Need an opinion..

[mountaindew]

I wanted your opinion on this picture that I'm getting ready to print on a 16x20 paper and will be framed.

I've got 2 people requested a copy of it already. But...before I print it, I wanted to see what you people think of which picture would look best on a weathered wooded frame?

Just black and white. No black frame or anything.

OR

Black frame on paper

OR

Black frame and "halo" effect around it.

Not sure...wanted to see what's your opinion on these pictures? What would YOU do if it was YOUR picture?

Need help here guys! This is the hardest part for me. Just when I think it looks good..there's always part of me that says "I can do better than that" Then I might over do it. How much is too much!?

[Steve Foss]

Marc, you're going to get different opinions. What framing/matting is beautiful to some is ugly to others.

When matting and framing images for clients (I do this only rarely because in offering them choices you really have to have a TON of mat/frame samples), I let them choose the mat and frame.

When displaying my work at galleries, I mat and frame it the way I like best (simple white mat, black or cherry simple square hardwood gallery frame.) My philosophy is that the mat and frame should center the eye on the art, not be so fancy that the eye is drawn to the mat or the frame themselves.

But if you're giving/selling the images to people, why mat or frame them at all? And if you do, maybe you should ask them how they'd like it done instead of deciding for them. If you get opinions from here and go ahead and mat and frame them a certain way, it might be the WRONG way for those folks who are getting them.

Much simpler to just sell/give them a print and let them have it matted and framed to fit their own tastes and the decor of the room where it'll hang.

[Steve Foss]

Ah, I see from re-reading your post that you might be asking which version of your bordering examples we like best. So that would have nothing to do with actually matting and framing the images.

I think I'll just let my previous post stand, and if you are in doubt about which looks best, you could easily e-mail low-res images to the folks getting the prints and ask them which they'd prefer. Whether they are being sold or given away, the recipient will like being able to choose, and that takes the responsibility off your shoulders.

For what it's worth, photographic fine art prints are rarely sold with elaborate bordering around the print (much more common in posters), for the reasons already mentioned.

[mountaindew]

Makes sense. Good point.

When I printed out the Lunar Eclipse and framed it, hung it at the office, someone bought it. I wasn't intending to sell it at the time. But it got me thinking that it's how it looked that sold the Lunar frame. I mean, it looked great.

So I figured I could do it again by putting it up at restaurants locally to see if it would sell. Thinking of a couple of different pictures with different styles of frames to go with the picture.

Good point though. I'll just ask the 2 people that requested a copy of the snow trees, what do they want on printed paper.

[mountaindew]

 Originally Posted By: stfcatfish

Ah, I see from re-reading your post that you might be asking which version of your bordering examples we like best. So that would have nothing to do with actually matting and framing the images.

I think I'll just let my previous post stand, and if you are in doubt about which looks best, you could easily e-mail low-res images to the folks getting the prints and ask them which they'd prefer. Whether they are being sold or given away, the recipient will like being able to choose, and that takes the responsibility off your shoulders.

For what it's worth, photographic fine art prints are rarely sold with elaborate bordering around the print (much more common in posters), for the reasons already mentioned.

Yep. That what I was thinking of doing. But in this situation, putting the picture in a framed and going to a restaurant, to sell with the wooded frame, what version would YOU choose?

[Steve Foss]

It's better if you can e-mail these actual examples to the recipients than to just ask them about it. Gives them a real look at the options instead of having to imagine them in their mind's eye.

[mountaindew]

 Originally Posted By: stfcatfish

It's better if you can e-mail these actual examples to the recipients than to just ask them about it. Gives them a real look at the options instead of having to imagine them in their mind's eye.

Will do just that. Thanks for the advice!

[Steve Foss]

 Originally Posted By: mountaindew

But in this situation, putting the picture in a framed and going to a restaurant, to sell with the wooded frame, what version would YOU choose?

I would choose a white acid-free mat and a black square gallery wooden frame. Some like the look of metal frames better, but in most cases I do not.

Some folks will buy a framed fine art print, take it home, toss the mat and frame and redo it to their own tastes (I've had that happen a couple times), but I have found in my own sales that simplicity is best. Light neutral mat colors and simple frames in black or cherry go very, very well with most decors and room color patterns. The more elaborate the bordering/matting/framing, the higher the likelihood that a potential buyer will find something to turn them off.

So my belief is that, when displaying framed images for sale, less is more.

And of course it's hard to beat a white mat and black frame for a black and white photo.

All just MY opinion.

[mountaindew]

Thanks!

 Originally Posted By: stfcatfish

I would choose a white acid-free mat and a black square gallery wooden frame. Some like the look of metal frames better, but in most cases I do not.

and

So my belief is that, when displaying framed images for sale, less is more.

And of course it's hard to beat a white mat and black frame for a black and white photo.

All just MY opinion.

I like your opinion! Thanks!

[finnbay]

I do have to agree with Steve. Usually, unless asked differently, I won't matte, or if I do it is with a basic off-white only. I was watching a sale made at a show this summer, with the customer and photographer going over a print of his. He had a $300 matte/frame on a photo that also went for about $300. The customer bought it frame and all right there (don't know why they wouldn't wait for another print), but was adament they were going to re-frame to match their sitting room decor. Wish I had photos that were that appealing, and customers not afraid to pay for what they wanted.

[mountaindew]

Interesting.

Thanks Ken!