Which Frame Enhances The Image?

bill boehme wrote in post #6632764
I found the terra cotta color about 3/4 inch to the right of the sun (I ams till trying to drum up support for terra cotta ops.

I am seeing the dark mat as being a very dark gray (actually with a very slight mauve tint if the luminosity is increased). I get the impression that everyone else is seeing black -- is this correct? The actual color value is R=18, G=16, and B=17.

You're right - I moved it to my better monitor.

But it's still too dark, even though not pure black.

I'd have to see your terra cotta, but yeah something with some color from the photo I agree. Or 80% grey or so.

The dark mat is definately a dark grey just to seperate it from the black frame. It would be difficult to show the black frame with the black mat if I didn't make the slight colour shift.

As for the purity of the white mat I was actually going to choose a warm white rather than a blue white to enhance the sunset.

Bill: I'm actually going to try your terra cotta idea. It intriques me

For everyone who commented on the actual image, thank you. It is one that was posted by me several months ago as part of a series.

I tried the terra cotta Bill, and if I knew where the image was actually going I may be able to pull that one off.

Since I don't have any idea about the final destination of the print, I want to stick with completely neutral colours. A warm white worked nice though.

LeuceDeuce wrote in post #6629461
Which Mat/Frame combo?

Hey Deuce,
Just my $.02 here as always, but between the two, I like the white with the black border much better than the basic black. That said, if this is for a print (I think you said it was somewhere), then perhaps a nice textured red mat with the black frame would work even better. I like the black and white framing/matte scheme for some things, but more often than not (as with images themselves) I prefer at least a little bit of color. With this shot, again between the two I like the white better, but I still think the white stands out too much.

When I'm doing mattes and frames my attitude is that the matte and frame shouldn't distract from the image itself...they should work as a means to draw the eye into the image. To give you a "negative" example of what I'm talking about, I was in a local framing shop here while back to get some matte board (if you haven't guessed, I do all my own framing). There was a young couple in there and from my vantage point I couldn't see the image they were having framed, but I could see the frame they had chosen...it was well beyond hideous! LOL!!! It was this gaudy, bright gold abomination that looked like it should have been burned as firewood back in the 16th century....and they paid $800 for it too boot! I kept asking myself -why- anyone would want to put any picture in such a horrible and tasteless frame and then I saw the painting itself...it looked like Walt Disney puked on a piece of canvas! Seriously, I've seen finger paintings from young retarded children that were SIGNIFICANTLY better than this piece of crap...I almost had an aneurysm just looking at it from two isles over! It was clear that in this case, the point was to draw the viewers attention away from the actual picture in the frame! LOL!!!

Personally, when I'm framing an image...at least one of my own images...I tend to be fairly conservative. I like simple wood frames without too much detail and I'll usually use my color wheel to chose the color for the mattes (I do tend to double matte most of my images). Just my opinion of course, but I find a color wheel to be most valuable when choosing matte colors...if you don't already have one, they're well worth the $3-$4 and can usually be found at any decent art supplies store. In the case of your image here, since there's actually a lot of "blue" (the sky and the water which dominates most of the image), I'd probably go with a double matte with the outside matte being a nice textured dark maroon(ish) color and the inner matte being a plain medium to brighter red and then I'd put the whole thing in a dark colored or black frame.

BTW...it is a lovely image. As you say the shadow detail on the shoreline is a bit dark and lacks detail, but that sky and sunset are just wonderful. Personally I might try and do a little more processing on it for the print to bring back some of that shadow detail but otherwise a very nice composition.

Again just my $.02 worth as always,
Jim

I prefer a whiter mat, I go for white or near white or light gray depending on the image. I actually prefer to choose a frame that complements the image rather than trying to get a mat to complement it completely. I knew someone who would sometimes use colored paper and cut a window in that that was slightly smaller than the mat and put that over the image for an accent (or you can have that printed in if printing digitally).

Usually I'll go for various natural wood frames but I'll use metal if the overall scene is "metallic" and works with a metal frame.

well they both go nice. black one highlites the darker tones and the sky, and white does better for the sea and reflection of the sun. I would personally go with the dark grey
nice photo btw

I really don't like either:o The photo is so fabulous that I just think a thin lined frame is all it needs? I sent you a message.

It's amazing how much feedback you can get when you ask a specific question

I appreciate it all, and has given me much to think about.

The major theme I'm getting though is that it's a very, very personal choice. Since I really have no clue where the final print is going to hang (it's surroundings or wall colour) I don't feel I can use any coloured mat. I would not, however, be against a coloured mat if I knew it was for me in my own home.

I think my final choice will be a double mat warm white (I warmed it up a little in this new one) on black, with the simple black wood frame.

Walczak Photo wrote in post #6634504
... Personally I might try and do a little more processing on it for the print to bring back some of that shadow detail but otherwise a very nice composition.

I've also included the original file I sent in to be printed. The others I've displayed here have been gamma corrected to show how much the original was darkened in the print process.
_

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Flo wrote in post #6635218
I really don't like either:o The photo is so fabulous that I just think a thin lined frame is all it needs? I sent you a message.

I actually really like the suggestion you sent me. I would probably do it this way myself if I was printing it larger. The print is only 8x12 though, and I want to bulk it up a bit

love the pic but think the frames are too big , i did this , hope you dont mind

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mrmacca wrote in post #6637094
love the pic but think the frames are too big , i did this , hope you dont mind

I don't mind at all.

I'm not really struck on it for such a small print though. If I was going to go with a tiny mat like that, I would probably just use an accented frame. You're definately not the first to suggest something along these lines though.

I know that this is my own quirk, but I like a chunky mat.