Framing

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:53 am

Ok, all you photogs out there, what are you guys doing with all those amazing prints I keep seeing? I know a lot of you print some for art, but do you frame them? If so, where do you go? If not, why not?

The reason I ask, is I took my panorama from the other post in after it was printed to JoAnn, etc. and they charged me $230 (Final size was 30x 6 1/2") for a simple one layer mat and frame... Thankfully, I had a coupon, and another item to frame, so I got both done for less than what the Pano would have been, but I was rather disappointed in how they do things.. It's like framing a photo is a black art, not to be discussed or comparison shopped. They don't even price out the individual pieces so I know where my money is going. Take glass, for example: I know I can get a piece of standard glass cut the size I needed for the pano for about $3. Where does the rest of my money go? My aunt owns a framing shop in Iowa, but she's closing the doors after 20+ years so she can retire and relax... So my family connection is now gone.

So please, share your experiences and discuss.

BlackRider · Post by **BlackRider** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:08 am

I'm cheap... I get $5 poster frames for my 20"x30"s. Since I don't have a place of my own to hang my pictures, I don't do much printing larger than 8"x10".

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:17 am

If I make or buy a large print, I'll go to the poster store at the mall and either pick out a frame or have them do one. It's expensive, but with all of our prints and pictures that we have that way, it's worth it.

I remember when I was in school, I got two of my pictures framed at a local print seller / framer shop. I just looked for the same kind of thing when we moved to California.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:53 am

A Poster store? Is that like a framing shop? I'm fairly certain that I won't be going back to the place I went last week, even if they do a stellar job.. It's too expensive. I can get 8x10 and 16 x 20 frames cheaply an easily, but I like the matted look of an image, so they start to get a little bigger, and it seems they cost way more. I saw one done with 2 frames, a filet and 3 or 4 layers of matting done at 20x x30, and I asked how much to do something like that, and she wouldn't even tell me, like I'm not old enough to know or something.. It was rather frustrating to say the least.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:29 am

Sounds like they don't want your business.

Maybe you can find a photo club in your area and ask them where they go? There's also some online places listed at TPF.

BlackRider · Post by **BlackRider** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:06 pm

I know a number of people who do their own matting & framing... and knowing some of them... it can't be hard.

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 4:52 am

These two stores sell prints, but the job I go to them for is the framing. The frames I've ordered were not too expensive...I think the most expensive one was around 25 dollars and that was because it was a custom size, and it was a very nice brushed aluminum.

From what I have seen, it shouldn't be too hard to make your own either. Get some channel stock, some piano wire, and some clips, and it should be fairly easy. Granted, you'll have to cut and bend/weld the stock yourself, and the other hardware you can get at a hardware store.

One place that might be worth checking into is Walmart. I've had to pick up some frames from there for work (matted pictures for people leaving the squadron). They seem like they are okay. I wouldn't get a wooden one from there, however.