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Old 14th January 2010, 11:21 PM
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Default RC or Fibre based?

Given that RC papers are more dimensionally stable in conditions where temperature can be variable, ie, exhibition gallery walls, is there any advantage to using fibre base papers?

I have RC prints from my late fathers-in-law's photographic days (50s - 60s), not kept in any sort of archived conditions and they look just fine. With that in mind is there any proven reason to use fibre based papers even for sale as mounted 'modern silver gelatine' limited prints?
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Old 15th January 2010, 01:22 PM
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Les McLean Les McLean is offline
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Hi Paul,
I too have RC prints from many years ago, 35 years, that show no sign of any problems. From an archival viewpoint that would indicate that there is no reason why galleries should be reluctant to accept images made on RC paper. Having said that, prints made on fibre papers have been around for something like 100 years and are still perfectly OK whereas RC is relatively new by comparison making their real long term permanence unproven. On those grounds I can understand galleries reluctance to deal in what can be termed an unproven product although in defence of RC some galleries are dealing in digital images which is still in it's early infancy compared to fibre prints.

I think it is well known that I do not like or use RC papers for finished work although I am happy to do a demonstration with them My reasons are that, in my opinion, are that a fibre print will always appear to be part of the paper, in effect showing more depth. The image appears to be a part of the paper, a;most embedded into the fibre, whereas a print made on RC paper always looks to me as though it is sitting on the surface and shows little or no depth. I have no problem with the tonality and contrast achievable with RC paper so the differences are not related to those aspects of image quality. I'm sorry if my feelings regarding the differences I have tried to describe here are not clear, I simply cannot find the words to express what I see when making comparisions. I'd ask you to print the same image on both papers, preferably from the same manufacturer, for example Ilford Warmtone of Multigrade IV, and view them to see how the fibre print has more depth than the RC.

Paul thanks for an interesting question which embraced two aspects of our passion, firstly, the technical quality of the products that we use, and a second what I consider to be more a more artistic, emotional and highly personal viewpoint.
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Old 15th January 2010, 03:24 PM
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Cheers Les.

I assumed you would come down in favour of FB and I fully accept an image does look infinately more luxurious compared to RC. I just never fully understood why galleries wished to displaying FB prints, no RC prints but inkjets, sorry, Giclee prints are fully acceptable.

Anyway, guess I'll have to bit the bullet and save up for some FB paper then. All the best for now and give me shout next time your back in Belfast.(And have a minute to spare.)
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