Mounting prints?

dave66

I have signed up for the Peoples Photography and really need to get my head around the best method (and preferably keep costs down) for presenting my prints.

The majority of the prints will have come from my Sony A550, which I believe has a 1.5 ratio, so I'm thinking for small prints the size should be 7.5 x 5 and larger prints of 15 x 10. Would that seem right?

I would appreciate it if anyone could offer guidance or a link to some form of tutorial on mounting prints, or am I better to get the prints made and then bring them to a framers or such place to have them mounted? How much of a border/edge is applied when the print is mounted?

Any help, guidance or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dave

humberklog

Dave I'd recommend keeping your largest size down to 12x8. This size is big enough to present your picture to get attention and small enough to A. keep price down to E2.50 per print. B. On paper that will hold that size without crinkling/warping. C. It's easily handled, managed and maintained.

When printing larger than that I'd recommend a better paper especially considering that the event is outdoors. Also (if just mounting) you'd have to upgrade on the backing board too. But this all costs for really not much benefit, other than size, in return.

Keep it as simple and affordable to meet the quality you require.


Mounts can be made to measure for the print. But if you're buying off the shelf (in Easons for e.g.) the mount for an A4 (12x8) will be a standard A3 size with a 55mm border. This'll give you a "grip" on your pic of 5mm all around.

positivenote

recomendations to frame this size? or leave on mounting board?

humberklog

Definately just on mounting board Glenn. So many reasons against framing them all out, perhaps to have one framed for display does make some sense. But that's it.

Also not to bag the mount either. Keep it out in the open as the sheen off plastic coverings double shine off the print and puts people off looking.
If it looks like rain then quickly take them down and place in a good dry box. It's pointless having pics up in the rain anyway as there won't be anybody looking at them.

stcstc

i would say maybe 3 sizes even

7*5 ish
12*8 ish
18*12

but dont do many 18*12

and like humber said maybe no bags etc

the downside to not having the bags is they will get fingered etc

if you want some help give me a shout i can print and cut mounts for you etc

humberklog

Just my own experience Steve is that when they're up then people don't (generally) touch'm. Just use plenty of blue-tac so they don't fall as if they do your corners will get crimpled up...I hate when that happens:(.

positivenote

what do people use for sticking the prints to mounting board? is it easy to get your hands on?
thanks

Nozebleed

positivenote wrote: »

what do people use for sticking the prints to mounting board? is it easy to get your hands on?
thanks

you really need a sealing press when mounting on board. unless you are going to mount on 5mm foam board which has asticky gum on one side. The stuff you are talking about is heat seal/adhesive its very expensive and can only be purchased in large rolls. There is a place in town that does this. I've had work done by them and they've done a great job.

http://www.photolabs.ie/

dave66

stcstc wrote: »

i would say maybe 3 sizes even

7*5 ish
12*8 ish
18*12

but dont do many 18*12

and like humber said maybe no bags etc

the downside to not having the bags is they will get fingered etc

if you want some help give me a shout i can print and cut mounts for you etc

Thanks for that Steve, it's a long time (20 years) since I mounted a print so I may well give you a shout. Just trying to work out how many of each size I should do. I would like to get a triptych printed, mounted and framed for home and was thinking of bring this along.

@humberklog, thanks for all the guidance.

Really appreciate all the help for a newbie, I'm moving passed the nervous stage (I'm sure it will return closer to the show) but getting fairly excited about the whole process now.

humberklog

Simplest way I've found for mounting A4 is: ONLY tape the top of the pic to the mount. The rest of the pic must not get any other adhesive sticking to it. It must hang freely. Next the backing board: 10mm wide double-sided sticky (bought in 2euro shop- 4 rolls for 2 quid) applied to the backing board as close to the sides as possible. Next attach carefully your backing board to the mount and apply pressure until secure.

Job jobbed.

stcstc

humbers is right

hinge mounting is the way to go

you dont need to dry mount stuff at the kind of sizes we are talking about

the trick is for longevity not to use cheap tape. either to hinge the print or to stick the mount and backing together. if you sell them and they go bad quickly its a false economy as reprints etc will cost you your profit

for example a client brought me a watercolour today, original one, it had a cheap mountboard that had gone brown on the cuts and was held in place with Gaffer Tape!!!!!!!!!

i dont think this think was massively expensive, but bet not cheap either. the print had slipped in the mount because the glue on the tape had become soft in the heat in the room it was hanging. luckly its kinda repairable, but could of been sooooooo much worse.

stcstc

oh just though

i am away from the end of july for a couple of weeks, just in case anyone is looking for stuff for peoples photography

eas

If you're selling mounted prints shouldn't you use framers tape?

humberklog

eas wrote: »

If you're selling mounted prints shouldn't you use framers tape?

