Borders

[Aurora]

I did a search and all the threads I found about borders were about how to do them, not why. Why do you put borders on your photography? Do you always do a black border (I only ask this because it seems to be a very popular color for borders.)

Also, what kind of photos do you put a border around and which do you leave as is?

 

[frXnz kafka]

I often (but not always) put a white border on black and white prints. I never but borders in color images or images that I'm not going to print. I don't really have a reason for doing this, other than I like the way it looks.

Also, my black and white film prints always have a white border.

 

[LaFoto]

On a white or light grey background such as this one here on TPF, the contrasts in photos don't seem to show as clearly as they do against a dark background, and if that is only the size of a border.

Personally, I feel that photos that carry a border (I have a standard border that I build round my photos, it is always the same, really) have a more "finished" look to them. Whenever you see a photo by me without a border, you can be sure I either take that for not border-worthy (snapshot only), or am still working on it and don't consider it finished.

 

[Sweetsomedays]

I agree with Lafoto, gives many images a niced finish look. I don't just tack photo's up on my walls, I put them in frames

I don't have a standard. I like to change it up. I usualy do a think black, then thinner color or white, then finish with a thick ol' black. Some times I like to swap out black for white if the subject calls for it.

I don't frame/boarder snapshots that I am gonna send to the folks. Only special images I am proud of and worked hard on. I spose in a way it gives me closeur. I know that photo is finished time to move onto the next!

 

[Campbell]

Simply put, I like the formal appearance a bordered photograph presents.

 

[Big Mike]

Sometimes the right color of border can really change the way we see an image. It can make it pop or help to bring out colors that might otherwise be overshadowed in an image.

Just ask any professional framer how and why they choose the mattes for the images they frame.

 

[pandinus]

Borders are a great finishing touch to a photo, I think.
I feel that an otherwise good photo, can become great with the right border.

My borders are usually black, white or gray. But some times, I make slight variations.