Because Printed Photos>Digital Files

[eric-holmes]

I shared this picture a while back. I just recently had it printed and framed. This is how photography is supposed to be shared.

 

[phiya]

Very nice Eric, where did you get it framed? I want to get some of my stuff framed for my house and office, but it's so damned expensive everywhere I look.

 

[KmH]

Yep, I like to print and frame my favorite images.

When looking at framed and matted images there is an inherent human visual perception problem, particularly with rectangular images.

If an image is placed directly in the center of a mat that has equal width borders, the human eye will perceive that the image sits slightly below center, and it will look top-heavy.

A bottom weighted mat compensates for this illusion and better balances the presentation. The most common weighted mat design has a bottom border about ½” wider than the top and sides. A weighted mat border is also called a “drop”.
It is also quite popular to weight your mat with a much wider bottom border (1" or more), so that the window is obviously higher in the mat. This is an aesthetic choice and can work well to set off a smaller piece of artwork.

For juried competitions quite heavily weighted mats are often seen, even mats with both bottom and side weight.

For my taste the frame used here is to wide and the frame/mat width ratio draws attention away from the image.
A frame that has less width than the mat tends to lead the eye to the image. Double or triple mats can also help lead the eye to the image, as can mat and frame color.

 

[Josh66]

Very nice Eric, where did you get it framed? I want to get some of my stuff framed for my house and office, but it's so damned expensive everywhere I look.

For frames, I like this place:

Frames By Mail - Your source for picture frames.


I don't really have a good local option, so they work good for me. They have everything from low budget simple frames, to expensive exotic wood frames... Any size you want. They will cut mats for you in any size too.

So far, I have never had an issue with them.

 

[KmH]

I get a lot of my framing supplies from an outfit in Oregon: www.documounts.com because most of the personal prints I have made are a custom size.

I do most of my own mat and frame assembly too, ordering just the parts.

 

[CCericola]

Light Impressions is another choice for cost effective custom framing. They have framimg supplies if you can DIY or they can cut everything for you.

 

[eric-holmes]

Thanks everyone. With my new lens arrival, I forgot all about this thread. I had a local shop frame it for me. I should (and may) check into framing them my self. I am pretty handy with carpentry, so maybe it wouldn't be that hard.

 

[Trever1t]

I also print my favorites. I need framing skills

 

[Alistair]

If they are around where ya live, Hobby Lobby is also a fantastic place to look. They are always having their frames on sale, and they also make custom!

 

[KmH]

Thanks everyone. With my new lens arrival, I forgot all about this thread. I had a local shop frame it for me. I should (and may) check into framing them my self. I am pretty handy with carpentry, so maybe it wouldn't be that hard.

It's not if you have the right tools.

Cutting the rabbet can be tricky with framing that doesn't have a flat front face.

By the time you gather all the necessary equipment you discover it's cheaper and so much simpler to have someone else do it for you.

For what it's worth, IMO that was not a good frame (to wide) for that mat and image. Being so wide it draws attention from the image itself.