Fun and Games with the Kallitype Process

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Many years ago I tried my hand at making Kallitype prints when I started using a large format camera.  I got hooked on the beauty of the prints after seeing a Platinum Print in an art gallery in Santa Fe New Mexico.

Platinum was hellishly expensive at the time, circa 1990-1993, so I looked at Kallitype.  They are similar enough that my desires were satisfied at the time.  It is a beautiful process that provides a large range of image colors.

First step was Cyanotype, easy-peasy, inexpensive and fun to do.

Mission San José de Tumacácori in Southern Arizona 1999  (Arista 400  w/ Zonal Pro Developer)

My first Kallitype that was good enough for me to show publically.  It really did not take too much experimentation to get to this point.  My coating was a bit blotchy  as I was not using a very good brush.  The image is shot looking over the wall of the Granary towards the front of the mission.  Tumacacori Mission south of  Tubac Arizona.  I went back to reshoot the image and found that in addition to having to climb through a barbed wire (3 strander) fence a stand of thorny mesquite trees now occupy the only place I could set up to re-shoot the image.  Sigh....

Having a controlled light source instead of relying on sunlight really helped with sorting out exposure.  The first few were sunlight exposed and the exposures varied wildly even within a few hours of each other.  I rebuilt my exposure unit a few months ago, adding another pair of tubes and a small digital controller.  The documentation for this can be found here.

My original foray into the process used the early Photographer's Formulary Kallitype kit.  My biggest issue with the process revolved around the super saturated Rochelle Salt/Borax developer.  Keeping it liquid was a real chore and required a heating mat...

This print was made from an 8x10 inter-negative and contact printed normally using the Early Photographer's Formulary Kallitype chemistry.

This time around I decided to re-learn (yes) the process and selected the Bostick and Sullivan Kallitype kit.  Time for home brew and experimentation can come later.

Bostick & Sullivan Brown Developer on Hahnemühle Platinum Rag

Here is my first print that I am willing to show to the public.  I exposed three sheets of paper with a Stouffer Step Wedge and then two sheets prior to this one.  I selected the Hahnemühle Platinum Rag based on the many reviews of it's excellent quality for Platinum/Kallitype printing.