How do you all display your pictures?

[pmowen]

I'm wondering about framing prints. I assume that most of the prints you all make are framed in some way and displayed somewhere in your homes. How do you do it? Do you get them framed professionally? Put them in pre-made frames/mats? If so which ones do you use? For a 35mm print on 5x7 or 8x10 paper for example. I have a few prints I made the other day that I'd like to put up around the house and I'm looking for the best way that's not too expensive. If I remember correctly, professionals are pretty pricey. Thanks for any help.

[sepiareverb]

Matting & Framing has gotten SO expensive around here. I have a large collection of Neilson #110 frame lengths that I can assemble into many different size frames. Had a great friend who ran a frame shop- and got many great deals over the years before he retired. Stocked up on glass in my regular sizes and two boxes of mat board in full size sheets. Cash worked wonders on pricing with him.

I like even borders top & sides and a bit more on the bottom- and tend to give generous mats. My 810 contact prints are mounted to 1620 board. I end up doing all the cutting and etc myself. It is not that hard, and I have a rather cheap mat cutter that works quite well as long as patience is one of my virtues for the day. Slow and steady. I prefer 4 ply board, I like the thicker reveal, and am in the beginning stages of thinking about presentation for this newest batch of work. Am leaning toward having the print float in a cutout.

[sepiareverb]

We had a 'big box' store around here for years called Ames (like the shovel maker) that had a couple of very nice frame designs in a wide range of sizes. They were pretty well made and quite cheap, and even came with glass. When they went belly up I got quite a few at $1 each of these very nice wood frames with a transparent green finish. My neighbor is a woodworker type who makes frames- if you know anyone with that skill they could likely make you a few frames pretty easily. A router table and a miter saw is all you need.

[pmowen]

Thanks for the reply. Those do seem like generous mats. Have you ever tried ordering from a place like framesbymail.com or lightimpressionsdirect.com? It looks like you can have frames made to your specifications for not too much (under $20 without glass). I'm not sure I'd choose mats as big as you but I do like the idea of a little more on the bottom.

[NL2377]

If you've got a hobby Lobby around, that's a great place to start (check out www.hobbylobby.com to see if there's one near you...)

They have weekly sales ads that you can get through your email, and half the time pre-made photo frames are 50% off!!!! I'll usually buy a couple of 12x16's for 5.99 a peice and get custom mattes cut out for 8x12's at 5.60 a peice. works great!

[Ash]

I send each photo out, and have them professionally printed at 30" on the shortest side, then drymounted and displayed in my personal gallery in the town centre.


not really.

[FrankS]

I'm planing on transferring all my pics to my iPod Nano.

[NL2377]

Originally Posted by FrankS

I'm planing on transferring all my pics to my iPod Nano.

haha, I've actually got a couple on my palm pilot... now if only i could find it!!!

[pmowen]

Of course Ash, me too. I was just talking about for display at home. I send mine to France for printing, what about you? How many stories is your gallery? Mine are mostly two.

[FrankS]

I have very few photos actually matted, framed and hung on my walls - same story as the shoemaker's son I guess.

[rogue_designer]

For my more traditional work, I tend to like a lot of white space between frame and image, so for an 8x10 print, I will window matte it in 16x20 4 or 8 ply white board, then typically use a black, or dark wood simple frame. 11x14 and larger prints sometimes will go in the next size up, but I usally jump up two sizes, or I'll occasionally mount them to aluminum panel, flush, no frame.

But at the moment, my gallery work is all pretty non-tradidional, mounted flush on reclaimed plywood and coated in beeswax...so I probably skew the curve a little.

I order most of my traditional framing supplies from Light Impressions. Not cheap, but the shipping is fast, the customer service is great, and the materials are very good.

For some budget work, I have found Ikea to have a pretty good range of cheap basic frames, into which you can put better mounting materials and glass/plexi.

[Nick R.]

Try LightImpressionsDirect.com for materials and ideas.

[migtex]

Basic approach... print it yourself if you have a good printer, next, go to Ikea, buy 2 bucks no-frame frames with glass . Hang up on the wall. On all walls. Done.
When tired, replace the photos.
Try colour or B&W for same photo, could be a fun weekend!

