Platinum nanowires mixed with Tin meso-tetra (4-pyridyl) porphine dichloride and nafion solution was used to modify the surface of glassy carbon electrode for photocurrent generation and photo - electrochemical hydrogen production. Different concentrations of porphyrin (50 mu M, 100 mu M, 300 mu M and 500 mu M) and platinum loading (200 mu g/cm(2), 400 mu g/cm(2), 600 mu g/cm(2) and 800 mu g/cm(2)) were tested at -150 mV Vs Ag/AgCl in reaction cell containing the modified glassy carbon electrode as working electrode, platinum wire as counter electrode and Ag/AgCl as reference electrode, under illumination to determine the optimum, based on photocurrent production in 50 mM potassium hydrogen phthalate buffer (pH 3) containing 0.1Na(2)SO(4) as supporting electrolyte. Optimum photocurrent was obtained at 100 mu M tin porphyrin and 600 mu g/cm(2) platinum loading. Detectable amount of hydrogen was produced at -350 mV Vs Ag/AgCl under irradiation with visible light. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.