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Thread: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

  1. #21

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    I had a show of individual 120 size contact prints once

    I attached a crack o' jack style magnifying glass to each print on a string

  2. #22
    bob carnie's Avatar
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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    I was going to comment on selling price, I believe that small prints should sell for the same as larger prints.

    The defining price difference would be IMO the type of process used to get to the final print.

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael E View Post
    I've seen a show of Dorothy Norman's photos at the Detroit Institute of Arts around 1994, and they were to a large extent 6x9cm contact prints. Absolutely beautiful.

    One other thing to consider is the selling price. Usually large prints sell for a lot more, while the cost of materials is not substancially higher. From a business point of view, tiny prints might not be a smart choice. I still prefer to show small prints, and that's not one of my dumbest choices in life.

  3. #23

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    Quote Originally Posted by bob carnie View Post
    I was going to comment on selling price, I believe that small prints should sell for the same as larger prints.

    The defining price difference would be IMO the type of process used to get to the final print.
    Well, there are other factors. Like the artist's existing body of work, the artist's relevance, the number and quality of past shows, the effort of his/her representation, the deliberate limitation of prints, the affiliation with a group or epoche of art/artists (making the work interesting for collections with the corresponding emphasis). Just to name a few factors. Size definitely comes into consideration, for example, when the piece of art is bought for a specific location, like the walls of a corporate lobby or conference hall. I think the process has very little effect on prices on the art market, apart from serial versus unique prints.

    None of these aspects should influence the OP in the choice of print size :-) My final exam at the academy consisted of 90 framed 5x7" contact prints.

  4. #24

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    Although I rarely contact print, I print most of my 4x5's at 4x5 on 8.5x11 for viewing and storage. It seems very appropriate for prints which can be handled.

  5. #25

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    Thanks for all the replies. I usually contact print onto 8x10 paper sandwiched with the negative under a piece of glass, which turns the surrounding paper black. Should I somehow mask the paper to keep it white? That way, I could have windows cut that would leave a little space around the contact print without having black around it. Or, I could just have windows cut that would frame the images, covering the film borders.

  6. #26

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    Quote Originally Posted by Sal Santamaura View Post
    At a gross level, perhaps, but not if any dodging/burning is required. Then they're even more challenging than larger contact prints.
    I agree with Sal.
    Also a small image must have a stronger dynamic composition to grab the eye of the viewer.

  7. #27

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    Thank you Kirk for throwing my small prints in the ring. As some of you know I have been making small prints for a long, long time. The prints need to be strong and well printed. I sold small prints 30 years ago and with any amount of buyers out there I hope to sell work at a gallery that I just sign with. I will be part of a show in February. The gallery introduction went from we are booked till mid 2017, to I like your work, to can you leave your print case so I can show it to the owners, to an e-mail the next day offering me a spot in the show in February. So there must be a new life for the small print. Oh, Ben the prints are from 6x6 to 6x17cm Pt/Pds mounted in a debossment on 11x14in 300lb water color paper. The framed prints are a floated 11x14 wcp on a gray/brown paper and framed 14x17 vertical.....jp

  8. #28
    Andrej Gregov
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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    I was in NYC last Spring and caught a show at Laurence Miller Gallery of Toshio Shibata. While most of his images were 20x24 and 40x50, he had a series of 4x5 contact prints which I thought were just great. A few picks attached.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    On a side note, talked with Shibata at AIPAD and he prints 20x24 images and smaller in Japan himself, still in an analog color darkroom (not many left he said). He also said 4x5 film is really expensive in Japan. Cool guy. http://www.laurencemillergallery.com...toshio-shibata

  9. #29

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    big fan of Shibata having seen his work at Laurence Miller

  10. #30

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    Re: suitability of 4x5 contact prints for exhibit

    On another note...

    There is always the 'possibility' of displaying Diptychs and Triptychs.
    Diptychs and Triptychs are a brilliant tool for Photographic Storytelling!

    -Tim.
    __________

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