Digital BW, The Print

Hello Andy,

>I want a GOOD way to display BW photos.  I read with interest 
>Clayton's method of putting together a boxed set, and that is a 
>method I am considering.  I am wary of having people actually handle 
>the photo itself.  

>Matting and putting them in a box would solve 
>that, though it would make the collection much more expensive and 
>time consuming to assemble.

>The plastic protects the photo just fine.  But the reflections make 
>some really nice, deep black photos look like problematic matte 
>prints

Boxed sets are a long tradition in fine art photography and you have
touched on all the major issues.  The bottom line is that the best way
to really view a print at it's best is uncovered under good light, and
holding it in the hand adds to the experience.  It's a real pleasure
to view prints this way.  But it comes with risks, there's always a
trade-off.  Matting definitely makes it hugely more time consuming and
expensive, and also allows fewer prints in a box (or requires a deeper
box [more $]).  The potential of damaging or soiling a print by
handling is one of the realities.  But I think that people who buy
boxed sets understand this.  Some people include a set of white gloves.

To add to what Steve said about post binder albums, it really is a
nice way to go.  For protection, interleave sheets can also be bound
in.  The nicest page binder thingies (what are those called?) I've
seen are sold by Red River Paper.  Worth having a look.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm