Photo mounting question (possibly stupid)

nmp

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I have always loved that look...I don't remember where I saw it first, probably one of the exhibitions at the National Gallery of some of the classics. That is why I always have a border around my own images whether on the website or framed within the mat window.
 

Pieter12

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I have the book of these images... I respect Avedon's work.
Do you think it was planned that way in taking of the photograph?
I don't think so. I'm sure he knew if someone was positioned in the gutter between two frames, but in the notch? Since there is a considerable lag between framing and shooting it would be hard to have subjects hold a precise position for a while. From what I've seen and read, Avedon stood beside the camera and waited for the moment he wanted with his subjects, rather than having them freeze in place. But with a large group like the example and having to reposition the camera, it's amazing everything came out as it did. I have no idea how many exposures he made and if he made them in sequence (moving the camera or back between each exposure). He used this technique many times (the group portrait of Andy Warhol's Factory comes to mind).
 

jtk

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I'm not sure Avedon's large prints were mounted.



fwiw, anybody who's seen Avedon's large prints in person knows that they're mounted (in various ways, since he gets what he wants).

As well, his prints are made the way he wants them...he called himself a control freak.

See the current Avedon exhibit at Center for Creative Photography in Tucson. Over 50 8X10 contact prints, several larger prints. Don't use Avedon for an example while you remain unfamiliar with his work.
 

cramej

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fwiw, anybody who's seen Avedon's large prints in person knows that they're mounted (in various ways, since he gets what he wants).

I've seen footage of his prints being hung on a wall - some of the large by huge prints like the example above are absolutely not mounted. Maybe some are mounted, but if you look at the bottom of the print Pieter12's post, it's curled up a bit. It looks like there is reinforcement at the top and bottom to hang it and keep it weighted.
 

Pieter12

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He no longer gets anything (but he not longer wants anything).

I am familiar with Avedon. I have almost all his books and I have seen a great number of Avedon photos on display, including the Fashion show at ICP NY in 2009 and Women at Gagosian in 2013. I don't recall any prints being mounted to any backing that you could tell. Some were framed, some were not. Go to https://www.avedonfoundation.org/exhibitions and check out the installation photos.
 

MurrayMinchin

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That's what I'm seeing as well.

As has already been said, very elegant, cheap, and space saving.
 

Vaughn

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That's what I'm seeing as well.

As has already been said, very elegant, cheap, and space saving.
It looks like the photograph used as an example was cornered onto a piece of matboard just for the filming -- probably to keep it flat for the camera and to perhaps miminize handling of the actual print. The rest of the prints in the portfolio are not cornered in onto matboard.
 

removed account4

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I got an email from the woman who was doing the talk / lecturing in the video about the work
she said whatever way LACMA receives the work they often replace the original presentation with their own.
I spoke with someone at LACMA who will be getting back to me after getting information from the curatorial staff
(eventually/soon) about the actual print. The inscription note in the object record says that it is in pencil below the image.
So ... at least we know its not photo paper seeing photo paper doesn't typically accept pencil ..
I'll report back if/when I hear back.
 
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logan2z

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You beat me to it, I was going to email LACMA as well Looking forward to hearing what they have to say.
 

jtk

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matte inkjet photo paper works perfectly with pencil.

Sakura Pigma Micron is beautiful any glossy material, including Ciba. Pigma is the answer for the finest conceivable signatures.
https://www.amazon.com/Sakura-Finel...=B076KP5GVG&psc=1&refRID=PKDMKWAFD1PVB66XVHHC
 

jtk

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He no longer gets anything (but he not longer wants anything).

.


Avedon has left the room. Nonetheless, he called himself a "control freak" last month in the Center For Creative Photography (an exhibit video) His prints there are mounted. If you want to avoid frames you cannot hang contact prints.

Decades ago, his full length standing portraits of his dying father (cancer) were hung like tapestries at the Hoffman (now BANFA) museum in Berkeley... astounding....vertical, perhaps 8' long, hung above a vast exhibit of his work. I suspect they were linen mounted.
 

jtk

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Thanks. I am willing to give Avedon the credit of putting the heads under the notches on purpose...not accidental.

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artwork...members-of-the-factory-30-october-1969-p13101

Avedon exhibited both cropped and absolutely full film (with rebates) according to his preferences. Books and magazines usually show his work cropped (to his specifications), simply to eliminate the possible distraction of rebate or to eliminate various studio objects.

Ansel, by comparison, allowed one of his photos to be printed on coffee cans and on shoji screens. The coffee cans were available on Safeway Store shelves...accumulated and planted sometimes with appropriate herb. An example of his shoji screen was stored in the old Sierra Club offices in San Francisco, 1965, was available cheap because he was embarrassed by it (Polaroid). There, you could buy his individual, unmounted prints for $1500 (same with Philip Hyde).
 

jtk

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removed account4

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Hello !

I have just heard back from the LACMA and ( drum roll please )
They said the prints are silver gelatin images dry mounted on 615 GSM Imperial 300lb hand-made paper. The paper is embossed so there is an indent where the print is and the rest of the paper is rough textured and pulpy. Vaughn, you win the door prize !

John
 
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faberryman

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That's unique. I wonder why they thought that up?
 
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logan2z

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Awesome, thanks for sharing their response! Vaughn nailed it.
 

mshchem

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My wife is a curator. She had cats when she saw me dry mounting prints. She mounted one of my photos with some archival linen tape and artist paste. .... I can still see waves in the print and it was flat to begin with. I dry mount prints that I put on my walls. I make extra copies that someone will need to dispose of when I'm gone.

Never had a problem.
 

Vaughn

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Great! I need a new back door! It is only 5'11" tall if you have one that size (yes, I am 6'3" and duck a lot). Hand-made paper! That's taking it an extra step!
 

jtk

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I mentioned Danny Lyon. BTW it's Gator, not Gater.
 
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