Yeah for A4. I don't for smaller. As framers tape is bloody hard to get your hands on.

stcstc

ah it not hard,

i have about 50 rolls instock, you just need to buy from right place

dave66

eas wrote: »

If you're selling mounted prints shouldn't you use framers tape?

That raises a question, is it normal for people to sell prints during peoples photography? I understand legally there is the whole street vendors license, but was wondering what has happened in past years?

It would be really great if somebody who has done peoples photography before could start a thread with general hints and tips for newbies to learn from. Perhaps some of the things that have come up here could be covered:

How many prints do people normally display?
How do people print/mount?
How do you attach them to the railings?
A list of wise things to bring with you on the day?
How big/wide is one slot?

humberklog

dave66 wrote: »

That raises a question, is it normal for people to sell prints during peoples photography? I understand legally there is the whole street vendors license, but was wondering what has happened in past years?

It would be really great if somebody who has done peoples photography before could start a thread with general hints and tips for newbies to learn from. Perhaps some of the things that have come up here could be covered:

How many prints do people normally display?
How do people print/mount?
How do you attach them to the railings?
A list of wise things to bring with you on the day?
How big/wide is one slot?

I'll just try and quickly pick through your question Dave.

Yes it is normal (and very pleasant) to sell. The law regarding street vending is (thankfully:pac:) very hazy in this matter and I wouldn't pay it any heed. However the organisers don't promote nor wish you to do it. But anyone that gets an offer generally takes it.

Amount of prints your going to display depends on how big your space is and how big your prints are. By rough memory I'd say have 20 A4 pics and display 15. Keep 5 to revolve if the initial display isn't looking snappy. If displaying mounted 5x7 then that's 2 of them for every one A4. Best to have a few spare in the box. You will get bored looking at the same pics and is refreshing to pop a new one up in a whim and take one down that has become grating on you to look at. If it's not looking right to you then it's not looking right to anyone else.

If unframed and only mounted (recommended) then blue tac is your man for attaching to railings. It's simple, affordable and versatile.

Bring a foldable seat. A book if you're going to be unsociable. Large rizzlas and a hip flask to get ahead of the gang.

The slots are about 3 metres.

DougL

humberklog wrote: »

If unframed and only mounted (recommended) then blue tac is your man for attaching to railings.

Why do you recommend unframed? Is it a question of cost?

I was thinking of around 10 framed prints hung on garden mesh (see http://www.johnstowngardencentre.ie/product_images/plantmesh50_M.jpg), with rolled up plastic to cover the prints if it is wet. Am I crazy? Simple mounted prints is tempting as I am broke, and frames aren't cheap...

-Doug

stcstc

lots of people do have framed prints

i think if its only for this then i wouldnt bother with framed just for cost reasons, but if you can use them after i think it makes sense


as for the green mesh, lots of people use it. i would suggest its not the best

what we did for our camera club which did work better was some planks about 3 inches wide

drilled 2 holes side by side at top and bottom and cable tied them to the railings in a vertical position

we were then able to hang stuff in a more solid way to it than to those mesh things

so if your hanging frames etc they are way less likely to fall off etc

humberklog

Sagastipean wrote: »

Why do you recommend unframed? Is it a question of cost?

I was thinking of around 10 framed prints hung on garden mesh (see http://www.johnstowngardencentre.ie/product_images/plantmesh50_M.jpg), with rolled up plastic to cover the prints if it is wet. Am I crazy? Simple mounted prints is tempting as I am broke, and frames aren't cheap...

-Doug

Few reasons: cost, a mounted A4 print can be made look smart for just under a fiver (print, mount and backing).

Ease of display, mounts can be popped up and the display arranged and re-arranged with ease.

Transporting, you could put the lot in a bag and hop on a bus. No breakages.

Investing money that leaves a bad taste for the future. If you frame up then the cost will be at least 3 times dearer (assuming you can get a decent frame for a tenner). You could be left staring at those frames for the next year.

Weather protection. There's no point in having pics up (even if sheltered) in the rain. There's no-one there. If the rain comes down (or heavy wind) you can easily takes mounted pics down and put them safely away. this means that your pics are 100% safe and if the rain looks like persisting then you can bring your entire collection to the pub while keeping an eye on the weather. If your thinking about protecting with sheeting then you've got to think broad; what happens if it's blowing a gale out too? Sheeting's a mare to keep down even for a short period of time if you're not used to using it and that's even if you're all geared up with the proper equipment. Where will I go if there's a typhoon and what will happen to my pics if I leave them there?

Another reasons (and the most important) is that the passing viewer will see your pics better in the outdoors without a frame and will engage easier with your pics. Glass shines and often this will subconsciously put people off stopping. When there's no glass it's only the pic and the eye. People engage better with that.

