How do you sign your prints?

[Kirk Gittings]

Clients want signed prints and I don't want my prints to be anonymous.

I always sign just under the printed image. If it is a silver print, I drymount it and sign on the mat just beneath the print, bottom right, in pencil. I then cut a window mat that is about 1" larger all the way around and show the signature. If it is an ink print I make the print a couple of inches wider than the image, sign with a permanent archival ink pen same as above and mat with a window mat same as above.

I use a super fine tipped black pen, which gives me a signature that doesn't leap out at you.

[sanking]

I print (or transfer my carbon prints) to over-size paper so there is always at least a couple of inches of breathing room around the raw print. In matting I leave about 1/4" to 3/8" around three sides of the print, and a tad more at the bottom. I sign at the bottom right side, just under the print, and sometimes add the year, which is the date of printing. On the bottom left side I often add the name of the place.

On the back of the print I write in pencil information such as my name and address, date of image capture, often different from date of printing, where the image was made, and type of process.

Sandy King

[Milton Tierney]

OK, I understand your point. I must agree. After taking a second look, with your and other views points, I must admit that the digital signature does look a little cheesy.
Like in a traditional darkroom, I spend hours on my computer just trying to get the image just the way I visualized it. So, I value my digital as much as my silver prints.

With regards to the market place, here in southern Maryland, if I am to continue shooting at all, I need to reduce my prices for them to sell. I do not like selling my work at Wal-Mart prices, but I’ve seen very good photographers not sell a single image because their work was price out of reach. No sells, no money, no photography.

This area is not well known to be art minded like in northern Wash. D.C. or NYC. It’s more like beer can minded. Thanks for your input, your and others post have been very helpful. I need to do some rethinking on this subjest.

[BetterSense]

Like in a traditional darkroom, I spend hours on my computer just trying to get the image just the way I visualized it. So, I value my digital as much as my silver prints.

I have no doubts as to the craft of digital art, and I have the utmost respect for people that work with digital images and produce amazing work that I would not have the first idea how to do. One thing that bothers me about digital art, is that there is no "definitive version" of a digital work. It's all nebulous. Digital images are copied by the millions of times, morphed constantly by websites, recompressed, resized, and photoshopped by people on the internet. If you put a visible signature in the image to try to claim it, well, do you really want your signature appearing when someone photoshops porn into the image or compresses it down to a 160x200 jpg? Decades into the future, when somebody wants to compile the work of a digital artist, what do they do and where do they go to get the original digital work? What does that even mean? Do they Trawl the Internet Archives and pick the highest-resolution one they can find? Once you have completed your work, you should be able to digitally sign it so that it could not be modified without breaking the signature. Then that can stand as the "work". You can sign a print, but I think it's sad that digital artists/photoshop artists have no way to digitally sign their work.

[Robert Hughes]

One thing that bothers me about digital art, is that there is no "definitive version" of a digital work. It's all nebulous....Decades into the future, when somebody wants to compile the work of a digital artist, what do they do ...

Interesting question - perhaps we as the viewing public will not care so much about definitive versions, just as we aren't so concerned about seeing original prints of old news photos. I've never seen an original print of the Hindenburg burning, but I sure remember the image.

[BetterSense]

I'm sure the viewing public won't care, just as they won't care that kodachrome is discontinued or a thousand other things. I was more sympathizing with the artists.

[Ginette]

Can someone point us to an archival ink pen that doesn't write too dark? I want the effect of a pencil signature but, on RC (silver or inkjet) paper, pencils don't work too well.

PIGMA Micron Pens are a great choice for archival quality. They do a lot of colors but not gray. It can be a good suggestion for them. Maybe you can try a 005 size, the smaller size ans see if you like the effect.

[hmf]

i dont sign or write anything on any of my prints, they are what they are, just copies of reality.

You must do some remarkable photography. The "reality" I know is 3 dimensional, infinite and ever-changing.

[Milton Tierney]

I must disagree that digital art is nebulous and it as “no definitive version". In the past 50 years I’ve shot 35mm to 4x5 and some 16mm cine. I’ve loved every second of it. I still shoot LF and apply my shooting skills to digital. Unlike many digital shooters who just pull the trigger and blaze away, I would spend hours or days trying to get that one shot with digital. 35mm, LF or digital are all tools, nothing more nothing less.

With regards to the “digital signature” after reading your and others post. I need to rethink my views on this subject and must admit that writing your signature with a pen or pencil is more professional. Also, I do agree with you about pics on the internet. One of the unfortunate things today is the ability of anyone morphing photos, including yours. I can buy one of your photos scan it and change the image anyway that I want and post it on the internet. Yes, the internet can cause a lot of very skilled artist to be ripped off. But then if it was not for the internet I would not be able to enjoyed the many great works and be inspired by the very skillful photographers who are members of this LF forum.

[Milton Tierney]

The general viewing public don’t care about your or my skills as a photographer, they just want Wal-Mart prices. Kodachrome was one of the best films produced. I still have one or two rolls of Kodachrome 25 in my freezer.