Digital BW, The Print

Martin Wesley wrote:

>
> <snip>
>
> Overall the very old prints were doing well except for the paper. In
> many cases the image appeared to be just fine but the paper
> underneath was disintegrating. Something to keep in mind when
> selecting papers for printing. Those pH pens are of value and the
> papers that test well with the pens will stand the test of time
> better than those that do not. There is an opportunity to use papers
> with inkjet printing that are more durable than the paper used for
> silver fiber. Due to wet processing silver prints cannot be buffered
> with an alkaline reserve. Image permanence aside, a nice piece of
> Hahnemule or Crane paper will outlast the paper substrate of Ilford
> fiber.

<snip>

Martin,
Thank you for the wonderful report about the workshop.  Looking at 'real' prints, up close and personal is
always a treat.

But I must take issue with the 'acid pen' and the 'buffered' pspers statement.

I still maintain that buffering has, so far, shown itself to be detrimental to inkjet inks and also, that if
the paper has an acid component (using wood pulp instead of cotton, or 'rag' fibers')  the buffering agents
will be overwhelmed in the long run and self destruct.

Those old photos were, in general, made on rag papers that were acid free to start with, and then, over time
they have encountered acids in the atmosphere, causing the degradations.

It is my feeling that if one wants long term stability (like on the old photos) one should use rag papers,
which have slight amounts of buffering agents in them...hopefully enough to neutralize acid atmosphere over
time, but not enough to degrade the inks...Unlike wood pulp papers that achieve ph neutrality only because of
large amounts of buffering agents.

Harvey Ferdschneider
partner, SKID Photography, NYC


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