From: John Cremati (johnjohnc@core.com)
Date: 06/28/03-06:10:12 PM Z
I feel that a solid white mat washes out the highlights just as I
also feel that the black mat washes out the blacks in a print . So
there is a delima as any of the two will wash out something .
The photographer William Mortensen who generally used a white mat
would vary the width of the mat in a attempt to compensate for this white
wash . If the overall image was high key ( a very light print ) he
would use a narrower white mat border and a heavier or wider border for a
darker print .
I think when you place a white mat onto a white wall, the brain goes into
overdrive trying to seperate the higlights from the huge mass of white
surrounding it. I feel it detracts from the image.. . Then if you frame
it in black, it creates a high contrast situation where the mind tries to
adjust to the harsh, contrasty and abstract enviroment that the print
lives in.. Some of the energy you should be spending on viewing the print
I think is subconciously spent on trying to seperate and adjust to this
unnatural setting.... ... I usually then try to come closer to the print
where the minds eye begins to block out some of its surroundings to make
sense of the print....
John Cremati
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