What I'm doing myself is displaying 8 A4 pics (in A3 frames). 4 on top and 4 on bottom. The lower 4 pics will be bookended with framed pics. As in Framed, unframed, unframed, framed. The top 4 will all be unframed. This should allow the passer by to immediately see the picture while giving them a taste of how the finished article will look on top of their TV.

decsramble

Now is probably a good opportunity to refer people to the website for the rules:
http://www.peoples-photography.com/about/

Please remember when hanging photos, do not in any way damage or mark the railings. Do not use wire, sticky tabs or tape, the organisers will check. This is not meant to make peoples life difficult, the paint on the railings comes off really easily and if the railings are damaged it would make it harder to get the OPW to agree to let us use the Green next year. Do not build big fancy structures, if it is windy they will fall over and the organisers will just tell you to take them down. Simple is best.

Dont go into this event expecting to make money, odds are you wont. It's a fun weekend where people can admire each others photos and you can see the public reaction to your work. You'll get to meet lots of great people. Anything else is a bonus.

DougL

humberklog wrote: »

Weather protection. There's no point in having pics up (even if sheltered) in the rain. There's no-one there. If the rain comes down (or heavy wind) you can easily takes mounted pics down and put them safely away. this means that your pics are 100% safe and if the rain looks like persisting then you can bring your entire collection to the pub while keeping an eye on the weather. If your thinking about protecting with sheeting then you've got to think broad; what happens if it's blowing a gale out too? Sheeting's a mare to keep down even for a short period of time if you're not used to using it and that's even if you're all geared up with the proper equipment. Where will I go if there's a typhoon and what will happen to my pics if I leave them there?

I hear what you're saying re: the weather protection, but I don't really want to be pulling things down and rehanging every time there's a passing shower. I'm planning to use a single piece of plastic hanging down the back and front of the railing, permanently cable tied into place on the back.

Another reasons (and the most important) is that the passing viewer will see your pics better in the outdoors without a frame and will engage easier with your pics. Glass shines and often this will subconsciously put people off stopping. When there's no glass it's only the pic and the eye. People engage better with that.

What I'm doing myself is displaying 8 A4 pics (in A3 frames). 4 on top and 4 on bottom. The lower 4 pics will be bookended with framed pics. As in Framed, unframed, unframed, framed. The top 4 will all be unframed. This should allow the passer by to immediately see the picture while giving them a taste of how the finished article will look on top of their TV.

Some framed photos and some unframed is an excellent idea! Mind if I steal it? I'm assuming you're going with framed at the bottom because the angle of viewing will minimise reflection?

This thread is really useful for first-timers. Thanks for taking the time to share insight.

-Doug

GristlyEnd

From my experience of doing this before here is how I put up my prints and other items helpful to have on the day

• Plastic sheeting to put up first on railings then tie up on top so you can pull over your photos if it starts raining
• Plant support mesh cable tied to the railings B&Q sell it
• Bulldog clips attached to mesh with cable ties
• Use some cardboard to protect your mounts from the bulldog clips
• If using small frames then cable ties will hold them onto the mesh
• Camping chair. It's a long 2 days and you will not regret bringing this
• Arrive early (9am or earlier) if you want to park on St Stephens Green near your spot & have plenty of change for the parking meter
• Moo cards or postcards are always handy to give out Moo.com
• Most importantly, enjoy the 2 days
  
  Any other questions, fire away
  

dave66

Thanks to all for the hints and tips.

In the unlikely event (sound like cabin crew now) that somebody wants to buy one of my prints, what's the "normal" process, hand it over there and then or ask them to collect it later, take contact details and arrange sale after the show? I'm really not looking to sell work and have no expectations, I'm taking part for the fun and to get me out taking more shots, but would like to have an idea of how to handle the situation should it arise. Oh, one other question, what to charge? I have no idea how much to charge for a mounted print. Sizes I'm likely to have are mostly 12x8, maybe one or two 15x10 and some 7.5x5

Thanks

sNarah

I'd say the most important thing is to get the price of the frame/mount back in regards to the actual selling?

Though TBH, if it was me and somebody liked it, I'd neary give it away for free!!

I don't think there is any guidelines as how to price your own work - you can go anywhere between 15 euro to 1500 euro if you feel confident enough to say that you, as the artist believes your work is worth that.

I think if - in the unlikely event somebody asks me the price, I'd say "we;; the frame was a tenner, anything on top of top of that for your appreciation" or something along those lines. Be interesting to see.

humberklog

Sagastipean wrote: »

I hear what you're saying re: the weather protection, but I don't really want to be pulling things down and rehanging every time there's a passing shower. I'm planning to use a single piece of plastic hanging down the back and front of the railing, permanently cable tied into place on the back.

