«

I'm trying to archive photographs with my digital camera. I need glass
to hold the photos flat, and I read that it is best to use non
reflective glass. Where do I get that?

And what exactly is it? Is it just regular glass with an antireflective
coating? Or is it some kind of special glass? Or is it some of plastic
or polycarbonate?

On 26 Aug 2005 11:01:33 -0700, "Bucky" <> wrote:

>I'm trying to archive photographs with my digital camera. I need glass
>to hold the photos flat, and I read that it is best to use non
>reflective glass. Where do I get that?
>
>And what exactly is it? Is it just regular glass with an antireflective
>coating? Or is it some kind of special glass? Or is it some of plastic
>or polycarbonate?

Glass is Glass not polycarbonate. Go see you local frame shop they
can sell it to you.


************************************************** ****

"I have been a witness, and these pictures are
my testimony. The events I have recorded should
not be forgotten and must not be repeated."

-James Nachtwey-
http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/

> I'm trying to archive photographs with my digital camera. I need glass
> to hold the photos flat, and I read that it is best to use non
> reflective glass. Where do I get that?

The glass should /not/ hold the photos flat. The photos should /not/ touch
the glass. You should mount the photos with non-acidic mat board and back
them with non-acidic foam core or other archival quality mounting board.
Beware of framing in wood without protecting the papers from it. There's
more to the process than I have time to post - it's worth spending $15 on a
good book or reading up online.

All this effort and expense will not mean much if you aren't printing on
archival quality paper with archival quality inks. A tip - prints you get
from Walmart aren't archival quality.

One thing to consider - the actual archival of the digital file is more
valuable than trying to achieve archival quality mounting/framing. You can
always reprint the image, cut a new mat from the dimensions of the old one.
Whole process probably takes 20 minutes per image every 5 years or so. You
probably need to pull the frames to clean out the bugs every 2 or 3 years
anyway.

Now to answer your original question - you should consider getting UV
protective plexi-glass. It's lighter, not very breakable, easier to work
with than glass. The only down side is it can be scratched if not handled
carefully. But if the plexi was going to be scratched, a glass glaze would
probably break - that can scratch or otherwise damage the print. The
ultimate purpose for the glaze is to protect the print and IMO plexi does a
better job than glass.

Michaels has most supplies you'll ever need to get started and their staff
is quite helpful.

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home

BTW, a book I recommend on framing/matting/archiving:

"Picture Perfect Framing" by Katie DuMont

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

or

http://tinyurl.com/7mj9h



Good luck and have fun!

--
Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com

Beach Bum wrote:
> The glass should /not/ hold the photos flat. The photos should /not/ touch
> the glass. You should mount the photos with non-acidic mat board and back
> them with non-acidic foam core or other archival quality mounting board.

Are we talking about the same thing? By "archiving" I meant that I was
using my digital camera as a scanner to convert previously printed
photos into digital files.

"Beach Bum" <> wrote in message
news:flJPe.66277$ ...
>> I'm trying to archive photographs with my digital camera. I need glass
>> to hold the photos flat, and I read that it is best to use non
>> reflective glass. Where do I get that?
>
> The glass should /not/ hold the photos flat. The photos should /not/
> touch
> the glass. You should mount the photos with non-acidic mat board and back
> them with non-acidic foam core or other archival quality mounting board.
> Beware of framing in wood without protecting the papers from it. There's
> more to the process than I have time to post - it's worth spending $15 on
> a
> good book or reading up online.
>
> All this effort and expense will not mean much if you aren't printing on
> archival quality paper with archival quality inks. A tip - prints you get
> from Walmart aren't archival quality.
>
> One thing to consider - the actual archival of the digital file is more
> valuable than trying to achieve archival quality mounting/framing. You
> can
> always reprint the image, cut a new mat from the dimensions of the old
> one.
> Whole process probably takes 20 minutes per image every 5 years or so.
> You
> probably need to pull the frames to clean out the bugs every 2 or 3 years
> anyway.
>
> Now to answer your original question - you should consider getting UV
> protective plexi-glass. It's lighter, not very breakable, easier to work
> with than glass. The only down side is it can be scratched if not handled
> carefully. But if the plexi was going to be scratched, a glass glaze
> would
> probably break - that can scratch or otherwise damage the print. The
> ultimate purpose for the glaze is to protect the print and IMO plexi does
> a
> better job than glass.
>
> Michaels has most supplies you'll ever need to get started and their staff
> is quite helpful.
>
> http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home
>
> BTW, a book I recommend on framing/matting/archiving:
>
> "Picture Perfect Framing" by Katie DuMont
>
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846
>
> or
>
> http://tinyurl.com/7mj9h
>
>
>
> Good luck and have fun!
>
> --
> Mark
>
> Photos, Ideas & Opinions
> http://www.marklauter.com
>
>critcher said

