Digital BW, The Print

I also have a custom framing shop and many of my photog clients insist 
on white mats and black frames. Clean simple, blah, blah.
To me it is boring and expected. The clients pick up the work, pleased 
and say thank you and no big deal.
When I am able to talk someone out of the expected white mats - usually 
something ( my preference) in shades of gray. Light gray, mottled gray, 
kona or espresso for warmer prints, luna gray or moon stone colors for 
cooler prints, light gray with a darker gray inner margin for double 
matting.
YOu get the idea.

When these clients pick up their work they are often effusive with the 
praise for how well the prints stand out.
Not saying that white mats black frames cant be effective of beautiful. 
The way our eyes/mind have developed, the eye is naturally drawn to 
light ie. the lighter areas of the frame package. If the mat is lighter 
than the subject of point of interest in the photo, then the white mat 
can be competition for your subject.

Just as a test go to your local frame shop and ask them if you can play 
with the mat samples: choose 4-5 white mats, the range of grays and 
then a few blacks and actually lay them on the corner of your print. As 
long as folks are up front with me about what they are doing I will 
always try to educate them about the beauty of not working in white all 
the time. Also I can't imagine trying to pick a mat from a sample in a 
catalog instead of actually comparing the sample against the print.

Something that is new in framing too, is visualization software which 
allows them to take a picture of your art and display it on (usually a 
large one) onscreen showing the whole effect of different colors of 
matting ( and frame)  against your print, instead of just the one 
corner and leaving the rest to the imagination. I will have one soon 
just need to save a little more money. Should make things easier on 
everyone.
Best and good luck,
Jerry

http://www.jerryhadamphoto.com



On May 12, 2006, at 7:42 AM, 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com wrote:

> Subject: Re: Mat question
>
> Black mats remind me of 1970's ad layouts pasted up.
> If you go to any museum or gallery, the majority of black and white
> prints are matted with either white or off-white (many shades of
> egg). Not that there are any rules, it is totally up to the artist/
> framer.
> Mark

Thank you Jerry!
Debbi


>I also have a custom framing shop and many of my photog clients insist
>on white mats and black frames. Clean simple, blah, blah.
>To me it is boring and expected. The clients pick up the work, pleased
>and say thank you and no big deal.
>When I am able to talk someone out of the expected white mats - usually
>something ( my preference) in shades of gray. Light gray, mottled gray,
>kona or espresso for warmer prints, luna gray or moon stone colors for
>cooler prints, light gray with a darker gray inner margin for double
>matting.
>YOu get the idea.
>
>When these clients pick up their work they are often effusive with the
>praise for how well the prints stand out.
>Not saying that white mats black frames cant be effective of beautiful.
>The way our eyes/mind have developed, the eye is naturally drawn to
>light ie. the lighter areas of the frame package. If the mat is lighter
>than the subject of point of interest in the photo, then the white mat
>can be competition for your subject.
>
>Just as a test go to your local frame shop and ask them if you can play
>with the mat samples: choose 4-5 white mats, the range of grays and
>then a few blacks and actually lay them on the corner of your print. As
>long as folks are up front with me about what they are doing I will
>always try to educate them about the beauty of not working in white all
>the time. Also I can't imagine trying to pick a mat from a sample in a
>catalog instead of actually comparing the sample against the print.
>
>Something that is new in framing too, is visualization software which
>allows them to take a picture of your art and display it on (usually a
>large one) onscreen showing the whole effect of different colors of
>matting ( and frame)  against your print, instead of just the one
>corner and leaving the rest to the imagination. I will have one soon
>just need to save a little more money. Should make things easier on
>everyone.
>Best and good luck,
>Jerry
>
><http://www.jerryhadamphoto.com>http://www.jerryhadamphoto.com
>
>
>
>On May 12, 2006, at 7:42 AM,
>DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com wrote:
>
>>  Subject: Re: Mat question
>>
>>  Black mats remind me of 1970's ad layouts pasted up.
>>  If you go to any museum or gallery, the majority of black and white
>>  prints are matted with either white or off-white (many shades of
>>  egg). Not that there are any rules, it is totally up to the artist/
>>  framer.
>>  Mark
>
>
>
>Please visit the Group Homepage to check the 
>Files, and other resources as they are often 
>being updated.
>
><http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
>
>If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily 
>digest, or you wish to unsubscribe, please edit 
>your Membership preferences by visiting this 
>same page.
>
>Please follow these basic guidelines:
>- As threads develop, trim off excess portions 
>of earlier messages to keep them short.
>- Good manners are required at all time. No 
>personal attacks or flames. Hostile, aggressive 
>or argumentative users may be removed from the 
>membership without notice.
>- Keep your posts and threads related to the 
>group topic of digital B&W printing. Users who 
>persistently make off-topic posts may be removed 
>from the membership.
>- By posting on this forum you agree to abide by 
>the group rules and guidelines, and to abide by 
>the actions and decisions of the group Owner and 
>Moderators. See ìGroup Topic, Rules and 
>Guidelinesî in the Files section:
><http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/
>
>BY PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR POSTING MESSAGES TO 
>THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO! GROUP YOU 
>EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE ìOWNERî 
>AND ìMODERATORSî OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO 
>GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DIRECT, 
>INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR 
>EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, 
>DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA 
>OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF THE  ìOWNERî 
>AND ìMODERATORSî OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO 
>GROUP HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF 
>SUCH DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR 
>THE INABILITY TO USE THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT 
>YAHOO GROUP; (ii) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR 
>ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (iii) 
>STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE 
>DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; OR (iv) ANY 
>OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE 
>PRINT YAHOO GROUP.
>
>
>
>SPONSORED LINKS
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+wedding+photography&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.si>Digital 
>wedding photography 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Learn+digital+photography&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.sig=>Learn 
>digital photography 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+college&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.si>Digital 
>photography college 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.sig=pJmwqg>Digital 
>photography 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+web+site&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.s>Digital 
>photography web site 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+course&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.sig>Digital 
>photography course
>
>
>YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
>
>  Visit your group 
>"<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint>DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint" 
>on the web.
>
>  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> 
><mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the 
><http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms 
>of Service.


