When I moved to Stroud I visited the Museum in the Park where there was an exhibition solely of platinum prints, a collection of work by 31 Studio. This is a renowned Platinum Print studio originally started by Paul Caffell and now by his son Max Caffell.  I struck up a conversation with Max to see if printing a collection of tulip photographs was beyond the realms of possibility.  At the time I was new to freelance photography and the costs involved meant I had to put plans on hold for a while. I am therefore thrilled to have finally realised my dream of printing and exhibiting a set of Platinum tulip prints that I am thrilled with.  The quality of the print is like no other. 

I often print my tulip photographs in black and white, which allows me to study other qualities of these remarkable blooms that colour distracts me from - feathering, shapes, the soft velvety petals.  With those thoughts in mind, I decided the take 4 initial images to Max to see if he felt they were worthy of turning into platinum prints, this was the start of my platinum journey.  Max patiently listened to me bleating on about historic tulips and with that our collaboration began.  The first four I felt should be framed in the Dutch master style which is why they are set apart from the rest.  I am thrilled with the results and get completely transfixed by the depth and velvety quality, my eye just sinks into the richness.

Once I’d started capturing English Florists’ tulips the collection began to come together. These tulips emerged in the 1800’s and the platinum process was one of the earliest print processes created in 1850’s – It made me rather romantically wonder if they could have been presented like this all those years ago. 

I still have much more to discover and have further plans to put a full platinum set together of EFTs, as well as a colour collection, so this is just a taster to whet the appetite.