Care for Photography & Archival Permanence

These are a few of the most important guidelines in handling, storing and framing gelatin silver or giclée photographs.

I always like to make sure those purchasing my work are well aware of some of the considerations to bear in mind, and to answer some frequently asked questions.

General guidelines:

1) store or exhibit the photographs in a cool, dry place – even if framed - away from direct sources of heat (eg directly above a heater or radiator).

2) handle the prints as little as possible before framing.

3) use cotton gloves, and both hands, when picking up a print.

4) do not place a print in direct sunlight for any extended period.

5) never mount or frame with non-archival adhesive either in contact with or close to the prints.

I make my prints with white border areas to protect the image area from handling damage, and to enable framers to “bite” into a minimal area of image.

Larger border areas, when available on smaller size prints (up to 16 x 20 in or 40 x 50 cm) enable the print to be framed directly using fillets into a box frame (ie with no mount or matting) ask your framer for details.

The title on the back of the print is descriptive of the area or view or person depicted.
The date indicated the year the photograph was taken and not the date that particular print was completed.

Prints are generally made exclusively to order, and are not kept for months or years waiting to be sold (a drawback of many photographers producing limited editions).

The silver gelatin prints are in limited editions mostly numbering from 1 to 30 or 50.

Giclée prints are in open editions – numbered but with as yet no decided end – in order to keep prices down.
Read my notes about limited editions here.

Archival Permanence of Giclée prints

I now exclusively produce giclée prints which are made using permanent inks on 100% cotton archival photo rag 308gsm Hahnemüle paper.

Giclée prints are made digitally with pigment inks, and are very archivally permanent.

They are produced using very long-lasting pigment inks, and practically identical paper that printmakers and etchers have been using since the 15th century.

The Wilhelm Research Institute produce independent reports into the archival permanence of various types of photographic prints and clearly explains the huge benefits of giclée prints over traditional chemical processes and debunks many long held myths – see www.wilhelm-research.com

As you will clearly see, giclée prints are at least as archival as any commercially available photo paper.

Even in the case of the most prestigious “fine art fiber" silver gelatin print paper, there is a synthetic substance called the “baryta” (which enhances the highlights and whites) which will degrade in time, and ruin the print, in contact with air, uv light, atmospheric pollutants. Furthermore the chemicals which inevitably are used in the production of the image itself, and which are almost impossible to rinse out (especially the fixer) will also eventually degrade the image.

Therefore silver gelatin prints, even if selenium toned, are never totally archivally permanent; even less so if processed using common methods and chemicals.

Yet amazingly, you still will hear many claims to the contrary - that digital prints don't last - please refer to the scientists at the Wilhelm Institute Labs for conclusive proof to the contrary.

All my work is now printed digitally and all due care and attention is paid in preparing each image beforehand, balancing the tones and colours, in the profiling of monitor and printer, and setting up and running the printer myself.

Each print will be checked by me personally for perfection before dispatch.

However, in the very unlikely event of you being dissatisfied with the appearance of any print, please contact me immediately and I will make arrangements to replace it or refund all monies paid (less shipping costs).

Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments.