I am going to try offering prints for the first time. Simple question here... I bought bulk 50 of 11x14 and bulk 50 of 16x20 Matt board, foam backer, clear sleeves etc.
Problem: My current originals do not always fit these proportions. I cannot “crop” my image cleanly into these dimensions because it will look stupid, and leave out important parts of the image.
I bought a Logan 750 cutter thing-a-bob.
If I keep the outer dimension of 16x20, can I cut the inside Matt dimensions irregular to fit my actual image? If I do this, I will have a 2” white border on the top and bottom and a 5” white border on the sides, or some variation of irregularity like this. Is this ok? Or is this lame?
If I cut my Matt board and foam board to correctly wrap an even border around my image, the entire print will be an irregular size that does not fit traditional pre-made frames at department stores. We all know people who buy 40 dollar prints are not going to get a “custom” size frame to hold their print.
Either way, I feel screwed. What do you suggest that would give me the least screwiness?
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Well, now that you've shut the barn door, it's time to round up that horse! ;->
I'm a photographer, so do a TON of matting... You are thinking correctly with having standard frame dimensions for your customers' ease in finding their own frames. After that, the inside dimensions can be a free-for-all! Your choice. My 2-cents... for any rectangular/landscape-oriented images: simply center them and if necessary for aesthetics, crop for the most even borders... or not, if the image doesn't like it. For rectangular/portrait and square images: either center them [rectangle ones] or [for both] push them to the top for a bottom-weighted mat with equal borders L, R, and T and whatever the remainder is for the B.
Now, when you get to a show, adopt an attitude of, "Yes. I DID mean to do this. It gives my images a very unique, individual aesthetic; one you will never get tired of seeing in your home." Do not ever say to the customer, "yea, this one was a real problem matting, blah, blah, blah..."
Hope this helps,
--Chris Fedderson
DORI SMITH > Chris FeddersonMay 4, 2018 at 11:38pm
I agree. Thanks Howard
DORI SMITH > Chris FeddersonMay 4, 2018 at 10:33am
I am also a photographer, and I am in agreement with the three opinions you have already received. However, I am a bit more of a rebel and perfectionist. Yes, I cut mats to conform with standard frame sizes, but I firmly believe that the subject of my photo must determine the proportions of the window in that mat. In the editing process, if there is too much sky, remove it. Too much foreground? Crop it away. If there are branches poking in at the sides of the picture, crop them out (or if that doesn't work, clone them out). Then, cut the window in the mat to fit your final image.
Someone once said that there are three keys to success in business -- be first, be best, or be different. I believe that using only custom-cut mats give me a leg up on the competition, and my customers learn that it ensures the best possible presentation of that particular image.
However, making a better product comes a higher cost. You will certainly spend more time cutting a custom mat than poking a photo into a standard hole of the wrong size. But you've got a fine mat cutter, so start practicing. It might take a little while before your cuts look totally professional.
For one body of work I shot with a Hasselblad and my image sizes were 16x16 and 8x8. For the 16x16 (actually 15-1/2 x 15-1/2) mat opening the outer size was double matted 24x24. For my 8x8's (7-1/2 x 7-1/2) mat opening the outer size was 12x13 with the opening slightly higher than center. Those were the only two sizes I presented those images and they sold like hotcakes. I learned from that experience to not have adjacent sizes because they compete with each other. One small size and one large size. period.
If you purchase your mats correctly, everything is a standard size. I purchased my mats from Dixie Matting and they used the mat board I asked for and hand cut the mats I required.
Well, I have quite a few square originals... 4’x4’ and a few 24”x48” originals.
I do have quite a few originals that will work with the 16x20 print proportion, but these others, I don’t know how to make them fit. I trying to shove them into my Matt’s and foam board I just bought. I sold a kidney on the black market just to get that. I don’t want to sell another kidney just for a few irregular sizes if I don’t have to.
Is it a cardinal sin to not have an equal 3” white border around the image? Can the border be different widths and heights? If it is, just say so, I just want to know.
