Wiltshire College | Darkroom Course Week 7
Mount Board
Cutting
Tonight: prepare your best print for display.
Mount it properly and a good photograph becomes a finished object.
[ Hero shot of a mounted B&W print on a neutral wall — perfect natural light. ]
Today's Mission
WHY AND WHAT
Acid-free materials, board types, three mount approaches.
THE CUT
Measuring, marking, and the 45° bevel.
CAMERA THEME
Abstraction as a way of seeing.
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Why Mount Prints?
Function
- →Protects the print physically.
- →Keeps the surface flat against the wall.
- →Standardises sizes for portfolios and exhibitions.
- →Acid-free materials prevent yellowing and degradation.
Craft
- →A mounted print is finished.
- →The mat is part of the photograph — white space gives the eye room.
- →Consistency across a portfolio makes a body of work feel intentional.
[ Two prints side-by-side: one on bare paper, one with a window mat. ]
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Materials — What to Buy
Mat Board
- →Acid-free / archival — won't yellow over time.
- →Cotton rag (museum board) is the best. Wood-pulp 'conservation' board is the affordable alternative.
- →Standard thickness: 4-ply. Sometimes 8-ply for premium presentation.
- →Surface options: smooth, textured. Whites: bright white, off-white, cream.
Backing Board
- →Same material as the mat, or foam-core if budget-conscious.
- →Slightly larger than the print, smaller than the window mat.
- →Holds the print flat behind the window.
Tape and Hinges
- →Linen tape (archival) for hinging.
- →Reversible: can be removed without damaging the print.
- →Avoid masking tape, sticky tape, double-sided foam — all degrade.
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Three Mount Approaches
Window Mat
Recommended- →Print sits behind a board with a cut window.
- →Print never glued or pressed.
- →Reversible, archival, professional standard.
Float Mount
- →Print mounted on top of a backing board, edges visible.
- →Visually striking, modern look.
- →Reveals the deckled or torn print edge.
Dry Mount
- →Print bonded to backing using heat-activated tissue.
- →Permanent. Once done, cannot be reversed.
- →Falling out of fashion — no longer recommended for archival work.
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The Mat Cutter — Tools
Many options, from a simple straight-edge with a utility knife (cheap, slow) up to professional bench cutters.
Recommended for the Course
- →Logan Compact, Logan Simplex, or similar bench cutter.
- →T-square mat cutter — portable, accurate.
- →Includes: cutting head, guide rail, T-square, blade.
Key Controls
- →Bevel cutting head — sets the 45° angle.
- →Stop — ensures consistent depth and length.
- →Blade — always sharp, always replaced before each session.
[ Photograph of the bench cutter labelled clearly, showing the T-square and blade detail. ]
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Measuring & Marking the Mat
Convention: equal margins on three sides, slightly larger margin on the bottom.
Why? Optical illusion — if all four margins are equal, the bottom looks smaller. The extra space on the bottom corrects for it.
Standard 8×10" Print on 16×20" Board
- →Top margin: 4"
- →Left and right margins: 4"
- →Bottom margin: 4.5" (an extra half-inch)
- →Window aperture: 7.75" × 9.75" (slightly smaller than the print to hold it in place)
MEASURE TWICE. Mark on the BACK of the board with a soft pencil.
[ Diagram of an 8×10" print on 16×20" board with margins labelled. ]
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The 45° Bevel Cut
Set the cutter blade depth — just deep enough to cut through the board, no further.
Position the T-square along your marked line, BEHIND the start of the cut.
Place the cutter head at the start point. Press down evenly. Push in one smooth motion to the end mark.
Repeat for all four sides of the window aperture.
[ Side view diagram of a 45° cut into mat board ]
[ Top-down four-panel sequence of the four cuts ]
Critical
Cut only between your start and end marks. Overshoot, and the corners are visible. Undershoot, and the window stays attached.
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Common Mistakes
Cuts overshoot the corners
FIX: Practice on scrap; mark stop and start clearly; slow down at the end of each cut.
Bevel angle inconsistent
FIX: Replace the blade before each session; press the cutter firmly against the rail.
