Fine Art Photography

More than a visual language and more than a structure

Fine Art Photography is  what I use to express and to share an idea, a message, a perception or an emotion, through aesthetics and beauty. 
For me a Fine Art Photograph is more than a visual language and more than a physical structure or a kind of media.

This kind of photography is quite different from any other kind of use we know that concerns the writing with light. 

Starting from the ideation of a project, moving through the observation of the world around us, passing through the entire process of shooting, a Fine Art Photo has the power even to influence the choice of the printing materials and printing techniques for preserving and giving long life to the emotions.

The final result made of black and white tones or colors keep inside the magical power to evocate and stimulate primordial memories even able to heal the mind and relieve pain.  
Admiring a work of art, we put aside our pains and sufferings of body and mind to focus on beauty. This is what scientists are confirming too.  For me, photography has a deeply spiritual aspect too.

A Fine Art Photo is the perfect synthesis of what two eyes have seen, what a brain and a heart have selected in that moment, in that place. 
It’s all that a camera has saved on film or digital memory and lastly is how some salts of precious metals, under the effect of light and time, or in another way some ink pigments, have been layed out and fixed itself into the fibers of a special paper before to arrive just in front of your eyes. 

This magic formula has the power to transform every time a white surface into an unforgettable photograph and give you the exact same emotions for eternity.


About GICLÉE PRINTS (PIGMENT INKJET PRINT) for  CLASSIC EDITION 
and PLATINUM/PALLADIUM PRINTS for  PREMIUM / SUPREME EDITION


For sharing and showing my Black and White photographs I have chosen two of the most long lasting methods of prints available today.

Both methods are highly appreciated and recognized as the ways for printing photographs for archival purpose, art collections, with museum quality thanks to the use of highest quality papers made by: 

Giclée Prints (Pigment Inkjet Print)

I use this method for printing my works in CLASSIC EDITION

I print these works following these formats:
80x60 cm / 40x30 cm
50x50 cm / 30x30 cm
Limited Edition* 10 copies + AP

* Numbered, titled, dated and signed in pencil on recto/verso.
Authenticated by hologram system with unique serial number on recto.

The state-of-the-art in Digital Fine Art Papers

Hahnemühle FineArt ® is the inventor of Fine Art InkJet Paper with a special ink-receiving layer surface treatment suitable for today's inkjet printers, artist's paper for traditional painting and printing techniques and leader in this field. These products are Made in Germany and the company was founded back in 1584.

Inkjet pigment print (or Giclée Prints) is a digital method for printing the highest quality of photograph using a large format Printer or a Plotter upon special Fine Art papers. Fine Art papers are available on Single Sheets or Rolls. Pigmented ink consists of a very fine powder of solid colorant particles suspended in a liquid carrier. 

The white 100% cotton artist’s paper, with its characteristic, wonderfully soft feel, boasts a lightly defined felt structure, lending each artwork a three-dimensional appearance and impressive pictorial depth. Combined with the matt premium inkjet coating, this paper produces outstanding prints that feature brilliant colours, deep blacks, striking contrasts and perfect reproduction of detail.

This acid- and lignin-free classic meets the most exacting requirements for age resistance and is specially designed for FineArt applications.
These Fine Art papers for digital prints are ISO 9706 conform / museum quality for highest age resistance.

Platinum/Palladium Prints (Platinotype)

I use this method for printing my works in PREMIUM and SUPREME EDITION

I print these works following these formats:
50x40 (Premium) / Customized size (Supreme)
Limited Edition* of 5 copies + AP (Premium)
Limited Edition* of 2 copies + AP (Supreme)

* Numbered, titled, dated and signed in pencil on recto/verso.
Authenticated by hologram system with unique serial number on recto.

The state-of-the-art in special paper for platinum and palladium prints

File-Arches ® is the first paper mill to develop a special paper for platinum and palladium photographic printing and blue prints. These Art papers are Made in France and the company was founded back in 1492.

Platinotype is one of the most noble and expensive processes for printing Fine Art photos. Platinotype is an iron process, which uses ferric oxalate in combination with the metal salts of platinum and/or palladium to create the image. Platinum/Palladium printing is based on the light sensitivity of ferric oxalate. Ferric oxalate is reduced to ferrous oxalate by UV-light. The ferrous oxalate then reacts with platinum and/or palladium reducing it to elemental platinum (or palladium), which builds up the image.

Unlike in a silver print, where metallic silver lies in a gelatine emulsion that coats the paper, platinum and palladium lie on the paper surface. In order to obtain the chemical deposition process to take place, the art paper must be acid-based.
The platinotype process and method of print was patent in 1873.
 Its main features are long tonal scale, especially in the shadows, deep dark values, almost absolute persistence over time: the metallic molecules trapped in the paper will gone only with the paper itself. No risks at all for fading.

