True Love!

I’m not an advocate of carving names or initials into tree trunks but I often document them. I initially read the first as USA but I think it is in fact LISA. These four examples are from the Lake District.

Each is a 6 x 9 inch platinum/palladium print made using the 19th century platinum printing process. Shot with a digital SLR each image was processed in photoshop to produce a negative which was then printed on Pictorico OHP transparency film. The final prints were made on Bergger COT-320 paper.

© Simon Howlett 2019. All rights reserved

Platinum/Palladium Prints

An ongoing series of platinum/palladium prints (5.5 inch x 8.25 inch) photographed in Maryport, Cumbria. Above is Sincerity, below is the  Stjernen, Our James and Balcary.

Shot with a digital SLR and processed/converted to B&W in Lightroom. The negatives were processed in Photoshop and printed on Pictorico transparency film. The platinum/palladium prints were made on Bergger COT-320 paper.

The contact print process and the remarkable moment when the print appears can be seen to great effect in this video by Paul Cunningham: Platinum Print Process

© Simon Howlett 2017. All rights reserved

Magazine Publication

Four of my platinum/palladium prints of the Somme have been published in the April issue of Black + White Photography magazine.

The images were made with a vintage Vest Pocket Kodak loaded with Efke R100 film during a visit to the Somme, Arras and Ypres in 2015.

Developed eighteen rolls of film on my return; more of the images can be seen on my website at: The Great War

Platinum/Palladium Print – Stacks of Duncansby

This platinum/palladium print is one of a series of images made at Duncansby Head with a 1968 Hasselblad 500C. The lens in the photo is a Sonnar 4/150 but the sea stack image was made using a Distagon 4/50. Planning to return and spend more time at this location and may visit Orkney to photograph The Old Man of Hoy and Yesnaby sea stacks.

A short video from George Eastman House which explains the platinum process can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/5AmIr9xLxlk

© Simon Howlett 2015. All rights reserved

Platinum/Palladium Sea Stacks

I’ve put the bathroom to good use and made a few prints following my visit to Duncansby Head, Scotland.

Colour negative film converted to b&w in Lightroom. Digital negatives (8 x 8 inch) were processed in Photoshop and then printed on Agfa CopyJet film. The prints were made on Arches Platine paper.

Camera: Hasselblad 500C. Lens: Distagon 4/50. Daytime long exposure photos using a 10-stop ND filter and a 3-stop ND grad.

© Simon Howlett 2014. All rights reserved

New Year’s Day Platinum Prints

Happy New Year!

Had a great start to 2014 making platinum prints from night photos of Berwick-upon-Tweed, a place close to my heart. I visited in October last year and was following in the artist L.S. Lowry’s footsteps. Berwick has a Lowry Trail which is fun to walk and gives a fascinating insight into his paintings of the town.

© Simon Howlett 2014. All rights reserved

Platinum Prints – Berwick at Night

A series of platinum/palladium prints from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland; a place close to my heart. The photographs were shot with a digital SLR from which I made digital negatives. Printed on Bergger COT-320 paper; landscape/portrait prints are 5 x 8 inch, panoramic prints 4 x 8 inch and square format prints are 5 x 5 inch.

I’ve made larger prints but I like them at these sizes, especially when framed in a 12 x 16 inch or even a 16 x 20 inch frame. Platinum prints have great depth, beautiful tones and a presence that is hard to describe.

© Simon Howlett 2013. All rights reserved

Platinum/Palladium Prints on Bergger COT-320

I’ve recently started printing with Bergger COT-320 paper which I’m extremely pleased with. I generally coat the paper with a glass rod but decided to brush coat these. Drop count was 9 0 8 2 and exposure time was 4 minutes under a bank of 7 UV tubes. I’ll still be working with Arches Platine but I’m so pleased with the results from the Bergger it will now be the paper I reach for.

The first is the Stjernen at Maryport and the second is Carlisle Cathedral, Cumbria.

These prints (5 x 8 inch) along with others are for sale. More details can be found on my website: http://www.simonhowlett.com

© Simon Howlett 2013. All rights reserved

Platinum Print and Negative

Buttermere

A 5 x 8 inch print made on Arches Platine paper. I’ve recently returned from a 2 week visit to the Isle of Skye. The weather was pretty poor during my stay but I came back with a handful of images that I feel pleased with: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simon0252.

Met a couple of other photographers out at Neist Point and visited some galleries. Next year I’ll be spending 2 weeks in the Highlands photographing Loch Assynt, Suilven and the surrounding area.

© Simon Howlett 2013. All rights reserved

Platinum and Inkjet Prints

Working towards holding a joint exhibition this year so continuing to print, mount and frame some of my work. The table the prints are on belonged to my grandparents – wish they were still here to see this.

From top to bottom:

Three pinhole inkjet prints (4 x 8 inch) from Berwick-upon-Tweed and Sycamore Gap, Hadrian’s Wall.

Two platinum/palladium prints (5 x 8 inch) from Whitehaven and Buttermere in Cumbria.

© Simon Howlett 2013. All rights reserved