I need some help with a project I am doing at the mental health clinic where I work. The plan is to put up 50-75 of my photos in the interview rooms.
Printer: my Canon ipf6300
Paper choices: Hahnemuhle photo rag baryta, Hahnemuhle photo rag pearl, Ilford gold fibre silk, or Canson Infinity Baryta Photographique (this will be my first foray into papers with very few or no optical brighteners)
Print sizes: range from 14X21 to 20X30 (most likely size if image good enough) with a very few that might be 24X36
My goal is to make prints look as good as possible with estimated life of 25 years or more before noticeable fading while not breaking the bank. I will be donating the prints. Mounting etc. will be paid for by the clinic (but not sure of the budget yet). I want to mount the prints with no border and hung on the wall.
Choices for mounting:
Aluminum - eliminated due to possible sharp edges and weight which could be a risk to a patient who wants to harm themselves (a very infrequent occurrence, but safety is very high priority)
Dibond - expensive but would probably look the best
Gatorboard - half the price of Dibond, lighter (I think), but probably wouldn't look as good
Environment: - light levels measured at 350-500 lux for most of places photos would be hung. Lights probably on about 12 hours a day. Color temperature reading with Gossen color meter on flurorescent lighting - 5500K with -80 Mired
My questions:
1) Would outgassing from Gatorboard be a concern for affecting lifespan of photos?
2) I will be using a custom profile made by a third party for whatever paper I decide. Is it worthwhile getting a profile made for the light source (I have the ability to measure ambient light source and provide to profile maker)?
3) The shop I went to is Weldon Color Lab in Los Angeles (
https://www.weldoncolorlab.com/materials.php). They can't laminate unless the paper is a true glossy paper as there is otherwise a risk of tiny bubbles spoiling the print. The can put a protective spray on but don't know if they can go up to 20X30 from what they said. The cost for the spray is the same as lamination. Would you suggest a protective spray given my stated longevity objective?
4) The wood liners (
https://www.weldoncolorlab.com/woodlinersinfo.php) used on Dibond to support and hang the photo are about 2/3 the price of the mounting. Any other good options for hanging dibond that would be less expensive?
5) Are the prices listed in the link in line with what I might find elsewhere?
Any help, alternatives or other suggestions welcome.