rangefindermag.com/magazine/Jan08/86.pdf)

 

Enjoy,

 

Riccis

[rosuna]

Thanks!!!!

[Albert4321]

Great read!

 

I don't understand the "generate 5x7 negative" from a RGB file. can someone explain?

[clayh]

I also use the M8 as a front-end to making platinum prints. What Dick means is that you do all the editing to get the monochrome(ish) print the way you like, then colorize the file so that you can make the negative on a clear piece of film. This negative is then contact printed in a traditional way on hand-coated platinum/palladium paper. The reason the negative is done in RGB is in order to colorize the negative so that the densest inked areas (highlights on the print) will block enough of the UV light used to expose a palladium print. This printing procedure requires a very long scale negative, and using colors is the only way to get enough effective UV density to make a nice print. There are other approaches that achieve the same end. I personally prefer keeping it in monochrome, and then using a specialized Quadtone RIP profile to make my negatives. I add some additional colors in the inking profile that give me the density I need.

 

More than you probably wanted to know. But it works great. Here is an M8 pt/pd 18x24 inch print taken in Iceland near Hopf.

 

Great read!

 

I don't understand the "generate 5x7 negative" from a RGB file. can someone explain?

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[luigi bertolotti]

Wonderful pic... this old fashioned print tech has always fascinated me.

[DES]

"then colorize the file so that you can make the negative on a clear piece of film"

 

Please forgive me being dumb...but how do tou do this.?

[Albert4321]

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"then colorize the file so that you can make the negative on a clear piece of film"

 

Please forgive me being dumb...but how do tou do this.?

 

using FilmRecorder?

[clayh]

Edit as normal in grayscale. Then in photoshop, change mode to RGB (Image->Mode->RGB Color). Change the image to a negative (Command-I on a mac), or use Image->Adjustments->Invert.

 

Then add a layer, with the layer mode set to screen. Change foreground color to desired color, then use the paint bucket to pour the color into the new layer. That's it.

 

"then colorize the file so that you can make the negative on a clear piece of film"

 

Please forgive me being dumb...but how do tou do this.?

[DES]

Clay H.....Class thanx I will work through that, See how far I get:o

[xrogers]

That looks beautiful, Clay---it must be a gorgeous print. I didn't realize there were other folks doing pt/pd with an M8.

 

I do this much as Clay does, working in black and white and using QTR to print negatives. I've written software that lets me directly manipulate the QTR ink response curves (this makes changing ink density like messing with a Photoshop curve), and that help with calibration. This simplifies curve building (for me at least). The M8 is the most fun camera I've used for this process, to the point that I keep thinking about getting rid of my large format cameras. The prints are beautiful, and look nothing like an inkjet---great detail and tonality, but softer, with more gentle highlights.

 

Here's an M8 palladium print I flatbed scanned a few weeks ago.

 

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Clay, I've stopped at around 12"x18" prints---does the 18x24 stand up to critical viewing (does it start looking at all digital)?

 

Later,

 

Clyde

[Albert4321]

... colorize the file so that you can make the negative on a clear piece of film. This negative is then contact printed in a traditional way on hand-coated platinum/palladium paper. ...

 

So you guys generate a paper negative via ink-jet printer and do contact print on hand-coated platinum/palladium paper, not creating a clear film negative, am I correct?

[kbingman]

It is great to see so many people doing this. I have been making pd/pt prints from the M8 since last year, mostly pretty small, but up to 18 x 27 cm. It was interesting to read Dick Arentz's workflow, he seems to make a lot of "test" prints just to see if it is worth bothering making a full print; I do something similar, as it is very hard to previsualize a pt/pt print (and I just like small prints.)

 

I use the same system described in the article: once I have a monochrome file in PS, I convert it to RGB, then colorize the negative and correct the curves. Once this done, everything is printed out on an epson on clear film and then the negative is printed. It works amazingly well.

[Photoskeptic]

I've gotten acceptable Platinun-type prints using split-toning in PS. Unfortunately I can't show them here because the images I used were taken with a D200

Many thanks for giving us the heads-up on this article. I'm certainly going to give this method a try.

[xrogers]

So you guys generate a paper negative via ink-jet printer and do contact print on hand-coated platinum/palladium paper, not creating a clear film negative, am I correct?

 

Almost correct; not photographic film, but usually not paper either (although some do paper negatives). Typically the negative is made on high quality transparency material (where high quality translates to few, if any, visible imperfections or blemishes, and the ability to accept a pretty heavy ink load---oh, and UV transparent enough). Many people use Pictorico OHP film for this (I do). Some have found other materials that work. Many run-of-the-mill transparency materials don't work well.

 

Yes to the hand coating and contact printing part.

 

Until later,

 

Clyde

[pete_g]

Great thread, I never thought I'd hear of H+D curves again. I get so tired of the endless Digital v Film debate, it's refreshing to hear of people who are really combining the best of the old and the new. CS3 is indeed a "jar of candy", but what an application, and the M8 is a great step FORWARD in digital photography, despite it's foibles. I hope in the near future to get some Pictorico paper and try these techniques out. Now, I wonder who's planning to make separation negs from CS3 and resurrect dye transfer <grin>.

 

Very nice images posted BTW.

 

pete

[kbingman]

Now, I wonder who's planning to make separation negs from CS3 and resurrect dye transfer <grin>.

 

Very nice images posted BTW.

 

pete

 

You know, I was just think about something like this, but after the trouble that a pt/pd is, I don't think that I am ready...