George Collier
Allowing Ads
I have been shooting and framing pan strips of 2-4 images for many years, often large format. I take the time to match edges, and carefully plan out each of the shots. I even use a device (I think Ansel Adams called it a "breadboard") which offsets the tripod mount to place the optical center of the lens over the tripod column, to minimize parallax between shots. So - the sweep across the images is very smooth.
When mounting over the years, I began by cutting them very carefully at match points crossing from image to image, then dry mounting them with a very small (less than a mm) space between, very formal. Then framed with one matte window just inside the whole outer edge of the prints (no border on the prints themselves.) This method looks best for the images, but is a lot of work, and leaves no place to sign except the overmatte.
A framer (actually, 2 framers) told me that collectors don't like mounted prints because of the permanence. They recommended hinging the prints in the classic tradition, revealing 6-8mm of print boarder around only the very outside edges, not between images, with a window for each image, cut from one large matte board. Obviously, the sweep across the images is now somewhat interrupted, depending upon the viewing distance. (print size is 16x20 or so) I have done a couple this way and don't like as much, though I like the less work part.
What are your opinions about these two approaches - dry mount with one window, or hinged with multiple windows but in one frame?
When mounting over the years, I began by cutting them very carefully at match points crossing from image to image, then dry mounting them with a very small (less than a mm) space between, very formal. Then framed with one matte window just inside the whole outer edge of the prints (no border on the prints themselves.) This method looks best for the images, but is a lot of work, and leaves no place to sign except the overmatte.
A framer (actually, 2 framers) told me that collectors don't like mounted prints because of the permanence. They recommended hinging the prints in the classic tradition, revealing 6-8mm of print boarder around only the very outside edges, not between images, with a window for each image, cut from one large matte board. Obviously, the sweep across the images is now somewhat interrupted, depending upon the viewing distance. (print size is 16x20 or so) I have done a couple this way and don't like as much, though I like the less work part.
What are your opinions about these two approaches - dry mount with one window, or hinged with multiple windows but in one frame?
