Framing your prints

Fortunately there are guidelines and tips that can help you through the maze. For example, did you know that choosing a wider Mount than average  (the border around your framed photo) can not only change the way a person views your photography, it can also invite them to view it in the first place?

To help you in making decisions about framing your photograph, the first step is to understand the reasons for framing.

Support for ease of viewing - At its simplest, framing acts as a support system for optimum viewing of a picture. It keeps the image flat and permits it to be easily placed upright on a wall or other support at a suitable viewing height.

Protection - This is an even more important consideration. Quality photographs need to be protected from dirt, grime and other environmental factors such as light, moisture and contact with poor-quality paper products that have high-acid content. No matter how careful you are, every time you handle a photograph with direct touch, you risk transferring harmful materials. The natural acids in your hands can act to break down the surface of your photo.

Artistic - The third, a very important consideration, is the artistic and esthetic value proper framing can add to your photograph. Framing should (1) celebrate and enhance your picture, even glorify it; (2) set the boundaries so the photograph doesn’t overwhelm its environment, or the environment doesn’t impose on the picture; and (3) act as a transition between the wall and the image. Framing can also draw the eye to the picture, emphasizing the more subtle elements and colors, and even increasing the apparent size of the image.

• Backing - stiff material, generally pieces of cardboard, placed behind the mounting board to provide additional support.
• Frame - the structure made from wood, metal or plastic molding that supports and contains all the other framing elements.
• Glass - the see-through material used to cover and protect the photograph. It is generally flat. There are different glass types  used, glare or non-glare, each of which has its own disadvantages and advantages. Clear plastic is sometimes used in less-expensive frames.
• Mat - a flat piece of cardboard or other material placed between the photograph and the frame that serves as a frame-within-a-frame, serving as a border between the picture and the frame. The mat also separates the picture from direct contact with the glass. The small air space prevents moisture build-up and the development of mold and fungus. More than one mat may be used with a picture. A mat can be plain or decorated, colored or pure white.
• Molding - any of various long, narrow surfaces that, when accurately cut, are assembled to form the frame.  There are five basic shapes of molding – flat, angular, curved, multiple-curved and compound, which is a combination of curves and angles.
• Mounting Board - the board that holds the picture firmly against the mat. It can be attached to your photograph using a number of methods. Often, the first step in framing is to mount the picture to ensure its stiffness.
• Dust Seals - Paper, usually brown, stretched across the back of the frame to prevent dirt and insects from getting in to damage the photograph.
• Hangers - the hardware (nuts, bolts, screws and wires) used in attaching the frame to the wall.

CUSTOM FRAMING

The more expensive approach to framing is to bring your photograph to a professional custom framer, usually located in a retail outlet, often as an adjunct to an art gallery. Some home businesses and hobbyists specialize in framing. Despite the cost, the professional framer option has some distinct advantages:

• Experience - The professional framer has probably framed thousands of photographs and knows exactly what mistakes to avoid.
• Knowledge - Many custom framers have taken courses and have an intimate knowledge of the principles of color, shape, proportion and design that can be helpful to you in determining how best to frame your picture for esthetic impact.
• Craftsmanship & quality - Custom framers have specialty tools and techniques that, combined with their knowledge and experience, ensure a superior frame.
• Selection - The custom framer generally has access to materials that the general public may not easily find or may not be aware of.
• Conservation framing expertise - An area of framing that is growing in popularity is .Conservation Framing
using acid-free materials and special assembly techniques that help preserve your photos for a long time, perhaps centuries. In fact, many consumers who buy framed photographs appreciate it when a photographer has taken the consideration to use conservation framing. (While you can do conservation framing yourself, it usually involves the purchase of many more materials and taking the time to learn the techniques.)