think he means where he can get non reflective glass to hold the photos flat
while he re-photographs them.

> > The glass should /not/ hold the photos flat. The photos should /not/
touch
> > the glass. You should mount the photos with non-acidic mat board and
back
> > them with non-acidic foam core or other archival quality mounting board.
>
> Are we talking about the same thing? By "archiving" I meant that I was
> using my digital camera as a scanner to convert previously printed
> photos into digital files.

Doh! Not at all. My bad.

--
Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com

"Bucky" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> I'm trying to archive photographs with my digital camera. I need glass
> to hold the photos flat, and I read that it is best to use non
> reflective glass. Where do I get that?
>
> And what exactly is it? Is it just regular glass with an antireflective
> coating? Or is it some kind of special glass? Or is it some of plastic
> or polycarbonate?
>
Are the photos glossy? It might be better to aim two lights in from each
side and darken the rest of the room to avoid refections. You can then use
regular glass or plexi. If you still want AR glass, it is called "museum"
glass at the frame shops. It gives a faint blue-green reflection. Very
expensive stuff and not all stock it.
John

critcher wrote:
> "Beach Bum" <> wrote in message
> news:flJPe.66277$ ...
>>> I'm trying to archive photographs with my digital camera. I need
>>> glass to hold the photos flat, and I read that it is best to use
>>> non
>>> reflective glass. Where do I get that?
>>
>> The glass should /not/ hold the photos flat. The photos should
>> /not/
>> touch
>> the glass.

<snap> <er, snip>

>> critcher said
>
> think he means where he can get non reflective glass to hold the
> photos flat while he re-photographs them.

I had a couple framed by professionals a few years back. They offered
plain non-reflective and non-reflective with anti-UV. I got the
latter. It has worked fine, for both purpose, so far.

The pros operated in the back of a full-service crafts shop. I'd
reckon such a store or supplier in your neigborhood would offer or be
able to contact suppliers of non-reflective glass.

My effort in archiving old prints before scanner was with a copy stand
(two lights at 45-deg from the surface of a frame intended to hold
photo paper under an enlarger. With a large, black posterboard baffle
with a lens cutout, a single switch for the lights, an angle finder,
and a lot of persistence and stamina, I was able to do a couple
hundred in a couple days.

Post-scanner it was less physically demanding, but no less drudgery
for a fourth of the time investment.

--
Frank ess
"I can't sing, but I know how to,
which is quite different."
-- Noel Coward

In article <. com>,
"Bucky" <> wrote:

> I'm trying to archive photographs with my digital camera. I need glass
> to hold the photos flat, and I read that it is best to use non
> reflective glass. Where do I get that?
>
> And what exactly is it? Is it just regular glass with an antireflective
> coating? Or is it some kind of special glass? Or is it some of plastic
> or polycarbonate?

If the glass touches the photos it is no longer archived. Any moisture
will be trapped between them and possible make the glass and the image
stick together. Photos that are not flat should be mounted accordingly.

Non-reflective glass is a glass with a coating of non-reflective
material on both sides. It inhibits direct reflection, allowing a very
clear view of the photograph. In some light, it does cast a blue-green
reflection, but this is minor. The trade name is Denglas.

OH, and make it UV safe as well.

Beach Bum wrote:
> Doh! Not at all. My bad.

Well, apparently "archive" has a meaning that I was not aware of. I
should have been more specific in the original post.