mounting LF digital photos

[frost7967]

I know that I can simply frame my LF inkjet photos "traditionally". However, I like the satin-finish paper, and glass/plexi (whether shiny or unreflective) defeats the look of the satin paper. It doesn't allow for the surface "texture" I want.

Also, for my photos, the less "frame", the better (for aesthetic reasons). In NYC galleries, I've seen large photos which seemed to be mounted on some kind of thick board that protruded a few inches from the wall, and didn't seem to have any frame. There also didn't seem to be any kind of glass covering the photo, but I guess that it was protected somehow from the elements and human fingers.

So, I'm wondering if you know any "tricks" I could use to get this kind of result. Or if you know of any books that address mounting techniques in depth, including how various "glues" interact with the digital photograph paper and ink over time. (No good to have something that looks nice now but is wrinkly or discolored in a year).

Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
c.frost

[Bruce Watson]

One of the obvious choices for minimal framing is gallery wrapped canvas prints. You can coat them with any of the dozens of laminates out there for just about any level of gloss you want. Then you stretch it over stretcher bars just like you would an oil painting. You can hang it just like that - no frame. If you decide you want a frame, you can use a conventional frame like you would with an oil, or you can use a floater frame (http://www.floaterframes.com/) which again is very minimal.

Yet another method is to print on paper and dry mount to aluminum sheet.

I'm sure others will pipe up with interesting alternatives ;-)

[raucousimages]

I hear photographers say you can't dry mount and spray ink jet prints but I do it all the time. So just go old school the way we did portraits before digital. Dry mount and spray with suregaurd in the sheen you want. Then you dont need glass.

[Andy Eads]

The prints were likely mounted to GatorFoam, a rigid foam board available in many thicknesses and colors. It is easy to cut to size, light weight and resistant to warping due to humidity or temperature changes. It is very popular in the trade show signage business. Prints are mounted to it by using a large pressure roller machine which spools out adhesive to the board forming a sandwich with the print and board. If desired, a laminate can be applied to the print before mounting. The adhesives used are one of three types: pressure activated, thermal setting, or thermal melting. Care must be taken when choosing the laminate and the print adhesive. Some laminates require high temperatures which can change the image color or, in severe cases, blister the print. Further, some laminates and print adhesives are not intended for permanence. Be sure the people who are working on your print understand the difference between commercial permanance (about 5 years) and what you mean by permanence. Understand also that there is a chance that debris or a flaw in the laminate or adhesive may ruin your print. It is just part of the game. Always, always make one extra to cover yourself in that event. Take it from a guy who ran such a shop.

[Andy Eads]

I forgot to mention that the edges on GatorFoam or other substrate can be trimmed with special tape or with a very tough edge trim. We favored using the edge trim because it could take a bump on the edge of a table and not show harm. Without the trim and you would have a nasty divot to trim off, conceal or you would have to trash the print.