Window slightly off-square
FIX: Use a true T-square; measure from one reference edge only.
Mat board edges crushed or scratched
FIX: Handle by edges; work on a clean, smooth surface; cover scrap pieces.
[ Crops showing examples of each mistake. ]
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Hinging the Print
Position the print — on the backing board, centred. Lightly mark the corners with a pencil.
Cut two T-shaped paper hinges — strip of acid-free paper. Apply linen tape to one half (sticky side OUT).
Apply hinges — attach to the back of the print at the top corners. Press the sticky tape onto the backing board. The print hangs from two hinges, like curtains.
Why hinge from the top only?
Allows the print to expand and contract with humidity. Pinning all four corners eventually buckles the print.
[ Diagram of a print hung from two T-hinges at the top. ]
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The Final Sandwich
Backing board (with print hinged to it).
Window mat on top — the cut window aligns with the print.
Hinge the window mat to the backing board along the TOP edge with linen tape — they open like a book.
Optional: glassine slip-cover for portfolio storage.
For framing: glass over the mat, then the frame.
RESULT: a finished, archival presentation.
[ Cross-section side diagram of all layers stacked together. ]
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Camera Theme — What is Abstraction?
"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary."
— Aaron Rose
Abstraction in photography means: the subject is not a thing, but a quality — shape, line, texture, light, shadow, pattern.
[ A B&W abstract image — ambiguous subject, strong form. ]
What changes in your shooting
- →Get closer (or further).
- →Look for shapes before subjects.
- →Watch light, not the object the light falls on.
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Macro & Detail
Principle
- →Get close. Closer than feels natural.
- →The smaller the area you photograph, the more abstract it becomes.
- →Bark, leaves, ice, fabric, oil on water — all become abstract at close range.
Shooting Tips
- →Macro lens or close-focus lens (50mm + extension tube).
- →Tripod — tiny camera shake is amplified at close range.
- →Shallow DOF — use it deliberately; let parts blur.
- →Light is everything — raking side-light reveals texture.
[ Two example abstracts: bark close-up, water surface. ]
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Pattern, Texture, Shape
Pattern
- →Look for repeating elements: brickwork, fencing, ripples, shadows.
- →Fill the frame entirely with the pattern — no edges, no context.
Texture
- →The surface character of an object.
- →Requires directional light to cast micro-shadows.
Shape
- →Reduce the world to silhouettes and geometric forms.
- →Expose for the highlights to plunge shadows into pure black.
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Light & Shadow as the Subject
Principle
- →Stop looking at the object. Look at the shadow it casts.
- →High contrast (hard light) creates graphic, abstract shapes.
- →A shadow on a blank wall is often more interesting than the thing casting it.
Shooting Tips
- →Time of day matters more than location. Early morning or late afternoon.
- →Expose for the highlights — let the shadows fall to pure black.
- →Look for light slicing through blinds, fences, or architectural gaps.
[ Example: a hard shadow cast across a textured wall. ]
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Practical — Cut a Mat for Your Best Print
Choose your best print from the course so far.
Measure and mark the window on the back of the mat board (remember the bottom margin rule).
Cut the 45° bevel using the bench cutter.
Hinge the print and the mat to the backing board.
[ Photograph of students working at the mat cutter. ]
Goal
Leave tonight with one exhibition-ready, archival mounted print.
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Homework — The Abstract Series
Shoot
- →Shoot one roll dedicated entirely to abstraction.
- →Try to capture at least one of each: Macro/Detail, Pattern/Texture, Light/Shadow.
- →Develop the film and make a contact sheet.
- →Select your three strongest abstract images and print them at 8×10".
Mount
- →Cut window mats and hinge-mount at least TWO of your final prints.
- →Bring them to Week 8 for the final group critique.
[ A beautifully mounted abstract print ready for exhibition. ]
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Resources & Look Ahead — Week 8
Photographers to Look At
Abstracts from nature and urban decay.
Abstracting the city through reflections and condensation.
Walls, peeling paint, pure form.
Next Week: The Finale
- Bring your mounted prints.
- Group critique: we will lay out the work and discuss it.
- Final Q&A and course wrap-up.
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