Argyrotypes
Argyrotype
Argyrotype is a relatively modern alternative photographic printing process developed in the 1990s by Dr. Mike Ware, as a safer, more stable update to older silver-based printing methods like kallitype and Van Dyke Brown.
The name comes from the Greek word argyros, meaning silver, which reflects the process’s use of silver salts to create images. Argyrotypes produce rich brown to deep black tones on matte paper and are known for their long-lasting archival quality.
The process involves coating paper with a ferric ammonium oxalate and silver nitrate solution, which is then dried in the dark. A contact negative is placed on the sensitized paper and exposed to UV light. The image appears slowly (as with other “printing-out” processes), and after exposure, the print is developed in water, then fixed and washed thoroughly.
Argyrotype is appreciated for its wide tonal range, subtle detail, and ease of use with modern digital negatives, making it a favorite among contemporary photographers interested in alternative or historical processes.
