ABOUT PRINTS
A Tale of Two Prints
When I started out in photography it was all about the silver gelatin print – the traditional wet darkroom print that people my age grew up with in Photography Class in school. Yes, there were (still are) historical, alternative print types such as Platinum, Palladium, etc., but the great majority of photographs made when I was learning photography were silver gelatin.
I was always a pretty good printer, but working with large format negatives you cannot avoid dust – I don't care how careful you are. Even if you load your film holders in a clean room and vacuum the inside of your camera out after every use, once you take it out in the field dust can, and will, get inside. The most beautiful image can be ruined by dust. Yes, it can be retouched, but that is a pain in the you know what, and it has to be done for each print, every time.
Enter the digital age. I have learned several "hybrid" workflows that combined film negatives and digital prints. I will use film to my last day, but I have found that I can do all the "darkroom magic" in Photoshop. This includes dust/defect removal and enhancements... burning, dodging, contrast control... all the things you did in a wet darkroom. The great thing about this hybrid workflow is that you only have to do it once. And I have found that I can make a much better print this way than I could ever do in a darkroom.
Permanence
Silver gelatin prints are one of the most stable photographic media. A properly processed and stored silver print can last more than a century, as Wilhelm Imaging Research (WIR) notes, “silver gelatin fiber-based prints have been called ‘the gold standard’ in print longevity” (Wilhelm, 2013).
These "wet" prints are based on metallic silver suspended in a gelatin layer on fiber-based paper. Selenium toning increases archival properties by converting metallic silver into more stable forms that resist environmental degradation (Reilly, 1986). Archival silver gelatin prints stored in stable environments—cool, dry, and free from pollutants—can remain unchanged for well over 100 years.
Pigment-based inkjet printing has emerged as an alternative, museum-accepted fine art medium. Pigment prints, versus dye prints, offer far better light resistance and reduced fading/aging, when stored properly.
Wilhelm Imaging Research has extensively tested these materials under accelerated aging conditions. Their findings show that pigment-based prints using Canon LUCIA, and similar systems—when printed on acid-free, cotton rag papers—can last 200 years or more under properly stored or displayed (Wilhelm, 2022). These lifespans are on par with traditional silver gelatin prints, sometimes even better.
My Take on It
I love silver gelatin prints. I always will. I have decided to offer silver gelatin prints, for as long as I am able and materials are either available, or reasonably priced. I do apply a slight premium to silver prints as they do take more time due to the process.
As I stated before, I can make a better print digitally than I ever could in the darkroom. Better is a subjective term, but let's just say "closer to perfect". It's like music when CDs came out. There are hard-core fans who only listen to vinyl. I grew up during that time but I have to tell you I absolutely can't stand "pops" and "skips". I ditched all my albums decades ago replacing them with CDs as they became available. And when the digital revolution hit music, I replaced the CDs with digital files, just to reduce the clutter.
So, I will also offer, and prefer, pigment ink prints.
What About Color?
The same goes for color images. Back in the day, RA-4 (Fuji Crystal Archive) prints were all the rage. Their archival qualities are nowhere near silver gelatin prints, and I really don't care for the "super glossy" or "matte" finishes.
So, all color images that I offer for sale will be pigment ink prints, with the same archival qualities as black & white images. And, to be honest, I do like the paper surfaces/textures much better.
What Do I Use?
I use Canon ImagePROGRAF printers with their LUCIA PRO II ink sets. I print exclusively on Canson Infinity Baryta Prestige II, 340g/m2 papers. I feel that this combination produces the best looking prints, both black & white and color.