5X7 contacts

[TheFlyingCamera]

Tom - you are correct in stating that drymounting is helpful when working with large prints. We're talking about 5x7 contacts - hardly a large print. Even an 11x14 isn't that large, and can display more than adequate flatness when properly framed.

[Tom Kershaw]

Tom - you are correct in stating that drymounting is helpful when working with large prints. We're talking about 5x7 contacts - hardly a large print. Even an 11x14 isn't that large, and can display more than adequate flatness when properly framed.

Fair enough, I didn't have the size of prints mentioned in the thread in mind when I made the post.

Tom.

[chrisf]

http://www.superiorarchivalmats.com/sam/index.html

Scroll down to The Test paragraph, it states dry mounting protects the print better than not dry mounting.
This is why I was asking John his reason for not dry mounting.

[jnanian]

dry mounting can also harm prints if it is not done right.
both over heating+nasty stuff impregnating the emulsion,
and if non-archival tissue is used ... it will cause harm in that way as well.
i dry mounted images when i was a college student, for 1 out of 7 semesters
(window mounted the other 6 semesters ) ... and now, only 23 years later,
all the dry mounted prints i had have released from the boards and the tissue is stuck to the back of the prints ....
yes, i used archival mount tissue, and a press that was set correctly,
and no the prints were not stored in adverse+humid or extra dry conditions ...

i don't really see a need to dry mount ... and neither do galleries / frame shops who
i have worked with over the years ..
but then again ... your mileage will always vary from what is stated on the sticker in the window ..

john

[chrisf]

John,
thanks for sharing your experiences.

[photobum]

I'm aware of all the "archival" issues. My oldest drymounted prints go back 40 years. I did not have a press then so I used a steam iron. (no water)
Still mounted flat and firm today. The only time I had lifting problems was when I used foam core. I've since learned to mount with foam core but try to avoid it anyway. Now Mr. Weston was know to use some pretty cheap cardboard. Nobody seems to be turning them down though. I like the look of a flat mounted print so I do it.

I think there's an awful lot of ego involved in thinking that museums would prefer an unmounted print for archival purpose.