photo mount question

[framenart]

I have recently dry-mounted some digital photos and there is a haze on them. In testing other photos, I am not finding this haze.

Upon investigation, I find that the Fuji process that was used on the ones with the "haze" is a two-step, where there is a donor paper and a receiver paper.

Does anyone know what could be causing this? - How to avoid it?

Thanks

Suanne
Albuquerque

[Ron Eggers]

Suanne,

I assume you heat-mounted these prints. I heat mount my own digital prints - from an Epson 2000P printer on Epson archival papers using the pigmented inks - without problems. But there are so many new digital printing processes out there, using unknown papers and inks, that I won't heat mount customers' digital prints. If I can't hinge them behind a mat for some reason, I cold mount them using Crescent's Perfect Mount on Super Smooth board.

Some of the processes used are thermal prints that melt and transfer to the cover sheet. Others will heat mount without obvious complications, but the effective life of the print is shortened drastically.

This is just an extension of the old rule-of-thumb: Don't heat mount something you can't easily replace.

[Lance E]

The Fuji wax prints are sometimes very unstable, whether this is due to a malfunction in the machine or paper I am unsure.
Things are looking up though, there is no longer a great deal of professionals using ink-jet, dye-sub or other cheap nasty machinery for printing of digital images, LED and projection printers are becoming more popular and more affordable for labs.

[AndyPan, CPF]

Also keep in mind to check the release paper/board if you have noticed any hazing after drymounting a digital print, BEFORE you drymount anything else. Often times the "hazing" is caused by some of the ink being transfered to the release paper, and this will in turn transfer to anything the goes into your press afterwards. Trust me, I've done it! :D :D

[Jack Cee]

This is one of those times when it is wise not to use any form of heat while mounting a photograph. We use a cold vacume press for mounting photographs and usually mount them on 3
x board.

Jack Cee

[framenart]

Thanks to all of you who offered advice!

After many, many calls to Fuji, Hunt, and e-mails to the mounting experts, I found that the Fuji paper had changed recently!!!!

I have also learned more about this Fuji process, which is a dye transfer, using a donor paper and a receiver paper.

Don't really know if the paper change "caused" the fibrous haze on the surface of the photos, but it is the only variable I could find that had indeed changed.

Will be taking your advice and be VERY careful about mounting digital photos in the future.

Thanks again!

Suanne

[AndyPan, CPF]

I am hesitant to mention this, as I am not sure about it's concervation merit, AND I have only done so to my own digital pics. Whenever I have had problems with the hazing of a digital image, I have found that spraying the photo with Krylon matt spray works wonders!!! Granted, it essential turns a glossy photo into a matte finished photo, the end result is still pretty nice, and under glass, virtually undetectable.

Again, this is an "iffy" technique at best. I would hesitate to do so to a customer's photo, unless I had their permission.

Any thoughts?

[ERIC]

I found that for any photo 11 x 14 or smaller, I automatically use a cold mount method w/3M's PMA (Positionable mounting adhesive) It doesn't require the press, you burnish by hand. I've had no problems, only great results.

Andy, aside from C/P concerns, you are right. The various artists sprays work great to make digital printing look good. I have one graphic designer who wants the UV blocking spray put on all his work.