Digital BW, The Print

Steadman,

Many years ago I printed all my 35mm negs full frame with a sloppy border 
from a hand-sawed out neg carrier and yes, it was partially bragging that 
I could catch exactly what I wanted and nothing more right in the 
viewfinder (g). I've gotton over that. Now in darkroom prints I'll do it 
if the image warrants - if it gives the image something - but not 
otherwise. In digital/inkjet I didn't do it at all until very recently. 
In fact the current Print Exhange print is the first time I've used that 
effect (using a scan of one of my old silver prints to get the same 
border from my venerable negative carrier). I like the effect for some 
images - it gives them a look almost like a movie frame, an instant out 
of a scene that is going on. It is appropriate for some images and not 
for others. I do generally like a hair-thin black border defining the 
edge of a photo from the white paper surface and have occasionally played 
around with a larger border picking up a grey from the print itself. This 
is basic PS technique but I've never messed with the canned pre-packaged 
borders. Nothing against them particularly, just don't need them for the 
fairly simple stuff I like.

In conclusion, it *is* a fashion that comes and goes over the years (and 
has been around a long time) but I think it should be nothing more than 
an aesthetic decision based on the image itself - some look better 
framed, some don't.

And I'll even sometimes crop photos now if that produces a stronger image 
(g).

Cheers,

Nina
 
>Taking a "stance" here for esthetics (which is a personal choice) I think 
>the "trendy" "arty" looking "sloppy borders" look is...in a 
>word....ridiculous (anyone feeling offended?)
>
>I mean if you take a look around you will see it everywhere.  In many 
>cases I just don't see the justification.  And with "digital" images and 
>"digital edges" available, it just seems ludicrous (getting anybody's goat 
>yet?).  
>
>Just the other day I looked at a web site for professioal photographers.  
>This site displays and prints images for pros who then sell them to the 
>brides and others.  The site offers a "sloppy border" look for "art 
>proofs" that are from scanned 35mm film or digital files.  
>
>QUESTION #1: 
>What is the sense of this?  Is it so important to show that the "full 
>frame" was used? Come on!