2025 Alternative Process Photography Workshops – Christchurch, New Zealand

Discover the beauty of historical photographic printing with my flexible, hands-on workshops. Instead of fixed topics, I’m offering customisable three-day sessions, where you decide what processes you’d like to explore. Whether you’re interested in platinum/palladium, kallitype, cyanotype (including toning), gum bichromate, or carbon transfer printing, these workshops are tailored to your creative vision and the outcomes that you want to achieve.

For those wanting to explore full-colour CMYK printing using the gum bichromate or carbon transfer process then I recommend attending for at least 2 days to allow sufficient time.

How It Works:

  • Workshops run for three consecutive days – attend for as many days as you like.
  • Choose the processes you’d like to learn, and we’ll create a personalised workshop plan together.
  • Small group sizes (limited to 2-3 participants) to ensure plenty of one-on-one guidance.
  • All materials are included, and lunch is provided each day. Just bring your own photographs to print.

No prior experience is needed—just a curious mind and a willingness to experiment. Join us and create stunning handmade prints of your photographs using the time-honored techniques of the past!

Workshop Dates
April 4, 5 & 6th
June 6, 7 & 8th
August 1, 2 & 3rd
October 3, 4 & 5th
December 5, 6 & 7th

All workshops include comprehensive notes and lunch. Please get in touch if you have any questions or to inquire about availability and pricing.

 

Platinum, Kallitype & Cyanotype
In these hands-on workshops, you’ll have the opportunity to print your own images using the platinum palladium, kallitype, and cyanotype processes. You’ll learn how to select and prepare the right papers, mix and source chemicals, and process your prints to an archival standard. We will also explore toning techniques for cyanotype and kallitype prints, expanding the creative possibilities of each process.
The workshop covers how to make digital negatives from your digital photographs and how to use your film negatives so you can produce high-quality prints in any of these historic methods.

Digital Negatives 
Learn how to prepare, calibrate, and linearise digital negatives for alternative photographic printing using an inkjet printer. This hands-on workshop will guide you through the entire process, ensuring you can confidently create high-quality digital negatives tailored to your chosen printing method.
During the workshop, we’ll use the platinum/palladium and cyanotype processes to demonstrate these techniques, but the methods you learn can be applied to a wide range of alternative printing processes. By the end of the workshop you’ll use the digital negatives you’ve calibrated to create your own platinum and cyanotype prints from your photographs.

Carbon Transfer Workshop
Dive into the world of carbon transfer printing, a process renowned for its archival quality and stunning three-dimensional “bas relief” effect. In this immersive workshop, you’ll create your own carbon tissues, select and prepare the final paper, and learn the process of sensitizing, exposing, and developing. The focus will be on the single-transfer monochrome process, allowing you to master the foundations of this intricate technique.

For those looking to take carbon printing further, the advanced Full-Color Carbon Transfer Workshop explores CMYK carbon transfer printing. This two-day workshop introduces the complex yet rewarding process of layering multiple colors of carbon tissue to create rich, full-color images with unparalleled depth and detail.

Gum Bichromate Printing Workshop
The gum bichromate process allows for rich, painterly effects with a wide range of colour possibilities. By sensitising watercolor paper with a gum arabic solution and exposing it to UV light, we create unique prints that blend photographic imagery with the texture and color of painting. This process can be combined with multiple layers of color, allowing you to experiment with subtle tones or vibrant hues. You’ll learn how to prepare and expose your negatives, mix the gum bichromate and pigments, and achieve the desired colour balance, while gaining an understanding of how to control exposure for the best results.

Bespoke Workshops your place or mine
If you have specific dates or outcomes in mind, I am happy to discuss one-on-one or small group bespoke workshops, either at my studio or at yours. Whether you’re just starting out or want to explore the full range of possibilities with platinum, cyanotype, gum bichromate, and carbon transfer processes, I’m here to guide you.

 

3 Comments

Jo – Christchurch
2nd February 2022
I’m still completely buzzing and need a beer to come down now. So much energy and excitement to see all these prints come to life. As you know, printing can be a pretty solitary process (and I do like the meditativeness of that), but it’s a different level to share in other people’s journeys at the same time.
That was a great group this weekend and I’m very thankful for your generosity of sharing a lot of the shortcuts/insights that would have been lengthy (and costly) to find out and solve ourselves.
Also, thanks to Louise for the wonderful catering.

All in all, as I said, this weekend surpassed my (already high) expectations by a mile.
Thank you so much,
Jo

Simon Schollum
9th March 2020
Thank you Stuart. Your Platinum / Palladium course was inspirational, educational and highly applicable right out of the box. Your lesson-plan and patient easy manner made each day of the course highly educational and thoroughly enjoyable. Your attention to detail and innate understanding of the various processes enabled me to be producing amazing prints on day one and target & refine through day II. I am thrilled with the images we made and take away fond memories of the warm welcome and convivial atmosphere you and your wife achieved for attendees. Thank you for sharing your personal work with so much of it derived from the other venerable processes which you have mastered and made very much your own. Your Pt/Pd course is a total immersion experience which I strongly recommend to all with an interest in alternative processes delivered at the hands of a practised Master.  Congratulations to you both. Simon

Andris Apse
17 September 2018
Hi Stuart, As you know I attended a Platinum/Palladium workshop in San Francisco run by Mark Nelson which inspired me to investigate producing my own P/P prints. However, I found the technical and equipment requirements daunting and expensive for me and I temporarily shelved the project. Then I met you which inspired me to look again and dare to believe that it might be possible. After very thorough and detailed ( patient ) training from you I am producing my own prints. The procedural documents you prepared for me are all I could have hoped for. Even a nincompoop like me can follow your precise directions, and I can acquire the equipment, materials and chemicals needed through the list of contacts you gave me.

The formidable equipment list I thought I needed after the San Francisco workshop has been whittled down to TradeMe and Bunnings alternatives which cost a fraction of my original estimates.

I think anyone visiting you in your darkroom will very quickly realise that you are extremely knowledgable, a master of improvisation and will be encouraged to give P/P or indeed other alternative printing processes a crack. Thanks again for inspiring me and having the patience to lead me through the process.

Regards
Andy

Andris Apse
P.O.Box 3 Whataroa
Westland 7857. New Zealand
andrisapse@gmail.com
http://www.andrisapse.com
Ph. 64 3 753 4241

In reply to Andris Apse.
Thanks for the message Andy, I am pleased you found the workshop rewarding and successful.
Keep in touch with your progress and if you have any questions that I can help you with.
Kind Regards
Stuart