[ibcrewin]

Ikea baby.. I have about 40 different sized frames in all shapes and sizes from them. I also have some frames that I bought with generic art. Ended up cutting out the paper in the back and putting in my own stuff.

[back alley]

i live about 10 minutes from a large shopping area, ikea is in there.
i use plain black frames for all my photos, usually 'ribba' style. i mostly use 5x7 and some larger ones from when i did my own printing.
my place has plenty of 5x7 prints in plain black frames all over.
i have also started to use the longer frames that hold 3 prints and i use these for sets of photos, like my 3 best camera shots, 3 good shots from my 'whyte avenue' series etc.
looks neat, plain and the frames do not distract from the prints.

joe

[Kin Lau]

The dollar store here has 8x10 and 8.5x11 frames for CDN$1- each.

I have also occasionally seen artwork on clearance w/ mat & frame that's cheaper than just buying a mat & frame.

But generally speaking, my wife takes care of these details

[FrankS]

I window mount 8x10 prints centered in 16x20 white matt board and use thin flat black metal frames.

[NL2377]

Originally Posted by back alley

i live about 10 minutes from a large shopping area, ikea is in there.
i use plain black frames for all my photos, usually 'ribba' style. i mostly use 5x7 and some larger ones from when i did my own printing.
my place has plenty of 5x7 prints in plain black frames all over.
i have also started to use the longer frames that hold 3 prints and i use these for sets of photos, like my 3 best camera shots, 3 good shots from my 'whyte avenue' series etc.
looks neat, plain and the frames do not distract from the prints.

joe

I've been on a quest like no other looking for a longer frame that will hold a 3 photo series set that is just simple white matte with a thin metal frame... its a pain in the butt!!!!!!!

[NL2377]

Originally Posted by FrankS

I window mount 8x10 prints centered in 16x20 white matt board and use thin flat black metal frames.

Frank, I'd read above about putting an 8x10 in a 16x20, and just could not comprehend the size ratio of matt to image, and now that you've supplied me with one that was vivid, i know!

I didn't feel that I would like it terribly much, and I guess it didn't do me any good because I cant see the frame that it's to be, in... maybe the frame helps bring things together, this I do not know... but I do know that I don't have enough wall space for that many 16x20's!!!! lol.

-Nick

[hjfischer]

Originally Posted by Nick R.

Try LightImpressionsDirect.com for materials and ideas.

I have 11 X 14's made by Adorama in NY and mount them on 1/4" backing board from Light Impressions using two-sided tape. If a frame is needed, I use a software image on the photo before processing. The photos can be easily rotated around the house or replaced with new ones.

[pmowen]

Nice shot Frank. Is that image 35mm cropped to be 8x10 or a ~6x9 image on 8x10 paper?

[FrankS]

Originally Posted by pmowen

Nice shot Frank. Is that image 35mm cropped to be 8x10 or a ~6x9 image on 8x10 paper?

Thanks. The image was cropped from a 6x6 (slr) neg.

[back alley]

ribba frames...from the ikea online catalouge...i use the the 3 opening frame or a single.

[Nick R.]

Originally Posted by hjfischer

I have 11 X 14's made by Adorama in NY and mount them on 1/4" backing board from Light Impressions using two-sided tape. If a frame is needed, I use a software image on the photo before processing. The photos can be easily rotated around the house or replaced with new ones.

Sounds interesting, but to clarify, your 11 x 14 might be an 8 X 10 image with a photo border? I know that it costs more to print in the larger size but is this cheaper than printing an 8X10 and buying an 11 X 14 mat?

[hjfischer]

Originally Posted by Nick R.

Sounds interesting, but to clarify, your 11 x 14 might be an 8 X 10 image with a photo border? I know that it costs more to print in the larger size but is this cheaper than printing an 8X10 and buying an 11 X 14 mat?

The final sizes are ordered as 11X 14's , uncropped, with or without border at a cost of $4.95 + shipping ($4.95 regardless of quantity). The backing boards are about $2.50 each. However some need to be cut down at home since not all enlargements will reproduce exactly to 11 X 14 as you know. I'm not using mats and unsure whether 8 X 10's in 11 X 14 mats would cost more or less. Hope this answers your question.