-- 
Debbi in California
http://www.pbase.com/debbi

Whoever said 'money can't buy happiness' never met a camera they loved!

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

At 12:13 PM -0600 5/13/06, Jerry L. Hadam wrote:

>...
>Not saying that white mats black frames cant be effective of beautiful.
>The way our eyes/mind have developed, the eye is naturally drawn to
>light ie. the lighter areas of the frame package. If the mat is lighter
>than the subject of point of interest in the photo, then the white mat
>can be competition for your subject.
>...


I couldn't agree more.

Also, the relative coloration of the mat and its density can make a 
huge difference in the emotional impact of a print.

An example that is not explicitly relevant to matting B&W prints:

A few years ago my wife and I picked up a print of a painting of a 
dark maroon gothic lighthouse sitting on a point jutting out into 
heavy seas against a yellow and orange sunset with the roiled clouds 
and lightning of an approaching storm.

The studio displayed it with two different mats: a dark maroon mat 
that matched the darker portions of the lighthouse, and a dark green 
mat that complimented the dark aqua of the sea.

The print with the maroon mat made the house seem a slightly 
disturbing, but welcoming, place to weather the storm.

The print with the green mat made the house seem like the only place 
you could go to weather the storm, but it was creepy and you knew you 
were going to be spending a particularly bad night with Vincent Price 
in a B movie where all the doors creaked.

The emotional difference the two mattings had on both of us was 
surprisingly strong and was the most extreme example of this effect 
that I have ever seen.


Best wishes,

-=-Dennis
























.

Interesting observation. Thanks Dennis.

Debbi




>
>I couldn't agree more.
>
>Also, the relative coloration of the mat and its density can make a
>huge difference in the emotional impact of a print.
>
>An example that is not explicitly relevant to matting B&W prints:
>
>A few years ago my wife and I picked up a print of a painting of a
>dark maroon gothic lighthouse sitting on a point jutting out into
>heavy seas against a yellow and orange sunset with the roiled clouds
>and lightning of an approaching storm.
>
>The studio displayed it with two different mats: a dark maroon mat
>that matched the darker portions of the lighthouse, and a dark green
>mat that complimented the dark aqua of the sea.
>
>The print with the maroon mat made the house seem a slightly
>disturbing, but welcoming, place to weather the storm.
>
>The print with the green mat made the house seem like the only place
>you could go to weather the storm, but it was creepy and you knew you
>were going to be spending a particularly bad night with Vincent Price
>in a B movie where all the doors creaked.
>
>The emotional difference the two mattings had on both of us was
>surprisingly strong and was the most extreme example of this effect
>that I have ever seen.
>
>
>Best wishes,
>
>-=-Dennis
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>.
>
>
>Please visit the Group Homepage to check the 
>Files, and other resources as they are often 
>being updated.
>
><http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
>
>If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily 
>digest, or you wish to unsubscribe, please edit 
>your Membership preferences by visiting this 
>same page.
>
>Please follow these basic guidelines:
>- As threads develop, trim off excess portions 
>of earlier messages to keep them short.
>- Good manners are required at all time. No 
>personal attacks or flames. Hostile, aggressive 
>or argumentative users may be removed from the 
>membership without notice.
>- Keep your posts and threads related to the 
>group topic of digital B&W printing. Users who 
>persistently make off-topic posts may be removed 
>from the membership.
>- By posting on this forum you agree to abide by 
>the group rules and guidelines, and to abide by 
>the actions and decisions of the group Owner and 
>Moderators. See ìGroup Topic, Rules and 
>Guidelinesî in the Files section:
><http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/
>
>BY PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR POSTING MESSAGES TO 
>THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO! GROUP YOU 
>EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE ìOWNERî 
>AND ìMODERATORSî OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO 
>GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DIRECT, 
>INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR 
>EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, 
>DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA 
>OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF THE  ìOWNERî 
>AND ìMODERATORSî OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO 
>GROUP HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF 
>SUCH DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR 
>THE INABILITY TO USE THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT 
>YAHOO GROUP; (ii) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR 
>ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (iii) 
>STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE 
>DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; OR (iv) ANY 
>OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE 
>PRINT YAHOO GROUP.
>
>
>
>SPONSORED LINKS
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+wedding+photography&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.si>Digital 
>wedding photography 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Learn+digital+photography&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.sig=>Learn 
>digital photography 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+college&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.si>Digital 
>photography college 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.sig=pJmwqg>Digital 
>photography 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+web+site&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.s>Digital 
>photography web site 
><'"http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Digital+photography+course&w1=Digital+wedding+photography&w2=Learn+digital+photography&w3=Digital+photography+college&w4=Digital+photography&w5=Digital+photography+web+site&w6=Digital+photography+course&c=6&s=188&.sig>Digital 
>photography course
>
>
>YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
>
>  Visit your group 
>"<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint>DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint" 
>on the web.
>
>  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> 
><mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the 
><http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms 
>of Service.


-- 
Debbi in California
http://www.pbase.com/debbi

Whoever said 'money can't buy happiness' never met a camera they loved!

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]