Wild Lion Flower 3, Xtina Parks

Transcending Stories Through Platinum/Palladium PrintsFor me, black and white photography is more than an image—it’s a timeless narrative, a way to transcend the moment and tell stories that linger for generations. I strive to work with the same dedication and precision as the old masters, like Ansel Adams, whose artistry in the darkroom elevated photography to fine art. My prints are created in collaboration with Cone Editions Press in Vermont, a studio renowned for its mastery of the platinum/palladium (Pt/Pd) process. This meticulous, entirely hand-crafted method begins with coating fine art paper in a light-sensitive blend of platinum and palladium salts. The paper is then exposed in direct contact with a large-format negative, producing images of remarkable tonal depth, silken shadows, and luminous highlights. Unlike silver-based prints, Pt/Pd images are embedded into the very fibers of the paper, giving them an extraordinary permanence and resistance to fading. The result is an a