Topic: Photographic presentation,print size, what do you like best ?

[eddie]

For the last year or two i have been producing 16*12 fibre based photographic prints. I  generally print 3 images keeping one unmounted  for a portfolio box and mounting the other two for local  competitions and for an annual weekend open air photographic exhibition i help run in Dublin www.peoples-photography.com. 

However, once again I am  getting drawn back to produce smaller prints , which have always been my favourite,  7*5  fibre and smaller, toned  mounted and presented to a fairly high standard.   I'm not trying to skimp on time or money as i  give the same attention to detail on the smaller prints as I'd give to a 16*12.  I just really like small delicate photographic prints but  I,m not sure why !.

Ignoring the fact that you may have to produce images a certain size for competition or exhibitions, what size image  do you prefer for personal work and why, and what presentation methods do you prefer for your  personal work. 

Eddie
http://eddiemallin.my-expressions.com/

[LT]

my portfolio shots are printed at 8 x 8 inch on 11 x 91/2 paper.  I really like this size and it sits nicely in the hand,

exhibition type shots are at 10 x 10 inch on 12 x 16 paper.  not too big, but big enough.  I rarely print any bigger than this.

35mm work is never printed on anything bigger than 10 x 8 paper and with a pretty substantial white borger.  Small prints are great IMO.

[Francois]

Format is a strange thing.
For my color shots, I tend to like the larger sizes (I still dream of the day I will afford a Lambda print...).
Yet, for B&W, I stick with the smaller sizes. I have never printed anything bigger than 8x10. This is mainly due to the lack of space and equipment. But on the up side, they're easier to print and don't require as much spotting

[Susan B.]

My portfolio is 12X12.
Exhibition prints are either 10X10 or 12X12, depending on what frame I have available since I tend to swap them out for shows.
But hopefully, this will be changing soon as I plan to go bigger--probably at least 14X14 on 16X20.

[david b]

My portfolio - just to be awkward - is 9x9, but mainly because I got a good deal on a really nice p/f box of that size. My last lot of exhibition prints were 12x12, but I'm thinking of going smaller next time around, or possibly mixing it up with a few larger prints, depending on the hanging situation...

I do think that these choices do depend a lot on the work and the space in which it's presented, and also that there aren't any rules for what will look good.  I've been today to see the Rene Burri exhibition in Manchester, and they'd used just about every method going - salon style, huge digital prints, triptychs, a wall of images edge to edge, contact prints in big frames - and, really, all of it was effective.

[astrobeck]

I like the intimacy of smaller prints...so nothing larger than 8 x 10 so far for me.

Large does have it's place and for impact in the right place can't be beat.

Becky

[sparx]

I have been using 8x10 since I started printing but I'm planning on getting a bit more adventurous as I build up my portfolio. The plan is to use 11x9.5 FB giving 8.5x8.5 square and 10x3.5 letterbox cropped and take it from there.

 

[outofcontxt]

Right now, I'm doing 7x7 on 8-1/2x11 for portfolios and 10x10 on 11x17 (trimmed to 11x14) for exhibitions. I'd eventually like to go 15x15 on 17x22 but if I ever get my act together and set up that alternative process darkroom, I probably won't go larger than 7x7 or 8x8 for platinium/palladium and ziatype.