Ray prints all his own photographs on a large format Epson inkjet printer. The inks that are used are Epson archival inks and the media used is Permajet Oyster 271gms photographic paper. The quality of the inks and media that are used for printing the photographs has a large impact on the way the photographic print looks.

He then mount the prints onto ‘non acidic’ mount board. He then laminates the mounted print with an acrylic laminate in a vacuum hot press. He will use either a ‘canvastex’ or ‘gloss lustre’ laminate. The canvastex laminate gives the finished print a canvas appearance. Laminate provides physical protection to the photos allowing them to be viewed without reflections or glare and allowing them to be easily wiped down whilst eliminating the possibility of annoying fingerprints. The laminates also have built in UV control qualities.

He then makes the frames. The mouldings from which the frames are made are selected to complement and enhance the print in terms of colour and texture. This inevitably means (because of the subject matter), that the common denominator for the frames is that they have a ‘drift wood’, ‘washed out’ feel and appearance. The mouldings from which the frames are made are delivered in approximately three metre lengths and whilst generically they will be the same, the wood ‘grain’ and the ‘knots’, and even the intensity of the colour will differ from length to length. This means that it is impossible make two identical frames, so each and every frame that is made is unique and cannot be repeated. Black and white prints will be framed with C2919 moulding and colour prints with either D3678-D3679-D3680 or D3681 mouldings.


Ray is a member of the Fine Arts Trade Guild.