For me...small prints are the new big

[Bill Burk]

...Collectors are less interested in size in general since much of what they own tends to sit in boxes not displayed on the wall. They are more interested in content. ...

This could be what attracts me to 11x14.

...photo albums from the 1940's when most of the prints were 6 x 9 contact prints, the edges carefully trimmed with pinking shearers. ...

The look I am familiar with is deckle edge, interestingly a stack of them from the same lab line up perfectly so I am fairly sure the paper came that way. Deckle edge trimmers exist (like paper cutters) but the cheap aluminum craft scissors don't effectively re-create the edge. The single-weight ferrotyped fiber paper is a difficult find these days too.

I was thinking of 6x9 contact prints too, but since I shoot 4x5 I had to make reductions to fit this size. I was going to cut deckle edges, and picked up a deckle edge trimmer to do that. But unlike Rick, I didn't take great care printing my miniatures. I don't mean to project feelings about my own results on anyone else's miniatures. Just that mine left me disappointed. Of course those photolab pictures from the '40s weren't carefully printed either and they are quite beautiful.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

I love my deckle edge trimmer! If you always cut and rotate the same way, for example long edges first, then shorter edges, your edges will line up well, as long as your remember to push the print flush against the guide.

The manufacture of these trimmers is amazing, the cutting surfaces follow a specific pattern and align perfectly. I dont know how in the world these were sharpened, and if they can ever be resharpened again.

One effect that I havent been able to achieve, is the look and feel of the print surface. I have many prints at home with a pitted/cross hatch type of surface. Where can you get paper like this?

 

[Michael A. Smith]

Small prints can be captivating, and as others have said, draw the viewer in.

The important thing, however, and a few in this thread seem not to understand this, is that the board the print is mounted on should not be a small board. My wife, Paula Chamlee mounts 6x6, 6x7, 4x5, and 5x7 on the same size mat board as she mounts 8x10s--13 x 15. Small mount board trivialize the work; a larger white space sets the photograph off from the surroundings and makes it feel significant.

Michael A. Smith

 

[tomalophicon]

I love my deckle edge trimmer! If you always cut and rotate the same way, for example long edges first, then shorter edges, your edges will line up well, as long as your remember to push the print flush against the guide.

The manufacture of these trimmers is amazing, the cutting surfaces follow a specific pattern and align perfectly. I dont know how in the world these were sharpened, and if they can ever be resharpened again.

One effect that I havent been able to achieve, is the look and feel of the print surface. I have many prints at home with a pitted/cross hatch type of surface. Where can you get paper like this?

These are all gone I suppose. I have a book with samples of all Kodak's paper (maybe from the 1970s) and the variation in surfaces was amazing.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

These are all gone I suppose. I have a book with samples of all Kodak's paper (maybe from the 1970s) and the variation in surfaces was amazing.

Ah thats cool, too bad they dont make them anymore. I guess the next best alternative is liquid light, and then try to find similar specialty scrap booking papers to coat then.