Term I've never seen, help please

[benlonghair]

I'm looking at entering a state photo contest at my local agricultural fair. It refers to "salon prints" and I've never heard that term.

Here's the context: "Each exhibitor may enter a maximum of two photos in each lot. Lot 1: Black and White Salon Print . . . Lot 3: Black and White snapshots. . ."

Any idea what this means? Quick google turned up nothing.

 

[UUilliam]

Nails, Hair dressing, Beauty i presume?

 

[Clawed]

Salon prints? Lol, I can safely say I have no idea what that could be referring to.

 

[beni_hung]

I have no idea, either.

 

[Dwig]

There is no standard or proper definition. The phrase is most often used to refer to a print mounted on a larger piece of mounting board (e.g. an 8x10 print on a 16x20 board) and possibly with a window matt attached. Contests usually specify a maximum, and sometimes minimum, size for the mount and the print separately.

 

[Derrel]

A salon print is synonymous with an "exhibition print". It means a print designed for display in a gallery situation--and that usually means a larger-than-normal print but not necessarily) and a print that will be viewed under relatively strong, direct illumination, usually from strong,artificial light sources.

A print that is to be displayed under glass, and that will be illuminated with strong artificial light needs to be printed a bit differently that a print that will be hung in, say, a dim, indoor hallway, or which will be presented in a folio or portfolio that will be viewed by normal, everyday office or room lighting.

A black and white salon print, for example, can have shadow values that are quite deep, but which when viewed under bright lighting, will show detail simply due to having a LOT of footcandles' wotht of light shone onto the print.A salon print can have deeper, darker blacks than a normal print designed for regular viewing,or one designed to be shot with a process camera and converted into a halftone for publication.

 

[ann]

years ago it also meant to hang all photos in the same direction; ie. the over all mount might be 16x20 all hanging in a vertical direction with the photos under windows going in either horizontal or vertical direction.

it creates a visual balance for a show, rather than having a variety of images in various directions and sizes.

 

[benlonghair]

Ah, so it's a form of mounting. Thanks. I couldn't find it anywhere.

 

[tirediron]

Ah, so it's a form of mounting. Thanks. I couldn't find it anywhere.

Best bet is to contact the category's convener. I've found that especially in smaller fairs meanings like this tend to be mangled a bit. Generally 'Salon Print' seems to refer to a 8x10 or larger fine-art print mounted and/or matted.