matting and framing

While I've cut my fair share of mats for prints in the Air Force, I was EXTREMELY limited to the colors we had available through supply...

Not even a lot of black was available, and ee were limited to a maroon, a dark blue (mostly) and varying shades of white/off-white...

How do those of you who mat and frame prints know what colors work best? I've just started printing images for display (long break from Air Force days) and I tend to want only to use black. I don't know that I'm necessarily wrong but with color samples running in the multitudes, it can't be RIGHT every time...

I think if I maybe double mat with an inner that balances with a predominant color in my print, white outer will work but I'm having a difficult time getting myself to actually do that...

Any suggestions?

When it comes to frames again I prefer a plain wood (metal sectionals too) in gloss black. What does everyone think?

I agree, a dark mat & frame will help isolate the image from the usual white walls that they're hung on, & can make a big difference in how it looks, just like when you click on the forum's eyeglasses & they show on a gray background.
The usual white mat tends to make a dark image look even darker. Take a look at this near the bottom of page #2: The gray bar at the center is the same density all the way across.
Post #30 - A few Car Lighting Tips

OTOH, some people want a image/matt color that matches their room/wall, so I don't see a problem with that, either.

Also, there's nothing sacred about 4:3? Crop to the important elements of the image, not to some arbitrary "Standard" frame or paper size. For prints, I never crop to fit a frame! Crop the shot as it should be cropped to make the subject look it's best, & then use a mat to cover the "excess" space in the frame.

Any suggestions for this, I tried a couple precuts and don't like either. I am also on the fence about glass, I like the fact it keeps everything flat and clean but don't like the glare.

Depends on whether it's for a client or personal. Clients get standard aspect ratios and store bought frames. My own stuff is cropped, matted and framed to suit, with whatever suits the pic. For your owl, I would use a black frame with black matte, but use board with a black core. I hate the white core showing, esp on b+w prints

bildeb0rg wrote in post #18981883
Depends on whether it's for a client or personal. Clients get standard aspect ratios and store bought frames. My own stuff is cropped, matted and framed to suit, with whatever suits the pic. For your owl, I would use a black frame with black matte, but use board with a black core. I hate the white core showing, esp on b+w prints

Thanks, the black one has a gold border which might work on another photo but not liking it on this. I will see if they have a solid black, they have a pretty limited selection locally for precut.

Have a Google, there are literally hundreds of options out there. My local framer doesn't carry a lot of stock but is happy to source any matte or bead for me and it gives her other customers a bigger range too.

rgfrison wrote in post #18981801
Any suggestions for this ... ?

Hosted photo: posted by rgfrison in
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forum: Presentation & Building Galleries

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I greatly prefer the black. . In fact, after seeing the two side by side, I can't imagine that anyone would prefer the white for this particular image.

I have questions about the frame:

Why the natural (or stained) wood frame? . Don't you think that a black frame would be a better look for this particular image? . Just curious to know what your thinking was.


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Tom Reichner wrote in post #18981993
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I greatly prefer the black. . In fact, after seeing the two side by side, I can't imagine that anyone would prefer the white for this particular image.

I have questions about the frame:

Why the natural (or stained) wood frame? . Don't you think that a black frame would be a better look for this particular image? . Just curious to know what your thinking was.


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I really have no idea what I am doing when a photo gets to this point. I was wanting to display one at a local mountain store, but not happy enough with either to do so. I am kind of on a shoestring budget atm and the frames were priced right. I guess I thought natural wood, would be more suitable for an outdoor photo, but like I said I have no idea when a photo gets to this point. I need to learn more before purchasing stuff.