Proofing Prints for a Limited Edition

Deciding how to print an image is a difficult task that I sometimes put off more than I should. The print can be made in so many different ways. I find that leaving various versions of the same print lying around to be inspected during the course of a few days makes it so much easier to decide. I eventually come to a decision, but then I have to explain to the printer exactly what I want.

The important thing is that the finished print is the best quality it can be. I don’t want to look at it in a few years time and wish I had done it differently. A limited edition print run cannot be done again. Ideally I would like to go to the printer to see the first print being made before giving the OK to go ahead.

The light that the print will be viewed under also has a big effect on what you see. Indirect daylight is best but it is inevitable that the print will also be seen under artificial light where it will look completely different. When the print is framed and put under glass it looks different again. The contrast changes and the blacks can look blacker. All these things have to be kept into consideration.

In the case of the Tor di Nona photographs, I have proof prints that were made in the late ’70s, ten years ago and less than a month ago. I am much closer to making a decision but a bit more work is required.

The oldest print is the one I think I prefer. It’s the smallest and in the middle of the photo. It was printed by Robert Horner in Palace Gate, London. Robert was an amazing printer who was passionate about his work. He printed for a lot of top photographers at the time. I recently heard that he had done some printing for Helmut Newton at one point. I remember Robert coming out of the darkroom to discuss certain aspects of my photographs that he found interesting. He would sometimes notice things even I hadn’t seen.

I will talk about Robert again in the future and discuss one photograph in particular that caught his attention.