DIY Christmas (Photography) Hacks: framing photos for a personal touch

jmeyer | Photography Tips | 29/11/2012 02:00am

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Step by step how to frame a photo

01 Choose a photo:
Think about what photo you’d like to frame. Portraits and candid family shots look great, or go for a striking landscape or an elegant monochrome cityscape. Make sure you have a high-resolution version of the image you want to use, so that it won’t lose any quality when it’s enlarged.

02 Get it enlarged
Plan what size you’d like your finished artwork to be. Smaller sized frames are easy to wrap up, but big enlarged prints like our A3 photo make more of an impact. The easiest option is to use a camera shop or online service – we had our photo enlarged to A3 size at Jessops for £7.50.

03 Choose your frame carefully
Pick a frame colour that will complement your photo – black and white wood are failsafe choices. Choose a frame that’s a bigger size than your enlarged photo. Our print is A3, so we’ve chosen an A2 frame (from www.picturelizard.co.uk), giving us lots of space for a border inside the frame.

04 Measure your mount board
We’ve chosen a cream A2 mount board so that we can cut the border size we’d like. Trace out the rectangle you want to cut out by first marking the exact size of your photo on the back of the board. Now, measure in the width of the border you’d like – we’re making a border of half an inch.

05 Cut the mount board
You’ll need a specialist cutter to ensure straight lines. We’re using a Logan 424 Bevel cutter and ruler (£40/$50), which will cut the mat at a 45° angle. Align the ruler with the pencil line on one side of your rectangle and attach the bevel cutter. Cut in a smooth motion away from you, pressing hard and holding the ruler down as you do.

06 Put it all together
When your mount board is cut, position your photo behind it. Secure it at the top of the rectangular hole with picture tape. Only tape the top of your photo to the board – this makes the photo hang flat. Now you’re ready to assemble the whole thing. Line up the mount board, photo and glass inside the frame and clip closed.

Final tips for framing photos

It’s a good idea to buy more mount board than you need so that you can practise cutting straight before you attempt your final border.
Although mount board can be bought in pre-cut sizes, learning to cut it yourself allows you to customise any framed print exactly as you like. Many mount cutters can be bought with a 90° straight cutting head, as well as a 45° bevel cutting head, to help you do this.
Cutting heads need to be kept razor sharp. When they start to blunt, buy packs of fresh blades from art stores.
Protect surfaces with a craft board, and be wary of cutting your fingers!

PAGE 1: What you need for framing photos
PAGE 2: Step by step how to frame a photo

Posted on Thursday, November 29th, 2012 at 2:00 am under Photography Tips.