Originally posted by impete82 is it matte? mat? or mount?
Matte is a finish, so it is "mat." A mount is the mount used to mount the photo, which strictly speaking has nothing to do with the mat. A mount, for example would be a "dry mount" or a "hinged mount," etc.
I enter a lot of contests and fairs. Around here, and a lot of other places, they use a format that they call "Salon Prints." More often than not they specify a salon print must be mounted in some fashion on (or behind) a 16x20 (inches) mat.
Typically people mount 8x10's to this size mat, either directly on top of the mat material or behind a window cut in the mat. In the latter case, that means using foam board to mount the photo, then the mat with window on top. In essence both the mat and the photo use a 4x5 aspect ratio. This seems to appeal to people sense of order.
I personally really like the look of an 8x12 mounted on a 16x20 mat, so this is what * I * use. The 8x12 is the "natural" size of a digital frame, and I am careful to maintain this 2x3 aspect ratio even when cropping. It loos very good mounted on a large 16x20 mat.
I mount using dry mounting typically. I always use an acid free mount board chiefly because it just is not that much more expensive. I mount behind a cut in window on the mat. As Gary notes, this is because it sets up a buffer that keeps the photo off the glass... which ALWAYS leads to issues. I usually use white or black mats, but sometimes colors. Color landscapes/fauna are often enhanced by colored mats, whereas B&W portraits often look good in black; B&W landscapes are often well suited for a white mat - sometime black.
I usually do not immediately place my mounted and matted prints in a frame right away, but show them first in whatever show they are going to be in. After they come back to me, I mount them in a very simple black wooden frame designed for 16x20. I finish the job by applying a proper back using backing paper, usually in black. This seals the installation and keeps dust from finding its way into the installation, while still allowing it to breath in different conditions.
As far as special materials, my photo paper is always archival, but if the print is something I really want to hang for a very extended period of time, I use an acid free hinge instead of dry mount and an archival quality acid free mat. I top that off with UV glass, and basically this yields a print that can be hung on the wall without much thought for loss due to fading.
>> i spent more time driving my brain crazy thinking about matte or no matte
>> than a chick does deciding on which dress to wear to prom.
Sexist and demeaning comparisons aside, there is something to be said for making measured decisions and taking an appropriate amount of time to implement the same, especially where aesthetics are concerned.
Hope this helps.
woof!