Framing: Photography as Art
You already use your camera to capture your precious memories, but have you ever considered your photographs as art?
Recently, a 1904 photograph by Edward Stetchen sold for nearly $3 Million US at Sotheby's in New York, proving once again that outstanding photographs are as desirable to art collectors and museums as paintings. Photographers like Ansel Adams and Henri-Carter Bresson are considered among the greatest artists of the 20th Century and their works are highly prized.
While your work may not end up in the Louvre or MOMA, your photographs are a great and affordable way to spruce up your home. Think of how elegant your living room will look if tastefully decorated with your own unique pictures. Consider your family room, basement, or den. You can proudly display your photographs in any setting and achieve a wide range of effects and moods simply by selecting interesting images you've taken, enlarging them and framing them in a way that complements your décor.
If you're thinking you couldn't possibly have any pictures worth framing, take out your albums and shoeboxes or browse through the contents of your hard drive. You'll surely find a number of outstanding shots that are more than suitable for framing. Look for unusual snaps of your family, landscapes, and colourful images. You can even use imaging software to add special effects or crop your pictures for artistic effect.
Choosing your Pictures
Start by choosing your pictures. Select more than you're planning to frame, that way you can explore different possibilities before making your final choice. Think of themes and common visual elements: subject, colour, location, etc. Try to match your walls and furniture. Use images that help to generate the desired atmosphere of the space you're decorating.
Converting your Pictures to Black & White
One great way to add elegance to your surroundings is to convert your images to black & white. Some of the world's most famous photographs are B&W and many art photographers don't shoot in colour at all. Just think of how impressed your friends and family will be when they see your pictures done up in the manner of the world's most seasoned pros. You can use image editing software to convert your images or you can trust them to a photography expert at any Black's location.
Enlarging your Pictures
To show your pictures in their best light, enlarge them to 8 x 10 size or larger. If you're working with film, you can blow up your negatives without a problem. If you're working with digital, you'll need at least a 4 megapixel camera for pictures this size. If you've got a treasured family snapshot from years ago that you'd like enlarged, bring it to Black's and have it scanned by one of our Imaging Experts.
Framing your Pictures
Once you've enlarged your pictures, you've got to find the right frames in which to display them. Look for frames that fit the style of your existing home furnishings. Match contemporary frames with modern furniture, choose more elaborate frames if your home is furnished with antiques.
For best results, use frames that incorporate mats. A mat is a piece of cardboard that sits between the glass and the back of a frame. It has a cutout through which you can view your picture. A mat accentuates your picture by creating a neutral visual space between an image and a frame's border. A mat with multiple cutouts will enable you to creatively group several images within a single frame, saving you money and also creating a pleasing effect. Think of a mat as a frame within a frame. To best protect and preserve your treasured pictures choose frames with acid-free mats. You'll spend a little more, but you won't have to worry about harsh chemicals that can turn your pictures yellow or fade them. A mat also keeps your photo away from direct contact with glass, preventing emulsion from the photo's surface from sticking to the glass over time.
Arranging your Frames on the Wall
The easiest way to mount picture frames on your walls is called gallery style. This simply means arranging your frames in a single row with the center of the each frame at eye level, which is approximately 1.5 metres above the floor. You can do this even if you're using different sized frames: simply align the top of all your frames along a horizontal line.
If you are hanging pictures over a piece of furniture, remember the three-quarters rule: your picture arrangement should be three-quarters as wide as the piece under it. Never leave more than 8 to 18 cm of space between the top of a sofa and the bottom of a picture frame. Any more space than this will distract the viewer's eye.
To create an eye pleasing and uniform effect, use identical frames for all your pictures, even when using images of different sizes. Most manufacturers offer model lines with frames in different sizes to help you create a single look. If you decide to mix and match, restrict yourself to one colour and material. For exampe, use only clear metal or red-stained wooden frames, and create variety by choosing frames of different thicknesses, cuts, or patterns.
If you're not sure what colour frame to choose, choose a plain black frame. Black draws the viewer's eye and works well with all other colours. Natural wood works equally well and is used by galleries to call greater attention to the image rather than to the frame.
Change your pictures often to reflect the different seasons and special occasions throughout the year. You'll want to keep a few treasured images always on display and vary the rest. With custom enlargements from your film and digital images, you can easily give your home a fresh and enticing makeover any time you wish.
Designer Tip
An easy way to plan your frame arrangement is with a roll of Kraft paper. Cut a length of paper that is somewhat larger than the wall space you wish to occupy and place it on the floor. Position your frames on the paper. Try different positions and combinations. When you're happy with your arrangement, trace the outlines of the frames with a pencil, remove the frames, then tape or tack the paper to the wall. You can then use the outlines to guide you in putting up mounting hardware and adjusting your final arrangement.
Family Project: Bulletin Board
A photo bulletin board is a great way to let your kids share in the joys of photography and to express their creativity. They'll be thrilled to help decorate their own rooms. Sit down at the computer for an afternoon or an evening and help your children select their favorite photographs and upload them to Black's Online Photo Centre for quality prints in about an hour. The speedy processing of your order does not tax the attention of children and keeps them interested in the project. Order different sizes of photographs (4 x 6, 5 x 7 and 8 x 10) to add extra visual appeal to your bulletin board.
After you pick up your pictures at Black's, tack them on to the bulletin board in whatever way you wish. You may also want to add other souvenirs such as award certificates and sports medals to further personalize your creation.
Remember, it's easy to sort through digital pictures on your computer and to quickly and easily order new prints online. And because your original photographs are digital, you don't have to worry about damaging your negatives or your prints through mishandling, or about sticking pins through the pictures you mount: you can always replace your pictures at the touch of a button.
Photography as Art Continued:
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Photography as Art Continued:
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Photography as Art:
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