Ctein and Michael Reichmann walk us through how to make photographic Dye Transfer prints.
This rare video captures Ctein and Michael Reichmann demonstrating the full dye transfer printmaking process—possibly the only recorded walkthrough of its kind.
Video by Chris Sanderson
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Dye transfer prints are a photographic printing process where three color-separated images (cyan, magenta, yellow) are printed in perfect registration using dye-soaked gelatin matrices. The process allows:
- Wide color gamut
- Exceptional tonal control
- Archival stability
Why they’re valuable now:
- Rare: materials are no longer manufactured
- Labor-intensive: each print is handmade
Historic:
- Used by masters like Eliot Porter and Ernst Haas
- Unique look: unmatched saturation and detail
Why no one does it anymore:
- Kodak discontinued materials in the 1990s
- Complex, expensive, slow
- Digital printing surpassed it in speed and convenience
Collectors and museums prize them for their craftsmanship and visual impact.
This video was originally published as part of The Luminous Landscape Video Journal, Issue 11.
