Images that are stored locally must be protected. Standard, VI file cards are commonly used throughout the Navy to protect and file photographic images. These file cards may be color coded to distinguish classification, subject matter, time frame, and so forth. Standard file cards are made of sturdy paper stock A print of the image, the VIRIN, and the classification are included on the face side of the file card, and the negative and caption are attached to the back. Downgrading instructions must be included for classified images. All negatives filed or handled must be protected by negative preservers.

Photographic negatives and prints should be carefully stored in a file cabinet so they are protected.

You should avoid storing photographic products in cardboard boxes. To prevent damage, never store photographic negatives and prints in storerooms, quonset huts, bilges and so on, where they may be subject to adverse conditions, such as direct sunlight, UV radiation, water, dampness, high humidity, and high temperatures. Videocassettes, audio tapes, and floppy disks must never come in to contact with a magnetic field. A good general rule is to store file images in climatic conditions under which you would be comfortable.

PRINT MOUNTING

For exhibition and display, prints are mounted or matted on a stiff board. The difference between mounting and matting is the way in which a print is attached to the board. When a print is mounted, it is stuck on the face of a mounting board. When a print is matted, it is attached to the back of the board and the image is placed behind a cut opening. When matted, a print is often taped into place, thus the matt can be temporary. Generally, prints that are framed are matted. In both cases, the board enhances the picture by providing a broad border as well as protecting the edges against damage.

When you are preparing a print for exhibition or display, your goal should always be to show the print to best advantage. Simplicity is the best strategy. Elaborate artwork or fancy lettering can often detract from the photograph.

Generally, prints for display purposes are mounted or matted on special card stock to make them stand out from their surroundings. Card stock used for mounting photographic prints should be free of acid or sulfur that can deteriorate the print quality. Card stock is available in various sizes, colors, textures, and weights. There are no hard-and-fast rules for mounting prints, but the card stock should compliment the print. The mount should be large enough to balance and support the picture, and the texture and color should compliment the overall tone.

The way the print is placed on the mounting board is important. Prints mounted at odd angles or in a corner of the mount unbalance the photograph. The bottom border on most mounts is the widest border of all. Normally, prints are mounted so the top and side border of the mount are equal. To provide balance, you should ensure the bottom border is 25 to 35 percent wider than the top and side borders. There are two types of adhesives for mounting prints: wet and dry.

Wet Method

Liquid adhesives, such as rubber cement and spray-on adhesives, can be used to mount prints. These two adhesives are easy and clean to use. After they dry, the excess adhesive can be removed easily by rubbing it lightly. The drawback to using rubber cement and spray-on adhesives is that they are not permanent. In time the print may loosen and peel off the mount. Rubber cement is an ideal adhesive for temporary mounts used in displays or for copying. Gum arabic, glue, or paste should be avoided whenever possible. These adhesives are known to stain the print or smear out from around the edges of the print. This causes smudges on the mounting board.

Dry Method

A dry print-mounting method that uses a pressure-sensitive adhesive is in common use in the Navy. Pressure-sensitive adhesives come in a variety of sizes in both rolls and sheets. These adhesives form a permanent bond and are easy to use for resin-coated papers. To use these materials, you simply apply the print to the sticky surface of the mounting material. You then peel off the protective backing and apply it to a mounting board. If the print is not aligned correctly, you can remove the print and reapply it. Once the print is correctly in place, you must apply pressure to the print and mounting board. Normally, this is done by running the print and mounting board through a specially designed roller assembly. This assembly applies pressure to the materials being mounted. The pressure-sensitive adhesive material contains tiny beads of adhesive. The pressure breaks these beads and releases the adhesive. Once pressure is applied to the materials being mounted, a permanent bond is formed.

A dry-mount press can also be used to mount photographic prints. With a dry-mounting press, heat is used to fuse a mounting tissue between the print and the mounting surface.

A dry-mount press is designed to provide uniform pressure and heat. Even pressure is an important aspect of good, dry mounting. Adequate pressure helps squeeze out air from between the adhesive, print, and mounting board. You should operate the dry-mount press at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer of the mounting tissue. It is better to use a slightly lower temperature to mount prints than a temperature that is too high. Excessive temperatures may cause damage to the print. When temperatures are too high for RC papers, the resin coating blisters or bubbles.

Porous materials, such as mounting board and rag-stock paper, absorb moisture from the air. This moisture becomes trapped between the layers and causes blisters and bubbles in the finished work For best results, you should predry the materials before beginning the dry-mounting process. This can be done by heating the mounting board or paper in the mounting press to remove the moisture.

The time required to form a good bond varies when you are using a dry-mounting press. You should mount the prints for a minimum amount of time-the time required to squeeze out air and moisture from the materials and to activate the adhesive. Because different materials have different thicknesses and heat-conducting characteristics, you must experiment to determine what amount of time is required to form a good mount. Whenever possible, you should use scraps of materials that are the same as your finished work to determine the best time and temperature for dry-mounting prints.

The final stage of finishing for some photographs is to frame them. There is an infinite number of colors and materials available for framing photographs. The same principles apply for framing photographs that apply to mounting or matting prints. Keep it simple and choose a frame that compliments the photograph, rather than distract from the picture.