Printing centered or offset with wide borders?

Ilovemycam · Nov 14, 2012

When printing an undersize image on a larger paper (inkjet or darkroom) do you prefer the image centered on the paper or offset somewhat?

If offset, what formula do you use to figure offset?

I'd be printing roughly a 9 x 12 image on a 13 x 19 paper. But still don't know what size works best, so my image size is flexible. Maybe I'll go with a 7 x 10? Will just have to run some off to see what looks good for size.

The_Traveler · Nov 14, 2012

If there is a substantial margin, I leave a bit more on the bottom that the top but otherwise even.

compur · Nov 14, 2012

Back in the day there was a rule about this that said if you exactly centered the photo it would appear to an observer as being slightly lower than center due to an optical illusion. So, the rule was to place it slightly higher than center to offset this effect. I'm not sure how valid this is but I've usually kept it in mind when printing or cutting window matts by placing it a fraction of an inch higher than exact center. Seems to work out OK though I don't think it's a big deal.

ann · Nov 14, 2012

There are types of images that work very well centered.

I am not a fan of centered framing, use off center. The rule of thumb is the bottom should be at least 1/2 inch to 1 inch deeper than the sides and top, which should be the same.

I personally like lot of white around the image and sometimes do much more than an inch. The image always dictates the diameter for me.

Derrel · Nov 14, 2012

I vastly,vastly prefer off-center, and follow this rule: 1 unit, 1 unit, 1 unit, 1.5 units. Obviously, the 1.5 unit spacing goes at the BOTTOM edge of the print. Printed this way, images have a visual "base" when displayed on matt board, framed, or even on an easel or layed flat on a table. Perfectly-centered matting and framing always looks amateurish and unstudied to me. Same with prints on larger sheets of paper. YMMV.

terri · Nov 14, 2012

Sometimes square images look great perfectly centered. For most images, bottom weighted is the most visually appealing for me. Really, it has less to do with printing and more to do with matting and framing for me.