To those of you that print and frame

Helvegr

I could really use a little advice. My mind is starting to swirl with non-standard frame sizes, aspect ratios, mats and available paper.

I have a canon 5D Mark 2, 4:3 aspect ratio, like most. I'm planning on getting an Epson 3880 printer, which will do up to 17x22 sheets.

So what I'd like is maybe 3 paper sizes that I could get, that would allow me to matte and frame a small, medium and large print.

Any tips would be great. Do you always crop? Is there a way to print a 4:3 aspect photo and matte it so it fits in a standard frame size?

I also see some people print a smaller image on the paper, leaving it with some borders?

Sorry, to ramble, but for some reason I'm just not grasping this well.

Andy

Helvegr wrote: »

I have a canon 5D Mark 2, 4:3 aspect ratio, like most.

Your camera produces native files in 3:2 ratio.

Helvegr

See this is what i'm talking about... a swirl of stuff in my head!

ziggy53

Don't automatically assume that you have to stay at any particular image ratio. Each image should be a separate consideration for cropping and for size. You can also use mattes to accommodate one aspect ratio image to another aspect ratio frame. Museum mattes are another option.

Find some photographic art galleries and art exhibits and visit them to explore what others have done and are doing. See if there are any local frame shops that offer either a course in framing or will give a demonstration (at least).

Some matting resources:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/matting.shtml

http://video.about.com/interiordec/Mat-and-Frame-a-Picture.htm

http://www.cameratown.com/guides/tutorial_listing.cfm/hurl/id%7C170