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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> To frame or not to frame?
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Canon EOS-10D
 04/11/2003 11:17:49 AM · #1
Some of you put borders (or frames) on your prints and some of you don't. So far, I haven't. But I do think a well-chosen frame/border can add a lot to a picture.

I confess I'm torn between supplying the largest picture possible for a print size (which would allow it to fill a standard-sized window matte or frame) and enhancing my prints with a border (which would make the picture itself a non-standard size).

So I'm interested in how you decide whether/what sort of border to put on a picture (colour, size, etc) and any tips/tricks/rules of thumb you've got on deciding border size/shape/etc and on actually adding it to your picture.

Thanks in advance
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 04/11/2003 12:00:39 PM · #2
Borders have been discussed much of late.

In this photo:

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php/i/15761

I used a 10 pixel border. I did not want this B/W image to be set right against a gray background, but the delicacy of the shot made me want to put only a modest border on it.

In this photo:

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php/i/17516

The boldness of the colors made me want a thicker border or the border would, in my opinion, just evaporate. I think if people look at your photo and say "Wow! That has a border!" you've probably gone too far. But I can think of many images this week that would have benefited from a small border, just to set it off from the gray screen. And some borders have called attention to themselves.

My average border is from 10-15 pixels thick. My default is 15, but that changes. I don't see a 10 or 15 pixel border taking that much space away from your image (which was your orignial question). My frame of mind now is that rare would be the time when I do not have a border, but also rare would be the time when it was thick or fancy.

I guess the question is whether I'm way out in left field with this.
Canon EOS-10D
 04/11/2003 12:17:13 PM · #3
Thanks for your thoughts.

I must have missed the earlier border discussions. I'll have a dig through the forums.

A supplementary question, of course, is whether to put any lettering in the border. I can certainly see the point of a copyright message and photographer's name (small), but how about a title?
Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)
 04/11/2003 04:35:20 PM · #4
Originally posted by pinback:
Thanks for your thoughts.

I must have missed the earlier border discussions. I'll have a dig through the forums.

A supplementary question, of course, is whether to put any lettering in the border. I can certainly see the point of a copyright message and photographer's name (small), but how about a title?

I do that for all my print files, but remember you may not add any lettering on your challenge entries!
I use borders on my print files so I can crop the photo as I like, and fill in the extra space up to a standard print size -- that way there's no unexpected cropping or resampling. I figure if someone doesn't like the border they are free to cover it or trim it off.
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