| Re: portraits over fire place...ok?
I would not put a portrait right over an open, working fireplace because there will always be smoke and gases surrounding it. Not very many fireplaces are still fully open though.
If it's an enclosed fireplace, I tell customers to make sure that the photo has 'heat seal' applied to it. It's a product from Drytac that seals the image under heat and tons on pressure with a UV protective layer. It's specially made for photos and art. Seal makes one that is not heat applied and I personally would never use it.
A gas fireplace should not be a problem as long as it's properly installed.
I watched the interview with Wilhelm on Luminous Landscape and he confirmed what I have always felt - photos degrade from environmental problems (gases in the air) as much as UV fading. That's why I have always liked the Drytac product, it's sealed.
The bigger issue is hanging portraits in an area of bright sunlight, even if the sun doesn't hit it directly. Experience in my own home in 25 years with a huge window wall is that sunlight, even bouncing off walls & floors is fatal to any type of fine art or photos. I've got properly framed limited edition prints that lasted 15 years and never got a second of direct sunlight.
I've also had wall portraits printed on supposedly 100+ year Epson inks hanging in commercial buildings where there is no sunlight at all, but fluorescent light 6 feet away that have faded in 5 years.
The best answer is to guarantee nothing and trust no mfg. claims.
Doug  | 
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