Some framed photos and some unframed is an excellent idea! Mind if I steal it? I'm assuming you're going with framed at the bottom because the angle of viewing will minimise reflection?

This thread is really useful for first-timers. Thanks for taking the time to share insight.

-Doug

Go for it Doug, I think a lot of people would agree with you too. It's just my own preference from experience. Also I'm a total 'mare when it comes to that kinda thing and get completely frustrated too...oh even the thougts of all that plastic and rain running down sleeves gives me a headache:pac:.

I'm framing 2 at the bottom really just to show that the mount is a standard size and will fit any over the counter frame and am putting them on the bottom because they'll be less viewed. It'll make the space visually sturdy too. Eye level is where you'll get attention on the photo. That's where you need to be putting the big guns. I must add here that I'm in no way going all out to sell. I'm going as it's a good laugh and I'm more interested in that (and getting a little advertising for my gallery too).

I think the mix of framed/unframed is a very good idea. I'm helping a 2 or 3 Boardsies out with their exhibition this year and part of the idea is is that indeed do frame a couple (1 or 2) and then I'm going to keep a stock of frames with me for those that need them. So basically it's a buy as required scenario for them. I'll have a good few with me so will be able to spread them around to others too if required.

humberklog

If anyone wants to see how it looks in real life, get some tips and to have a chat about it then I'm in George's St. arcade this Thursday through until next Tuesday. Just drop me a PM beforehand.

stcstc

also if you want some ideas etc and have time

pop out to my place in dun laoghaire, i can show you fancy mounts etc that i can cut on my computer mount cutter. using stable white core board, which is more safe to sell than the cheap cream core boards you will get very cheaply, over a relatively short space of time will actually damage some prints

anyway, if anyone needs help choosing frames etc, i have a large catalogue or very nice readymade frames which are quite reasonably priced

DougL

stcstc wrote: »

also if you want some ideas etc and have time

pop out to my place in dun laoghaire, i can show you fancy mounts etc that i can cut on my computer mount cutter.

It's looking like I'll be able to pop out to your shop on Thursday afternoon, if you're around. I'm off all this week, so the timing is good. Hopefully I'll get all my images chosen tomorrow, and I can bring them in as well and get everything taken care of in one go.

-Doug

stcstc

yea sure more than welcome

although i am around till about 2.40 as have to pick my son up from summer camp

if ya wanna come later will just need to sort out

positivenote

i had a selection of about 20 prints last year, they ranged from stuff that i got printed in harvey norman (5x7in that cost me 20c to print), some A4's that steve printed for me (excellent quality) and finally some hand printed, dark room style, black and whites that were 12 x 16.
I sold one of my 5 x 7in prints for 3 or 4 euro and had numerous enquires about other stuff. I didn't want to sell any of the hand printed b/w's but i gave away 2 of the prints that steve done for me because i got talking to the people who liked them and they had a personal memory associated to the contents of the photo and i thought that it would be cherished by them more than me. Its a great feeling seeing peoples reactions after chatting with them for a while and you offer them the print for nothing...

sNarah

Another quick question - I've a few square prints (medium format) and was chatting to Humber who asked "whats size are going to print them". Whoops, don't have a clue!

I think I'll print my normal prints at 8*12 so what square size would look good with that? 8*8? 12*12?

stcstc

snarah

both 8*8 and 12*12 should work quite well

remember that by the time you add a mount they will look bigger

what looks very nice is putting square prints in a rectangular mount, where the top and 2 sides are all the same size. leaving a larger mount border on the bottom.

it also means they will fit in standard size frames which are easy to get than squares off the shelf

dave66

Finally got a short list of images for PP2010 picked out. Now to decide on mount colours, it never ends

humberklog

dave66 wrote: »

Now to decide on mount colours, it never ends

Let me take the stress outta that for you: Black. : )

dave66

humberklog wrote: »

Let me take the stress outta that for you: Black. : )

Decisiveness, I like that. To be honest I am leaning towards black for everything.

humberklog

dave66 wrote: »

Decisiveness, I like that. To be honest I am leaning towards black for everything.

First time out? Better off black.

Odd thing too that I notice is that regardless of how much better a pic looks in a white mount it doesn't engage with the general public. A pic, that in all that is right aesthetically, suits a white mount will receive about 40% less attention than when it's sitting in a black mount. Peculiar but true.
Now when it's a dedicated exhihibtion of ones own work sitting in a cohesive collection the figures are very different. But for something like the Peoples Photography? Black.

stcstc

i would suggest black or off white

colour generally looks better in off white and B&W works generally better in black.

black tends to show scuffs and stuff more than the white too