folios
Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 10:08AM 
Rocks & Stones ~ Anil Rao • click to embiggenI haven't posted an entry under the photography of others category in quite a while. That's due in large part to the fact that I haven't been cruising the net looking for stuff in a while. That's because there is so much crap to wade through in order to find some good stuff.
However, one solution that landed on my front porch (via UPS) in a big cardboard box is an idea that I would love to have continue. In that box was a beautiful folio of pictures from long-time Landscapist follower, Anil Rao.
It's appearance on my porch was not a surprise although it was an eagerly anticipated one. Anil had sent me an email offer for the folio which was very generous - basically, it said, "Would you like a free custom made folio of some of my pictures?" Although, it must be said (and I am quite pleased to say) that Anil was making this offer "as a gift and a big-thank you for all the insightful thoughts and encouragement you have provided over the last serveral years."
Anil also stated his reason for making a folio - he wanted a way to showcase his work but didn't think that he was ready to make a book.
That folio itself is quite beautiful. The presentation is simple and elegant. The pictures are printed with Epson Ultrachrome Inks on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag paper and their appearance can only be described as exquisite. Each picture has a title accompanied by picture location and creation date.
Included in the folio is a title sheet, an introduction / artist statement sheet, 10 of Anil's Stone & Rocks prints, and an end sheet with copyright, tech specs, and other info. The overall impression is that of high quality, care, and professionalism.
IMO, the folio is missing but one important touch - archival tissue interleaving between the prints. Archival tissue along with a pair of protective gloves would go a long way in protecting the fragile and easy to smudge print surfaces during both storage and handling. This is especially true in light of the uncoated rag matte paper that Anil has chosen to print on.
Add those 2 times to the mix and you have a print presentation that is completely ready to go.
That said, there is one other issue to consider - how does one view the prints? Do you settle onto a comfortable chair and view it sort of like you would a book - flipping through the prints and turning them over like pages? Do you sit at a table and take them out of the case? Or do you frame a few of your favorites and hang them on a wall?
I bring this issue up for 2 reasons - 1) it seems a shame to keep these pictures "hidden" in a box (albeit a very nice box), and, 2) I have been wrestling with the how-to-display-prints-on-a-wall-without-breaking-the-bank issue for a while. More so since the arrival of my wide-format printer.
One solution that has come to mind is to order up 3-4 medium and 3-4 large frames with glass and backing without any paper seal on the back. By also ordering a dozen uncut matte boards for each size frames, I could easily rotate prints in the frames for viewing. FYI, I like to display prints on the surface of matte board with the print edges showing - no "window" matting. But even this method would run into $1,500 or more - $3,000 or more with Museum Glass.
The other option that I am considering is to hang prints without frames or mounting of any kind. I started doing this (with 24×24 inch prints) a few months ago on the bedroom wall above our bed by just using pushpins on all four corners. It works but it is not the most elegant solution and I wouldn't ever dream of using pushpins on Anil's prints.
So, what I am thinking of at the moment is to make /purchase some picture ledges on which I can place heavyweight acid-free foam board backing with prints affixed (with an archival tape hinge on the print back near the top). In the case of my 24×24 inch prints, I would tape hinge them on 30×30 foam board. To 'dress it up" I will most likely cover the front of the foam board with a white matte surface art paper (edge to edge).
This system will allow me to rotate prints at will (mine and those from others - hint, hint) with a minimum of fuss and muss.
In any event, I wish to express my heart-felt thanks and deep appreciation to Anil for his kind thoughts, consideration, and generosity. The folio is an absolute delight to behold and, one way or another, some of these prints will make their way onto my walls.
And, it is well worth noting that Anil has made this folio available to the public for the amazingly low price of $ 125.00 US. In case you can't do the math, that's only $12.50 US per print - an incredible bargain by any standard. Especially so considering not only the quality of the prints themselves, but also the quality of Anil's pictures (vision). Anil can be contacted through his website
BTW, I am very open to any like-minded similar expressions of thanks.
Reader Comments (3)
Anil's photography is awesome, simple, elegant, and uncontrived. Nice of him to send that to you.
I will concur that Anil's folio is a thing of beauty and white gloves were the first thing I grabbed before touching one of the amazing prints. Including them with the folio is an excellent idea, along with interleaved tissue.
I really enjoy sitting down at my desk or kitchen table, opening the folio (as I have done many times over) reading the words and slowly going through the images one at a time. This very act makes me feel a connection to Anil's process, from the click of the shutter to the arranging of the images in the beautiful box, that I don't think I would have had if viewed in a frame hanging on a wall, or even in a book. In a way, in feels very old-fashioned and in this hyper world of technology, I like and appreciate that a great deal. To hold in your hands and see the deep rich beauty of the actual print (which Anil seems to have mastered) is an experience like no other. I think he's found a way to create an intimate and meaningful viewing experience in a relatively cost effective way.
Hi Mark,
Many thanks for putting up a review of my folio on the Landscapist. I am very glad to hear that you liked the work.
I plan on adding interleaving sheets going forward. I also like your idea of throwing in a few protective gloves.
Best regards.