Finger marks (prints) on prints

larfe · Mar 15, 2018

Hello Photrio,

so today I took my precious fiber prints to an interview with someone who runs a photography MA at a university. The interviewer, who was in fact the course leader covered my prints with his greasy fingers and has left finger prints all over them.

Not only this makes me wonder if I should pursue this course any further but I wanted to find out from people what the best way to clean the prints up would be please? I've tried PEC 12 in the past without much success, it left smears...

Thanks in advance!

paul ron · Mar 15, 2018

and he is the professor? i would have asked him to be a bit more careful with my prints and if hed be so kind to clean his bacon stains off my work.

btw, next time put your prints in a portfolio binder that has those plastic picture sleeves.

after dry mounting my prints i wipe finger prints off using a clean micro fiber cloth before framing. it works very well and doesnt mar the surface.

MattKing · Mar 15, 2018

I would re-wash the prints.

MattKing · Mar 15, 2018

paul ron said:
and he is the professor? i would have asked him to be a bit more careful with my prints and if hed be so kind to clean his bacon stains off my work.

btw, next time put your prints in a portfolio binder that has those plastic picture sleeves.

The plastic sleeves really reduce the visual quality of the prints.
Take some large cotton gloves with you if you expect people to handle the prints.

E. von Hoegh · Mar 15, 2018

larfe said:
Hello Photrio,

so today I took my precious fiber prints to an interview with someone who runs a photography MA at a university. The interviewer, who was in fact the course leader covered my prints with his greasy fingers and has left finger prints all over them.

Not only this makes me wonder if I should pursue this course any further but I wanted to find out from people what the best way to clean the prints up would be please? I've tried PEC 12 in the past without much success, it left smears...

Thanks in advance!

You need a different "interviewer".

M Carter · Mar 15, 2018

MattKing said:
I would re-wash the prints.

And then you have to re-spot them...

A microfiber cloth and some 99% iso alcohol may do the trick - usually it doesn't disturb spotting inks, and you can work on areas where the prints show vs. the whole print.

larfe · Mar 15, 2018

M Carter said:
And then you have to re-spot them...

A microfiber cloth and some 99% iso alcohol may do the trick - usually it doesn't disturb spotting inks, and you can work on areas where the prints show vs. the whole print.

Thanks Michael for the suggestion on iso and microfiber cloth.

I don't know how washing a print in water could remove grease from them...

Marco Buonocore · Mar 15, 2018

Pec 12 is tremendous for getting rid of fingerprints.

cliveh · Mar 15, 2018

There prints, you can reprint them.

Gerald C Koch · Mar 15, 2018

cliveh said:
There prints, you can reprint them.

Unless you keep your prints in a vault they're going to get finger prints. It would be rude to ask people to wash their hands before handling them. Make a separate set.

paul ron · Mar 15, 2018

Gerald C Koch said:
Unless you keep your prints in a vault they're going to get finger prints. It would be rude to ask people to wash their hands before handling them. Make a separate set.

wow wow hold on there buckaroo... you cant be posting common sense. we have to complicate the heck out of this first.

Poisson Du Jour · Mar 15, 2018

When you are handling raw prints, it should not require a brutal reminder like this to put on cotton gloves!
You don't see surgeons working with their bare hands, do you?? As always prevention is better than the cure.

Nobody handles my prints with bare hands. I make sure of that.

It is very acceptable and common to have prints sleeved for viewing by clients. The reasons why are up to the photographer to explain, additional to handling precautions.

Patrick Robert James · Mar 15, 2018

I handle my own prints without gloves, but not after cooking bacon. Lol.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as he didn't put kinks in the prints, which happens, you can just wipe them off with a microfiber.

Just keep them away from your dog. If he smells the bacon, those prints are toast!

Sirius Glass · Mar 16, 2018

I handle prints by their edges. If the print is matted, I handle it by the edge of the mat.

crumpet8 · Mar 16, 2018

I was recently at a portfolio review and brought my prints split in plastic sleeves. One person out of ten asked to take them out, one other commmented that it appeared unprofessional. The latter told me a story about someone that brought white gloves to handle his own prints. By doing this he made his prints seem important and set the standard for how people should handle the prints so all reviewers were careful. I don’t know...

Everyone handles prints differently it seems, so a second set keeps my neurotic nature at bay the main concern for me is creases, though I’m surprised anyone would have the indecency to handle a photo (wet print or not) with greasy hands. Sticky situation when it’s the interviewer you’d like to tell off though!

crumpet8 · Mar 16, 2018

Oh and by the way as a backup to iso I’ve heard your stop bath (being acidic) will also wash off grease. But this was for when I was washing negs of fingerprints

Doremus Scudder · Mar 16, 2018

Fingerprints are just a bit of oil. They come off rather easily with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth, like a microfiber cloth or soft cotton (I often use a new cotton glove like those I use for handling prints). Rub lightly. A bit of alcohol on the soft cloth if dry doesn't work. You shouldn't need to re-wash.

My presentation prints are all matted and viewers are given cotton gloves.

Best,

Doremus

Finger marks (prints) on prints

larfe

paul ron

MattKing

Moderator

MattKing

Moderator

E. von Hoegh

M Carter

larfe

Marco Buonocore

cliveh

Gerald C Koch

paul ron

Poisson Du Jour

Patrick Robert James

Sirius Glass

crumpet8

crumpet8

Doremus Scudder

Finger marks (prints) on prints

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency