Technical Details on my Wild Horse B&W Fine Art Prints I've been working hard on my new Wild Horses of Missouri portfolio and I am excited to share some of my latest prints with you some of the technical details with you in this article. 

The exact origin of the wild horses of Shannon County, Missouri is unknown, but many believe the herds formed during the great depression when locals abandoned their homes and farms and left their horses and livestock behind.  The horses were thought to have gone feral and found a way to survive.  The landscape of the Missouri Ozark's is ancient, dating back at least to over 1.5 billion years ago when a major volcanic event happened which formed the St. Francois Mountains and left behind remnants that we still marvel at today. 

Wild Horses of Missouri B&W Fine Art Print by Tim Layton The story of the wild horses totally captured my attention in 2014 when I was looking to purchase some land to build my new cabin and darkroom off the grid. Once I investigated where to find them and finally made it to the field to see them in person, it was all over for me... I knew at some point in the future, I had to tell the story of these majestic animals and do whatever I could to raise awareness about them. 

They are protected by law now, but this hasn't always been the case.  They were actively hunted and some eliminated and others were removed without any details on their new location before the people of Shannon County got the attention of fellow horse lovers and some key politicians that ultimately helped sponsor a the new law to protect them.  You can read more about the wild horses.

WILD HORSE B&W PRINT TECHNICAL DETAILS

Wild Horses of Missouri B&W Fine Art Prints by Tim Layton I use black and white film to photograph the wild horses because it allows me to communicate the emotion that I have for these majestic wild horses in a way that just isn't possible if I used modern digital gear. 

My process is simple, pure, and full of joy and emotion, just like the wild horses.

My giclée prints are made with black and white film using pH neutral cotton rag paper and archival pigment inks for an archival rating that is likely to exceed 400 years. 

The choice of paper is critical to the overall aesthetics of the artwork, but also for its archival permanence and this is why I use Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. 

Consumer grade papers are typically made using alpha-cellulose (wood pulp). But over time, the pH changes and the resulting acidity causes the paper fibers to turn yellow and eventually break down. The print becomes so fragile, it can no longer be handled without falling apart. 

The best quality papers are made from pH neutral cotton fibers, referred to as "rag" or "cotton rag" and this is why we have standardized on using Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta paper.

Wild Horses of Missouri B&W Fine Art Prints by Tim Layton The Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta paper has a 100% cotton base with a very finely textured gloss surface finish that is very similar to our silver gelatin fine art gallery prints.  This paper also contains barium sulfate to further enhance the density, color gamut, color gradation, and sharpness while maintaining the feel and quality of a traditional darkroom paper.  The paper is also archival with no optical brightening agents (OBA) along with being acid-free and calcium carbonate buffered. Hahnemühle has been making beautiful papers since the 15th century, and we are proud to create our most exceptional artwork on their paper. 

By using archival-based pigment based inks with the Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta paper, I can produce extremely high quality and archival artwork that can last for hundreds of years.  

According to comprehensive tests conducted by Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. (WIR), the world's leading independent permanence testing laboratory, our Designer Series fine art prints have permanence ratings that likely exceed 400 years.  This is all possible because of our choice of Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta paper and the Epson UltraChrome HD pigment inks that we use to make the prints.

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