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| Four of the many photographs that Wayne has printed, matted, framed, and proudly displayed on a wall in the Setser home. |
Kevin here. I can also speak for Wayne when I say that when I am making an exposure with my camera(s), I am almost always thinking ahead to my exposure ending up as a physical print. Not all of my frames get printed (most don't, actually), but the ones that do are the 'keepers' that remind me of why I enjoy photography in the first place. To Wayne and me, it goes without saying that they should exist in the form of a physical print, so it's off to the darkroom or the inkjet printer . . .
But after the print is made, what then? Does it live in a box or under the dresser? Or, does it deserve more than that? If the answer for you is "yes," then the next steps are necessary to get your photograph where it deserves to be: on the wall (somebody's wall, anyway!). So, Wayne and I decided to discuss the process of matting, framing, and displaying your prints, and here's the important part. You get to decide where to begin with this process and how deep into it you are willing to go. If you have never displayed your photography before, then the 'gateway' for you is to purchase pre-made materials such as pre-cut mats and pre-assembled frames. This is exactly what I still do today, and I don't apologize for it. I live in a small space and do not have room for the workspace making your own mats and frames requires. I know where to get good quality mats and frames, and I think my photographs look great in them.
However, if you are shooting film, developing it yourself, and making prints in the darkroom, then it's fair to say that you are a 'DIY' kind of person. You may be the type of person that wants to control the entire process of making the photograph and preparing it for display. Of course, I am describing Wayne here, and he had been doing this for decades. He enjoys the satisfaction of forming with his own hands not only the photography itself but also the manner in which it is displayed. The trade off for this approach is that it requires investment in equipment and materials (but so does analog photography, right?) You can find cheap mat cutting jigs online. However, if you want to reduce mistakes and the resulting waste, you may have to pay more. Also like photography, cutting mats yourself requires learning some skills, skills that are best learned visually. And even though Wayne carefully describes the process of cutting a mat in UJC #71, a visual guide would be better. Therefore, not only have I attached Wayne's diagrams below, I also am going to help Wayne to produce a video in which he capably demonstrates the mat cutting process. Stay tuned for that.
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| This is a depiction of the contemporary style mat, which puts the opening in the middle of the board. Your uncut mat board will be twice as wide and twice as long as your print. If you can accurately measure the exact middle between two points, you can draw the outline of the opening in the exact middle of the mat board. |
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| The traditional European mat places the print closer to the top than to the bottom. |
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| The classical Oriental mat places the print closer to the bottom that to the top. |
Our show #71 also addresses the need for consideration when photographing in the record setting heatwave that's scorching the US currently (apologies to our Southern Hemisphere listeners - we wish we were there with you.) Extreme heat can be bad for both film and gear, so Wayne and I discuss some ideas on how to keep both safe when the temperatures near 100ยบ F.
Once again our listeners have sent us some great questions about split grade printing, our favorite photobooks, and what matters most: gear, subject, or process?
We end show #71 with a new segment we call Snapshots, in which we give our quick take on three photography related items:
Snapshot #1 - I just purchased a new (to me) camera, and it may be the last camera I ever purchase. Seriously.
Snapshot #2 - Would you believe that someone is publishing an actual newspaper about photography? I'm talking about a real newspaper that looks like . . . a newspaper! It's called the New Palz Photo Works, and it is the work of publisher and editor Ryan Kraus. It has lots of photography, of course, but it also contains articles, interviews, and tips. I have always loved reading a newspaper, so this is huge for me. See the information below.
Snapshot #3 - Our 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers is less than four months away. It's scheduled for Saturday, October 26, and it will take place at Fort Southwest Point in Kingston, Tennessee. Kingston will be celebrating its 225th anniversary with a large 1790's period reenactment and will provide many opportunities for photography. We will have more details very soon.
As always, our listeners are the reason we make the Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast, and it really makes our day when we hear from our listeners. so, we invite you to be a apart of the show by sending your questions, comments, tips, and stories in the form of letters or voice memos to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. You also can leave your input in the form of comments on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for listening, and as always, Happy Photography (and get some good pictures!)
https://www.matcutter.com is where I purchase my pre-cut mats and backing boards. They also sell presentation bags. I purchase my frames from either Walmart or Amazon.com.
Wayne gets the materials he needs to make his mats from Dick Block Art Supplies.
The email address for the New Palz Photo Works is newpaltzphotoworks@gmail.com, and their website can found at ryansphotoworks.com. You can find them on Instagram @newpaltzphotoworks.
