Date when signing prints

[Marc Leest]

Hello

A question about signing prints:

Which date is used to sign:
exposure date ? ... printing date ? ... date when signing the print ?

thx,

Marc

 

[JBrunner]

I use a back stamp that has blanks for the date the negative was made, and the date I printed it. When I used to date the front (I later decided it wasn't needed) I would just write the year of printing.

It's my opinion that the information of provenance does not need to be displayed on the face with the print, and a signature on the front is all that most people want.

That said, I have seen about as many different ways as I have seen photographs. I would love to know if there is a method that is favored by the market.

 

[Dave Parker]

I don't date my prints when I sign them, I sign my name, and most of the time provide a certificate of authenticity.

Dave

 

[agGNOME]

In my opinion I find that signing or dating anything on the front detracts from the print. I prefer to see any info. and signature on the back.

 

[roteague]

Like Dave, I only sign my prints. The certificate of authenticity contains the year the image was taken.

 

[Marc Leest]

I used to sign only on the back, with a pencil: title, signature and date of exposure. Don't know if this the correct way to sign.

 

[JBrunner]

I should have added that my sig on the front will not show, unless the buyer elects to mat the print so that it does.

 

[donbga]

Hello

A question about signing prints:

Which date is used to sign:
exposure date ? ... printing date ? ... date when signing the print ?

thx,

Marc

I place the print date and my intials on the recto and sign on the lower right of the verso.

 

[Jim Jones]

I sign the lower right mount inconspicuously in pencil. A label with the title and my address go on the back.

 

[Donald Miller]

I sign in pencil the reveal of the window of the mat (lower RH corner). A stamp with print name/description, exposure and print dates goes on the back of the mount board.

 

[wfe]

I sign the front with signature and attach a label to the back with minimal information and only a year as opposed to detailed date information. A word of caution to those using pencil, most will fade over time and pretty much disappear.