Advanced Platinum/Palladium Printing Workshop

August 31 - September 4, 2026

$2150
per person

Maine Media Workshops Campus

This advanced workshop is designed for experienced platinum/palladium printers who want to refine their technique, expand their understanding of the process, and achieve greater control and consistency in their prints. Through focused demonstrations, in-depth discussions, and extensive hands-on printing, participants will deepen their mastery of the Traditional Platinum/Palladium Process while exploring variations, including Palladium-only printing and the NA2 Process.

We will explore advanced topics, including:

Digital negative workflows, including two distinct methods for producing high-quality negatives
Advanced tonal control and precision in contrast management
Paper selection mastery, understanding surface characteristics and sizing
Chemistry manipulation, including customizing developers and sensitizer mixtures
Fine art printmaking techniques, emphasizing aesthetic intent and archival excellence
Multiple coating techniques for different paper types and image styles

Participants will learn to calibrate and build custom Photoshop curves tailored to their printers and materials, ensuring optimal tonal range and color balance. Those interested will have the opportunity to prepare developers and mix sensitizers from dry chemicals, gaining a deeper understanding of how chemistry directly shapes image tone, density, and warmth.

This course will also focus on advanced digital file preparation—editing and optimizing images in Lightroom and Photoshop for platinum/palladium output. Participants should arrive with a working color management system and a selection of digital files (TIFF or DNG, 360 dpi at intended print size). We will work with Epson printers and use Photoshop-based curves for negative creation.

The primary focus of the week is on printmaking. Participants will have the opportunity to:

Print larger images
Develop a cohesive project or portfolio of prints

Student Responsibilities:

Bring a laptop to edit and create digital negatives.
Supply all necessary printing materials, including paper and metals for large prints.

Print Sizes and Materials:

You may create prints up to 11×14 inches if you bring appropriate paper and metals.
Larger prints require additional metal, chemistry, and paper.
According to Bostick and Sullivan, a Traditional Platinum Palladium kit (25ml Palladium, 10ml Platinum) coats approximately 2,800 square inches of paper—enough for 35 8×10 prints or about 18 11×14 prints.
If you plan to make large prints, please bring at least two kits.

Kit Options:

You may use the Traditional PTPD kit, a Palladium-only kit, or an NA2 kit.
Zia type and Malde-Ware processes will not be covered.

Special Session:

One day will be spent in Tillman’s darkroom, where you can make prints up to 16×20 inches. Materials for this session will be purchased from Tillman on the day of the session.

Please ensure you are prepared with all required materials to make the most of your printmaking experience.

Each day will include lectures, demonstrations, and individual critiques that build progressively toward mastery—focusing on refining technique, solving complex printing challenges, and achieving a consistent, expressive body of work.

This workshop is intended for photographers ready to go beyond the fundamentals—those eager to experiment, analyze, and perfect their craft within one of photography’s most beautiful and exacting processes.