There is nothing sacred about the matte openings. An 11x14, actually a 10.5x13.5 opening for most photos as an example, gives 2.75 inch borders on one side and 3.25 inch borders on the other side for a 16x20. Nothing says they have to be centered and some will have identical borders on three sides. One of my common sizes is a 12x18 inch print on 13x19 paper which is matted in an 18x24 matte for an even 3 inch border all the way around. My 12x16 images, from a different format camera, go into the 18x24 matte with 3 inch and 4 inch borders and the opening is centered. You do your customers a favor when the mattes are standard sizes.
Replies
Hi Dori,
Well, now that you've shut the barn door, it's time to round up that horse! ;->
I'm a photographer, so do a TON of matting... You are thinking correctly with having standard frame dimensions for your customers' ease in finding their own frames. After that, the inside dimensions can be a free-for-all! Your choice. My 2-cents... for any rectangular/landscape-oriented images: simply center them and if necessary for aesthetics, crop for the most even borders... or not, if the image doesn't like it. For rectangular/portrait and square images: either center them [rectangle ones] or [for both] push them to the top for a bottom-weighted mat with equal borders L, R, and T and whatever the remainder is for the B.
Now, when you get to a show, adopt an attitude of, "Yes. I DID mean to do this. It gives my images a very unique, individual aesthetic; one you will never get tired of seeing in your home." Do not ever say to the customer, "yea, this one was a real problem matting, blah, blah, blah..."
Hope this helps,
--Chris Fedderson
Hello Dori,
I am also a photographer, and I am in agreement with the three opinions you have already received. However, I am a bit more of a rebel and perfectionist. Yes, I cut mats to conform with standard frame sizes, but I firmly believe that the subject of my photo must determine the proportions of the window in that mat. In the editing process, if there is too much sky, remove it. Too much foreground? Crop it away. If there are branches poking in at the sides of the picture, crop them out (or if that doesn't work, clone them out). Then, cut the window in the mat to fit your final image.
Someone once said that there are three keys to success in business -- be first, be best, or be different. I believe that using only custom-cut mats give me a leg up on the competition, and my customers learn that it ensures the best possible presentation of that particular image.
However, making a better product comes a higher cost. You will certainly spend more time cutting a custom mat than poking a photo into a standard hole of the wrong size. But you've got a fine mat cutter, so start practicing. It might take a little while before your cuts look totally professional.
Howard Clark
For one body of work I shot with a Hasselblad and my image sizes were 16x16 and 8x8. For the 16x16 (actually 15-1/2 x 15-1/2) mat opening the outer size was double matted 24x24. For my 8x8's (7-1/2 x 7-1/2) mat opening the outer size was 12x13 with the opening slightly higher than center. Those were the only two sizes I presented those images and they sold like hotcakes. I learned from that experience to not have adjacent sizes because they compete with each other. One small size and one large size. period.
If you purchase your mats correctly, everything is a standard size. I purchased my mats from Dixie Matting and they used the mat board I asked for and hand cut the mats I required.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
I do have quite a few originals that will work with the 16x20 print proportion, but these others, I don’t know how to make them fit. I trying to shove them into my Matt’s and foam board I just bought. I sold a kidney on the black market just to get that. I don’t want to sell another kidney just for a few irregular sizes if I don’t have to.
Is it a cardinal sin to not have an equal 3” white border around the image? Can the border be different widths and heights? If it is, just say so, I just want to know.
There is nothing sacred about the matte openings. An 11x14, actually a 10.5x13.5 opening for most photos as an example, gives 2.75 inch borders on one side and 3.25 inch borders on the other side for a 16x20. Nothing says they have to be centered and some will have identical borders on three sides. One of my common sizes is a 12x18 inch print on 13x19 paper which is matted in an 18x24 matte for an even 3 inch border all the way around. My 12x16 images, from a different format camera, go into the 18x24 matte with 3 inch and 4 inch borders and the opening is centered. You do your customers a favor when the mattes are standard sizes.
What size are your images? In a 16x20 mat, I would expect to see About 3 inches surrounding the image with 1/4 inch covered on all 4 sides.
larry Berman