I have not found any information on how to properly mount prints. I have seen prints mounted on boards (gatorboard/foamcore), but can find no information on how to do this.

Is there a proper ratio between board size and print size?

Are there standards for board color vs dominant colors in the print?

How about matting; is this simply done with an Exacto knife?

Any help would be appreciated.

-- Ed Feltman (efeltman@worldnet.att.net), November 24, 2001

Answers

There are many books that cover the basic method to dry mount. There are several ways to mount photos, from dry mounting to hingeing. Size is a personal thing, I use a standard size board for all my prints so that they make an over all standard appearance. My personal likes also include mounting on 16 X 20 boards with different window sizes. You will find a varity of opponions regarding dry mounting. Based on your question i am assuming that you donot have a dry mount press available. Check Light Impressions for a variety of mounting supplies other than dry mounting. There is also a company that is making pre-cut windows of 8ply board that are very nice. My students use them all the time. Light Impressions has a variety of pre-cut windows as well , but they are all centered which is not my cup of tea. These are the things you will need to think about for your own standard. Alto, black board is available in archival standards, it will fade. Again, depending on your artistic senses will determine color, I only use white and then there are many shades of white; from cream to bright. the board will influence the over all presenation of your photo. there are as many answers to this question as photographers. Check out the library for reference books on the subject. Are you printing on cold tone papers, or warm tone papers? this will also influence the board.

-- Ann C lancy (clancya@mediaone.net), November 24, 2001.