Photo framing and aspect ratios

Messiah Khan

Messiah Khan

Santa is your dad
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Name
Alasdair Fowler
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.. don't you just love aspect ratio standards. :(

right, im planning on framing loads of my shots to get them sold and into exhibitons etc. Problem is I have quite a few different ratios. I have nice square 1:1 images, 5:4 images and mostly 3:2 ratio images. In order to keep my costs down, I want to get as many of the frames and mounts as possible in bulk. So the question is... how do I go about doing it;

Buy all the same frame sizes (Most likely 20"x16", with a few larger poster ones) and then get different aspect mounts to fit the images? Would this look weird with the 3:2 images?

Or get different aspect frames for each of the aspects, and have matching mounts? Might cost more, but would fit the images better. If I do this, what is the closest standard 3:2 frame size less than 20"x16"?

Shame I don't just shoot everything on 5:4. :(
 
You want to try and get an evenish amount of mount around the picture - at least have the top and sides the same and the bottom a bit larger if needed.

So, in a 20x16 frame, a 15x10 cutout for 3:2 aspect ratio would give borders of 2.5/2.5/2.5/3.5 inches. Moving to 12x8 gives you a 4" border all round. Squares can work in rectangular mounts but I think they look better with the mount in "portrait".

5x4 is actually the hard one as prints look dumpy with wider edges than top and bottom on the mount.

For my ARPS panel, I did 10x8 prints in 16x14 mounts, giving 3 inches all round.

Best solution I found is to draw them in Powerpoint and play around with ideas.

Paul
 
grumpybadger said:
You want to try and get an evenish amount of mount around the picture - at least have the top and sides the same and the bottom a bit larger if needed.

So, in a 20x16 frame, a 15x10 cutout for 3:2 aspect ratio would give borders of 2.5/2.5/2.5/3.5 inches. Moving to 12x8 gives you a 4" border all round. Squares can work in rectangular mounts but I think they look better with the mount in "portrait".

5x4 is actually the hard one as prints look dumpy with wider edges than top and bottom on the mount.

For my ARPS panel, I did 10x8 prints in 16x14 mounts, giving 3 inches all round.

Best solution I found is to draw them in Powerpoint and play around with ideas.

Paul
Click to expand...

Cheers Paul. I've made a mockup in Photoshop, and I think it will work. Probably looking at getting 20"x16" frames, and have 8"x8" (1:1), 8"x10" (5:4) and 8"x12" prints in them. Im being quite generous with the mount, but that is what seems to look most balanced. Will have to get some giant frames for any bigger prints, but im looking at 49 frames to start off with. Counting them up, i've got 7 5:4 shots, 37 3:2 shots and 5 square shots to print off, so the main thing is to get the 3:2 images looking good. :)
 
Been to the framers now and ordered 20 20"x16" black ash frames with back and glass, 12 3:2 white mounts, 12 3:2 black mounts, 12 5:4 white mounts and 12 square black mounts. Will probably get some more mounts and frames next month. Also looking at getting some 40"x32" frames made up for poster sized prints. That lot should keep me out of trouble for a while. :)
 
Just to say, picked my frames up yesterday..... well happy with them. The framers has done a great job! The corners are super tight, there is no overcut on the mounts, glass is flawless, each frame came in protective cardboard and my prints fit in with mm precision (cut the paper to 20x16 so it slots straight in). Cost me £250 for 20 frames, glass and back, 48 mounts, string, loops and craft tape. Just need to sell some now. :)
 
Messiah Khan said:
Just to say, picked my frames up yesterday..... well happy with them. The framers has done a great job! The corners are super tight, there is no overcut on the mounts, glass is flawless, each frame came in protective cardboard and my prints fit in with mm precision (cut the paper to 20x16 so it slots straight in). Cost me £250 for 20 frames, glass and back, 48 mounts, string, loops and craft tape. Just need to sell some now. :)
Click to expand...

Frig me at £12.50 per complete frame, you got a dam good deal there.!!!:clap::clap::thumbs:

With extras I might add!!
 
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