Mounting chromes on lightbox?

[Patrik Roseen]

Hello,
I think most of us remember the first time we received an LF chrome from the lab and put it on the lightbox...and that feeling of wow, this is it!

I seldom hear of people mounting chromes on say a thin lightbox and hanging it on the wall though? I myself imagine this to be a very impressive sight, especially in 8x10 (which I am not using as of yet).

I have considered building something myself for mounting 4x5 chromes in a horisontal triptyk...but what about archivability...any problems with heat and light?
Do you ever do this and what do you use for the lightbox? /Thanks

[Daniel Geiger]

Interesting you mention that. Was just at the Chicago Art Institute. They had a photography exhibit there (never recall names of photographers, sorry) and they had some side by side comparions of negs vs. print in B&W. The negs were backlit. That also brought the old 8x10 upgrade idea back. [Anyone have a 8x10 conversion kit for AS F-line w/ 141 standards they want to part with?]

Permanence will be an issue. See the Wilhelm books on that. One solution may be to shoot each exposure setting twice (quite a waste particularly in color). You may also scan the original in, then inkjet it out on a transparent medium. Not sure how permanent that is. I saw some done about 10 years ago, and the color has SERIOUSLY faded. Permanence will certainly also vary with how often the illuminator is on, and how the transparency is exposed to the sun. The faded one above was in an indoor museum installment that was lit 360 days a year from 10 till 5.

There are some specific transillumition copy films (Duratrans) that are designed for that kind of application. But still a copy, not the original. For me the allure is also to see the original.

just 2c

[Patrik Roseen]

Thanks for your post Daniel!
Ofcourse there is the possibility of scanning or copying the chrome thereby treating it as a part of a larger 'process' to reach a final result. I too think though that the chrome has so much details and tonal values that I would like to look at it as 'the final' result...yet this might not prove feasible ...but I would still be interested to hear if there are any 'success-stories' out there.

Daniel, regarding the comparison of negative vs B&W prints - what was really the idea of this comparison and who was the intended audience? What was your conclusion from the exhibition?
Patrik.

[chris_4622]

Interesting you mention that. Was just at the Chicago Art Institute. They had a photography exhibit there (never recall names of photographers, sorry) and they had some side by side comparions of negs vs. print in B&W. The negs were backlit.


Was it the Harry Callahan exhibit?

[Patrik Roseen]

Chris, it might very well be the Harry Callahan exhibitions
http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/exhibition/callahan

Certainly sounds interesting when reading about it ...
"Witnessing Callahan's decision-making process and comparing different treatments of his favorite subjects in this exhibition, we can see his artistic achievement in a new light."

[dyuhas]

Patrick - I knew somone who did this all the time. The problem with hanging lightboxes on the wall is what to do with the wires. Sitting on a flat they look incredible.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Logan makes thin light pads for this purpose. I've thought of doing this, maybe with a timer switch so the light can be turned on for viewing, but won't stay on for long periods of time. Museums use timers for various media that are prone to fading, like watercolors, pastels, ink drawings, etc.