The presentation of photographs-framed,plexi,metal?

[Jglaser757]

When I was at Art Basel in Miami this year, I saw a ton of different ways to present photography. There were the few plexi mounts and metal mounts( I did metal and hated it). There was one photographer that printed on a canvas that was underneath some type of clear plastic(I like that). There were a few traditional presentations of a white mat with black frame(which I think it very boring right now). BUt the ones that stood out to me were the few that did large prints framed without the glass or mats. This did vary a bit between large brown or black frames. One of the "cleanest" looks  that made an impression on me was a photographer using a white frame without a mat.

[Mark Lindquist]

What kind of white frame?  :-)

[Jglaser757]

What kind of white frame?  :-)

It was a plane white 1 1/2 inch frame. I am doing a show next week in palm beach and the curator I'm working with suggested this to me after seeing it. She likes it because white is minimalistic , unobtrusive , and on a white wall will blend in

[stockjock]

If you are adamant about not glazing the work and money is no object I would suggest mounting the photograph on aluminium or dibond and then floating the print with a shadow boxed frame.  In other words the print will appear to be suspended/floating in the middle of a frame that will be some distance from the edge of the frame.  That distance will depend on the size of the print and would probably vary from 0.5-3".  The front of the frame should be at least .375-.5" in front of the print.  That space will give you enough room to "face" the prints with cardboard during transport to provide some protection to the surface.  I've had a couple of Bill Henson photographs I own framed that way and they look amazing.  But obviously, by not glazing the print you are giving up protection and archival qualities.  Den Glass is a way to glaze the print without having much reflection but it is freakishly expensive.  Sadly, all the solutions I am aware of involve tradeoffs of one sort or another.

[bill t.]

Have often found it ironic how easily the public accepts insanely expensive paintings with zero surface protection, but then gets nervous about unprotected photographic prints.  It's right up there with super-fussy, painfully assembled, archivally perfect, multiply matted framed prints selling for hundreds, versus prints glued onto plex and sold for millions.

Those open face frames are easy to make with floater frame moulding, which is "L" shaped.  Mount the the image on a flat board, and attach it to the inside of the frame with screws put in from the back of the frame.  Piece 'o cake.  The moulding in the picture is probably too small, but floater moulding comes in a range of sizes from every moulding supplier.

Even the plastic versions of floater moulding look extremely good on the wall, while being dirt cheap.  Unfortunately most framers don't have a clue how to deal with it and will assemble it like it was wood and the frames will fail the first time they are handled.

[Jglaser757]

The worst presentation of photographs I have seen was someone using T pins  http://www.amazon.com/T-Pins-24-Box-Of-100/dp/B00006ICXV  . The first time was at a Ringling Museum (i think) in Sarasota. The photographer was Japanese and the prints were about 6 feet by 4 feet. And, then I saw the same thing at Art Basel.

[jferrari]

I can see it now... Polar Bear in a snowstorm with white mat and frame displayed on a white wall and illuminated with white light. Priceless! 

[Jglaser757]

Lamination looked terrible. It was mat finish and looks like their is a haze on it

[Mark Lindquist]

I can see it now... Polar Bear in a snowstorm with white mat and frame displayed on a white wall and illuminated with white light. Priceless! 

Heh heh - the antithesis of a "Black cat in a coal bin on a moonless night"

[Mark Lindquist]

Lamination looked terrible. It was mat finish and looks like their is a haze on it

Yep, just not the way to go.  Lamination is pretty tricky to get exactly right, if ever....

[bill t.]

Here are some contemporary photo presentations at the Los Angeles wing of Paris Photo.  It's Art Basel with the Punk dial turned down a couple notches.

http://www.parisphoto.com/content/fair_mainfeatures/43/image/big/533bc061b977d_rmp8257.webp

and the main Paris Photo site:

http://www.parisphoto.com/

[jferrari]

Lamination looked terrible. It was mat finish and looks like their is a haze on it

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