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Mounting is the technique used to secure a photograph to a mount or display board. There are several different methods and materials to choose from when mounting a photograph. Selection is based on several factors such as cost, convenience, equipment availability, and conservation.

Conservation

True conservation framing dictates that the mounted photo must be cleanly removable from the mount board. Museums must adhere to conservation guidelines, even though all acid free materials are used in these frames. Acids and other pollutants will eventually penetrate the frame from the air and walls and contaminate the frame, at which time the artwork must be removed and reframed with fresh materials.

For most of us, such extreme conservation rules are unnecessary, although care should be taken to ensure general household items such as rubber cement are not used for mounting. These items may contain chemicals that will harm your artwork immediately. There are several inexpensive mounting products available today that are safe for your artwork. Some products such as photo corners, mounting corners, and hinging tapes and tissues are all safe products for mounting your artwork.

Photo Corners and Archival Hinging Tissue

One of the main reasons that pictures buckle after being framed is that the image, mat, and mount board all expand and contract at different rates with changes in temperature. For this reason it is important to leave the image as free as possible to move within the picture frame. The two primary ways of achieving this are mounting with photo corners & hinging tissue. A key component of conservative framing is that the image can be completely removed from the photo frame with no change to the image. To allow the image to freely expand and contract beneath the mat, it should only be hinged at a couple of points along the top edge of the photograph as shown in the diagram. Larger images may require 3 points. How conservative the hinging method is depends on the type of adhesive used in the hinge. For true conservation, there is a special  Japanese paper that is used with a water-soluble wheat or rice starch adhesive.

Picture mounting – hinging photograph to mat

One way to mount your photograph is to use acid free hinging tape or tissue such as Self Adhesive Hinging Tissue to attach the image directly to the mat. The advantage of this method is that the image will stay centered under the picture mat opening so you do not need to hinge the mat to the mount board. The disadvantage of this method is that is depending on the hinging product used, it may be difficult to change the mat. Note: If you are selling your image matted but unframed, it is recommended that you do not use this method.

Text: Frame Destination
Photo: Jamie McCaffrey

Your camera has to have the right combination of light + exposure time to = proper exposure. Your shutter speed and your lens aperture work together to give you the correct exposure as determined by either you or your camera. (more on how to determine best exposure later). This means that if you change shutter speed you must also change f/stop (aperture) in order to keep the same exposure value.

Lets assume that your camera’s light meter tells you that 1/60 second exposure time @ f/11 will give you the correct exposure. If you were to place the shutter speeds and the f/stops (aperture) on a scale the following combinations would also give you exactly the same exposure value.

1/15 – 1/30 – 1/60 – 1/125 – 1/250 – 1/500 – 1/1000 f/22 – f/16 — f/11 – – f/8 — f/5.6 — – f/4 – — f/2.8

Deciding which combination to use depends primarily on which is more important to the photographer, shutter speed or depth of field for this particular picture. Remember however, if you change shutter speed setting (or aperture) you must change the corresponding aperture (or shutter speed) setting to keep the same exposure value.

For example. If your camera light meter tells you that 1/60 second at f/11 will give you the correct exposure and you want to increase your shutter speed to 1/250 sec you must open your lens aperture to f/5.6 in order to keep the same exposure value. You have to let in more light to compensate for the fact that you’re now cutting the amount of time that the light will be exposed on the film or pixals.

Remember, f/5.6 is two stops wider than f/11 and 1/250 sec is two shutter speed settings from 1/60. This is the easiest way to remember this as opposed to thinking; “hmm…1/250 is four times faster than 1/60 so I need four times as much light….” The math is much easier if you simply remember if you change your shutter speed by x number of clicks you must change the aperature the same number. And vice versa obviously.

Faster shutter speeds means you need more light. Less light means you need slower shutter speeds.

Text: Tutorialtub.com
Photo: Pilottage