Lomography has featured a video on the platinum printing process. Specifically, the glycerin process for developing platinum prints. There is nothing like seeing to learning. While expensive and requiring a negative the size of the print, the look of a platinum print is unparalleled. The platinum prints out directly onto the surface of the paper, so the final print has the look of the paper, unlike a glossy silver gelatin print.
The Unblinking Eye offers a nice article on Pt printing. A less expensive alternative to the Pt print is the Kallitype, Freestyle offers a kit that uses this silver-based process that gives a similar look, though not as permanent. To make the Pt print more stable, often palladium is added, for the Pt/Pd print.
