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Pfiltz
18-Dec-2012, 05:19
with all these prints now? Someone told me that once I got a DR up and running, I'd run out of wall space soon. I haven't even gotten into toning either. I think I need to be more selective about what I'm printing and shooting.

I'm just now moving into printing 8x10's, and am wondering what to do with the 20 or so, 5x7's that I've printed well enough, that I wouldn't mind seeing them on the wall somewhere... I don't even dare to take them home to hang.....

vinny
18-Dec-2012, 06:01
Tack them up somewhere. Wait a year. Reprint all the ones you've come to realize could be better.

Chuck P.
18-Dec-2012, 06:49
I have plenty of wall space, a goodly amount of prints, but the decision to spend money on the mounting and framing must be done very selectively.

sully75
18-Dec-2012, 07:03
push pins are really not that bad.

Peter Lewin
18-Dec-2012, 07:14
I have plenty of wall space, a goodly amount of prints, but the decision to spend money on the mounting and framing must be done very selectively.
One way around the cost is to use the metal sectional frames, where you can open the frame with a screw driver. Within a format (35mm, 6x6, 4x5) I normally print to very similar sizes, so when I have a new batch of prints, I swap the weakest of those already on the wall for the strongest of the new batch. Because things are "standardized" I can re-use mats, and I'm re-using the frames, glass, etc. I normally dry mount, but if you corner mount, that too is minimal cost.

A more interesting discussion, and possibly not for this thread, is what becomes of all those "archival prints" we proudly make. Even if we are selective in our printing. over the years I, and probably many of you, have accumulated boxes of lovingly made archival prints (in my case, carefully dry mounted on 16x20 archival board...). I do wonder what my daughters will do with them when those boxes become part of their "inheritance." (I suspect I know the answer...).

Andrew Tymon
18-Dec-2012, 08:32
Maybe there needs to be a "don't let out life's work end up in the dumpster print swap" :).

Pfiltz
19-Dec-2012, 05:05
but the decision to spend money on the mounting and framing must be done very selectively.

So true. So far, I'm just getting pre-cut mats and metal frames from Hobby Lobby. I probably have 30 16x20's and 10 or so 20x24 prints on the wall at the studio, but those are all digi work.

I think I need to find one image that I really like and print it, and push myself to get the max out of it, -vs- just shooting, and printing this and that.

Trying to find my way... ;)

Cletus
19-Dec-2012, 07:51
Maybe there needs to be a "don't let out life's work end up in the dumpster print swap" :).

This sure sounds like a good idea to me! The vast majority of my best prints are "displayed" in archival boxes under my darkroom counters. The notion that someone other than myself might see and appreciate them someday is an appealing one. :)

papac
19-Dec-2012, 08:23
I think Peter Lewin have a point. Treat it like a portfolio, only the strongest should be there. I limit my portfolios to 10 or so and my goal every day is to make a new picture that can take a place among them and put away another. My goal keeps me on my toes and I do this both for my clients image, my portfolios and for my personal work. What happens with all the killed darlings is an other topic;)

mike rosenlof
19-Dec-2012, 09:26
I have a bunch of prints, almost exclusively 8x10, in plastic pages and in a file cabinet. A whole bunch.

I share prints with friends and family. They're almost always 8x10 prints that I just give as prints, not mounted, not framed. The recipient can do whatever they want with the prints and I won't be offended. I realize they might look at it and toss, put in a drawer and forget, album, or frame and hang on the wall. I expect that some have been tossed, and know that the other actions have happened.

I don't think it's a great idea to give artwork as gifts. People have such varied tastes and don't necessarily want to feel obligated to display something. I think if you give away something matted and framed, you're saying "this is art, hang it on the wall". When I give away prints, I do so as prints, not as a piece of art, even if I think of it that way. I treat them pretty casually.

I've heard the story that when Edward Weston printed a new neg that he liked, he would often fold up the print (contact from 8x10 neg) and send it to his sister. Maybe even without an envelope, just stamp on the print folded in thirds. (I've probably heard this about 5th hand, treat it as unconfirmed rumor) That's one way to treat a print casually!

Just my opinion.

I do like the portfolio idea. I'm feeling like I should go through my prints regularly with the following goals:

Pick my N favorites (N is To Be Determined)
Pick some I like but could print better
Note some ideas for future photographs (some I like but could shoot better)
Throw away the weakest 25%

Peter Gomena
19-Dec-2012, 09:40
At the very least, you're improving your printing skills. Buy a big bulletin board, tack up those you like the best and live with them. I'll bet you'll find ways to improve the prints after a while. The rest you can put in a box and re-visit when you need inspiration.

Tajmul12345
20-Dec-2012, 00:19
I suggest you for doing portfolio it will help you very much.

mike rosenlof
20-Dec-2012, 22:10
Maybe there needs to be a "don't let out life's work end up in the dumpster print swap" :).

There has often been a print exchange organized through this forum. As a member you make 10 or 11 copies of a print, presumably you choose one you particularly like and share with a group. The other group members share with you. Announcements usually appear in early January. I'm feeling it's time to get more involved with that sort of exchange.

Pfiltz
21-Dec-2012, 06:11
Well, I've gotten some different papers from some ebay auctions, forum members, and some from someone that I got all his darkroom equipment from, so I plan on printing again this weekend, using these different papers. Looking forward to getting back in the groove this weekend, since it's been like 5 days since I've printed anything.

I may see if I can find some kind of 5x7 album to put all these guys in, just to keep them in one place, instead of just a stack sitting on a table somewhere.. Customers can always look through the album while visiting the studio.

Brian Ellis
21-Dec-2012, 08:22
I have four or five small wood easels (the kind that are designed for displaying a plate for example and that can be bought at almost any department store or art supply store). I have a bunch of pieces of mat board cut to several different sizes (mostly 8x10 and 8 1/2 x 11) with transparent corners stuck on them. I put prints I like in a piece of mat board (using the corners to hold the print flat) and set them up in the small easels at different places around the house. When I get tired of one photograph I replace it with another. That avoids the need to worry about framing or dry-mounting and also allows the print to be displayed semi-publicly.