Achiving Prints

[hirohhhh]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

How many of you regularly print photos? How do you archive it? I started to print more often than before but I keep my Letter format prints in empty paper boxes, which is not the ideal solution. Does anyone have a nice archival album or box to recommend?

[pgk]

Secol (www.secol.co.uk) produce an array of archival materials from boxes to polyester sleeves - there are other manufacturers too  I use both. If you are going to protect prints they need to be stored cool and dry and in acid free and inert archival storage materials.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[hirohhhh]

Thanks, how does people usually store fine art prints? I found boxes inconvenient (at least mine, I never tried a real archival one), if you want to show prints more often, because I have to touch them a lot in order to take them out, swap, put them back... I always pay attention that whoever touch it, has a clean hands, but that's too much pressure, I'd like to be more flexible and not ask every person to clean their hands before, which sometimes sounds silly.

Albums with foils are great protector for fingerprints, but they are mostly glossy and 100% of my prints are Hot Press matte papers, and doesn't look that great in my glossy foils. So I always avoid foils.

Edited March 16, 2020 by hirohhhh

[250swb]

Mount the prints using acid free 100% rag overmats. That way the prints get their own frame and you can handle them without damaging the edges of the print. Store in an archival acid free card box.

[pgk]

3 hours ago, 250swb said:

Mount the prints using acid free 100% rag overmats. That way the prints get their own frame and you can handle them without damaging the edges of the print. Store in an archival acid free card box.

If your mounts are made to fit then they can be slid into Secol sleeves which are very clear indeed. This is how I store many - I use 4mm card though to ensure little surface contact between prints/sleeves/handling.

[Exodies]

I’m not sure you have to be so precious about computer prints; they are so easily re-done. Handle them to pieces and print another.

[pgk]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

9 minutes ago, Exodies said:

I’m not sure you have to be so precious about computer prints; they are so easily re-done. Handle them to pieces and print another.

I just love looking at dog-eared and finger-marked prints. When well thumbed they sort of match the patina produced by brassing of the cameras.

[Exodies]

Or the patina of the scene 

[hirohhhh]

I don't know, I love keeping them clean. I know you can reprint them again, but I choose the best paper for each print and spend quite time to make each print as best as possible, often throwing few prints before I get the final one, and it both costs and it's time consuming, so for me it's not like "never mind, I'll reprint it again in 5min".

[Chuck Albertson]

On 3/16/2020 at 4:11 AM, hirohhhh said:

How many of you regularly print photos? How do you archive it? I started to print more often than before but I keep my Letter format prints in empty paper boxes, which is not the ideal solution. Does anyone have a nice archival album or box to recommend?

I don't know where you're located, but I like the boxes and matt board from these folks: https://www.archivalmethods.com/category/boxes/

B&H in New York also carries a fair amount of their line, and others.

[davidmknoble]

On 3/25/2020 at 11:26 PM, Chuck Albertson said:

I don't know where you're located, but I like the boxes and matt board from these folks: https://www.archivalmethods.com/category/boxes/

B&H in New York also carries a fair amount of their line, and others.

I use the archival methods boxes and their frame kits and negative storage boxes.  They make great stuff.

 

[Ouroboros]

On 3/16/2020 at 7:57 PM, hirohhhh said:

Thanks, how does people usually store fine art prints? I found boxes inconvenient (at least mine, I never tried a real archival one), if you want to show prints more often, because I have to touch them a lot in order to take them out, swap, put them back... I always pay attention that whoever touch it, has a clean hands, but that's too much pressure, I'd like to be more flexible and not ask every person to clean their hands before, which sometimes sounds silly.

Albums with foils are great protector for fingerprints, but they are mostly glossy and 100% of my prints are Hot Press matte papers, and doesn't look that great in my glossy foils. So I always avoid foils.

Mount your prints in archival matts and store them in archival boxes, as suggested above.

You could also give a pair of white cotton gloves to anyone who is going to handle your prints, mounted or not.

Full marks for making prints!  

Edited April 26, 2020 by Ouroboros

[mradey]

A while back I came to the conclusion that my heirs would not be too pleased in dealing with my 100,000+ (and growing) Lightroom archive.
 

So, in addition to this I print out images I consider worthy. These started off being stored in archival sleeves in archival boxes from Secol. Surprisingly easy to flip through these prints. 
 

I have now bought some beautiful 19th Century Oak plan chests which store my large format prints (again in sleeves). These are actually very nice pieces are furniture but are not cheap. Industrial ones can be found much cheaper on eBay. 
 

My worry now - house fire 🙁

[Jon Warwick]

I print 16”x20” prints and store in Secol sleeves and Secol box specific to that print size. A joy to then slide through these images.

For the bundles of 4”x6” mini lab prints I gathered when I used film more, I’m using Archival Methods boxes specific for that print size. Each box holds numerous prints and i use dividing cards to help segregate. The boxes have been super strong when stacked in my cupboard, no mean feat given the weight when fully loaded.

[hirohhhh]

I ended up buying Archival Methods Solander Museum cases in 17x22, 16x20 and 11x14 and then insert each print into Archival Method 3-sided sleeve. It's beautiful and gives me a piece of mind.

[kangaroo2012]

I visited Magnum Paris office last year and had a look in the archive.

Each photographer's prints were in big boxes, loose and frequently handled.

Capa's Spanish soldier is small with labels from magazines on the back and dog eared all over.

The story was that all the prints had been through many hands at magazines prior to publication 

and so had a history of people looking at them.

Much better than pristine prints that nobody looks at.

Cheers

Philip