Professional Prints made only by Certified Laboratories partners

Professional Prints made only by selected Certified Laboratories

For developing my projects and even for printing my photos I have studied for long time, travelled, heard many people, tested several materials, before to make any artistic decision. For this reason my Fine Art prints are the final summary and visible result of several technical choices, starting from the selection of the best Fine Art papers, best printing techniques and ink pigments, able to preserve my original feelings and intentions. Who look at my photographs see visibly the synthesis of years of work and attention for these details.

NikBarte's Fine Art prints are protected by Protective Spray from external influences

Protective Spray to preserve digital Fine Art prints

I love to ensure the maximum durability of my Fine Art digital prints. Every Art work is protected by an aerosol spray lays like a fine film on the paper. This special coating fixes colours of pigments, preventing any colour fading and protecting the intensity and the brilliance of the colours permanently. Increased the resistance against abrasions, scratches, fingerprints marks and UV light.

NikBarte's Fine Art print with Hologram and Certificate of Authenticity

Certificate of Authenticity with Hologram System

My commitment and care are oriented also to guarantee the authenticity of my Fine Art prints. Every photo has indeed the Certificate of Authenticity & Hologram System released to accompany my Limited Edition prints throughout their lifetime. This security document is a warranty that protect the value and genuineness of my photographs and reserved to who love my art works.

All my artistic choices were leaded also considering people's values like honesty, true human relationships, care and professional skills, love and respect for Nature, the environment, communities and life in general. All these elements and factors have been always fundamental in my life and in which I still believe in deep. I am sure you'll appreciate all these factors that lead me and make me choose only professionals partners and companies who share the same values, so to offer you more than some Art photographs.

Nik Barte, Platinum-Palladium print. Coating the paper with emulsion

Professionals and Experts in Platinum-Palladium Photographic Printmaking have the long lasting method for printing photos

Technique is the key for producing the highest quality in Platinum-Palladium (Pt/Pd) prints. The Coating is the most important element of a platinum palladium print. Technique, paper, exposure, processing, finishing, all contribute important elements to the final print. The Coating consists of solution preparation, mixing, understanding coverage and coating efficiency, application technique and experience, and drying. It is the most labor intensive, skilled craft, and controlled art at the heart of the Platinum-Palladium process. As the print is the final product of the negative-positive photographic process, the exposure and development the the negative is quite delicate and needs expert hands.

Nik Barte, Exposure of sandwich made of the paper and the negative in the artificial UV light

One of the most permanent method for printing and one of the most safe for the environment

The platinum-palladium (Pt/Pd) process is an iron based process like the Cyanotype and Kallitype. The light sensitive component of the platinum-palladium process is Ferric Oxalate. Upon exposure to UV light the Ferric Oxalate is transformed into Ferrous Oxalate.
The dried sensitized platinotype paper is exposed under a internegative using an 
artificial light sources containing UV radiation and a contact printing frame. The light exposure produces a faint brownish image made from the photochemically 
generated ferrous oxalate.
Approximately are needed five minutes of intense UV light, for producing the sensitization of platinum and or palladium salt on the paper. 

Nik Barte, after washing the Pt-Pd print is drying naturally face up on a drying frame

One of the most stable and precious of photographic processes. As stable as the paper it is printed on

The exposed Pt/Pd paper is fully developed in a solution of potassium oxalate or other 
platinotype developer. The platinotype image appears almost immediately. The developed platinotype is “Fixed” and cleared by dissolving and removing any 
unexposed ferric oxalate. The well-Fixed platinotype is washed in water and dried. The resulting print consists of the pure Noble metals imbedded in the fibers of a substrate of the paper. Pt/Pd process it has a delicate response to highlights and the midtones of the print are more evenly distributed, creating a distinctive "Pt/Pd" image. When well done, it is considered the "most exquisite" of printing processes, even if quite expensive.

About PHOTO EDITION Series

Some selected photos part of my works and projects are available in PHOTO Edition. This series of works are printed with highest quality using the same Giclée Printers and Pigmented Inks reserved to CLASSIC Edition prints. In case of PHOTO Edition, the support is represented by Photographic Paper.

I print these works following these formats:
60x40 cm
Giclée print (Pigment Inkjet Print) upon Photographic Paper
Photo Paper by Felix-Schoeller ®
Limited* Edition of 250 copies.

* Numbered, titled, dated and signed in pencil on recto.

Discover DesARTification project

Desert Turned Into Art

Nik Barte

Essence of Beauty Researcher
Witness to Mother Nature
Fine Art Photographer