Borders and Framing

**Dabhand16** · 22-04-2007, 15:26

I've been playing around with borders and framing lately. This one is Kelby's, straight from his book. I thought it was a bit OTT at first, but the more I look at it, the more it grows on me.

What do you think?

Charlotte · 22-04-2007, 16:05

Not keen on the white border, maybe a dark grey would suit this pic better

How did you do it? I want to start with borders + framing too

Who's Kelby?

**Dabhand16** · 22-04-2007, 16:16

Scott Kelby is an American writer of photographic books. The one I've got is Photoshop CS2 Essential Skills. It is packed with good innformation on every aspect of PS, but he has an unfortunate writing style that he thinks is really funny, but just isn't. If you can get past this, it is a good book for those with PS.

This border took up four pages (with illustrations) of the book - 12 steps, so is is impractical to go into detail at this time. I'll try to paraphrase it when I get better at doing it.

I agree with you regarding the colours, but I was more interested in the style and was not paying too much attention to them. I might give it another go.

Charlotte · 22-04-2007, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

... This border took up four pages (with illustrations) of the book - 12 steps, so is is impractical to go into detail at this time. I'll try to paraphrase it when I get better at doing it.

I agree with you regarding the colours, but I was more interested in the style and was not paying too much attention to them. I might give it another go.

Gosh, it's that involved

Can't really look past the colour to see the style in isolation, as I think the frame style + colour go hand-in-hand to influence the final visual effect, especially as this particular style you chose has a very thin frame edging, so the colour does leap out at you before you notice the actual design style, if you know what I mean

Anyway, nice image Graham, if a little dark. It does need straightening I think (CW) + suggest a crop on the LH edge up to the curve line. Nice soothing, gentle curves, colours + detail in this, I like it

**Dabhand16** · 22-04-2007, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlotte

Can't really look past the colour to see the style in isolation, as I think the frame style + colour go hand-in-hand to influence the final visual effect,

Well, all I did was to get the book out and picked this picture at random, then followed the steps, incuding the colours. When I did this next one, I had a bit of a mare because as the fill colour was grey (and much more appropriate), it did mean that some of the effects were not visible! I'm glad I just followed the book in the first effort, or else I would be pulling my hair out. At least I know what ought to happen at each stage!

Anyway, although I don't disagree with your other comments, the image is unchanged, I'm just trying the framing.

Charlotte · 22-04-2007, 18:50

Your 2nd frame sets the image off much better than the first one did

**Markulous** · 22-04-2007, 19:54

Ahhh, to border or not to border, that is the question!

I've toyed around with them but in the end concluded that I wasn't trying to emulate a framed print or detract from the image itself. So, just keep it simple to (hopefully) emphasise the display on the web and isolate it from the surroundings (balck/white with the occasional keyline!).

But appreciate that it's very much a personal thing - each to their own!

**Dabhand16** · 22-04-2007, 20:03

Good points - but I find it interesting if you look at the first image, then the second, the second image seems lighter! (They are both made up from the same file). There is apparently more visible detail. I can only assume that either the wine is catching up with me, or the white border in the first image is having an influence on the eye that is affecting how much it can pick out of an image.

Charlotte · 22-04-2007, 20:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

... There is apparently more visible detail ... the white border in the first image is having an influence on the eye that is affecting how much it can pick out of an image.

Precisely Graham ... apparently the human eye uses matrix metering

That's why I couldn't just look at the frame, i.e. just the bit that you wanted the viewer to see, without seeing the picture + frame et al as a whole

**Dabhand16** · 22-04-2007, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlotte

the human eye uses matrix metering

Obviously copied from Nikon..........

sweet_sac · 23-04-2007, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

Scott Kelby is an American writer of photographic books. The one I've got is Photoshop CS2 Essential Skills. It is packed with good innformation on every aspect of PS, but he has an unfortunate writing style that he thinks is really funny, but just isn't. If you can get past this, it is a good book for those with PS.

After reading this I had a look on ebay for this book, it was available a a digital download for a quid so I got it. You aint wrong about this guy's writing style - never seen anything like it!

**Dabhand16** · 23-04-2007, 21:11

Stick with it - there is a lot of good stuff to be had from it. I got my copy from Amazon for about £19, so for £1 it's a steal.