I need some frame opinions

[Richard Wasserman]

I need to order frames for a show I have in October. It will consist of about 35 16x20 black and white prints in 24x28 frames. They are printed on Kentmere VC paper which has a pretty bright white base. The prints are neutral toned. I find myself obsessing between wood frames in either black or what is called Espresso, a very dark brown. So, what do you all think? Should I consider other options? I feel silly asking, but I seem to be stuck....

[Greg Y]

Richard, I've been in the same quandary. In the end, for shows, I've usually gone with black. It goes well with the image no matter what. Sometimes the gallery flooring or walls or accent colours seem to clash with 'espresso' I'm wishing there was a paper with a little less glare in the whites...kind of like Forte polywarmtone was..sigh*

[Erik Larsen]

I agree with Greg. Go with black and it should match most any surroundings and has a classic look IMO. I prefer simple wood look to aluminum but that is just a matter of taste. Good luck with the show!
Regards
Erik

[Alan Gales]

Have you put a piece of matte board next to your print and then a piece of frame on top of the matte board to give you a good idea what the end result will look like? This is what I have always done when framing prints.

[jeroldharter]

I use the same paper.
I use Nielson frames in Contrast Gray color which is dark but not quite black. I find that it does not fight with the black in the prints. Sometimes straight black makes selenium toned prints look more blue or eggplant.

FDI has them. They do a great job and the frames come very clean.

[Kirk Gittings]

First off, I think one can obsess over this to much. I think that as long as the frame is clean lined and contemporary then fame color is secondary. Traditional B&W silver photography almost always looks contemporary and requires a clean lined frame (unless one is imitating an earlier aesthetic). I think if the print is strong and pulls you in, then the frame (as long as it isn't dumb) is secondary.

But truly neutral? That would be somewhat unusual IME. What subtle tone are the prints (not the paper base), cold tone, selenium, warm etc.?

[Merg Ross]

My thoughts. The frame should always be as unobtrusive as possible if you want your prints to be the dominant feature. For the past twenty-five years I have exhibited using contrast-grey frames. Black frames can on occasion work well, but sometimes draw the eye away from the photograph and become a distraction, similar to a key line. For a 16x20 print mounted to the size that you suggest, the frame is not that distant from the image itself; again, be certain to make the image the focus of your presentation.

However, if you are exhibiting your work for decorative purposes, then a contrast-grey frame might not bring great returns.

In any event, I hope your exhibit is a grand success; you have some excellent work to exhibit.

[Noah A]

When I shot B&W I tended to stick with black. I like the look and in a way I found brown or other near-black colors to be a bit distracting.

For my color work I'm now using white Nielsen 117 frames and I really like them. The profile is a bit deeper than other metal frames. I've never tried them with B&W but it might actually look good. They really disappear and let the work speak for itself, but at the same time they look very polished and professional. The price is right and they're easily reusable if you need to use them for another show down the road.

Since it's a matter of preference like so many other things, I'd suggest stopping by a frame shop and playing with their samples next to one of your prints.

If you get wood frames I'd recommend getting ones that are painted or stained directly. If you get wood frames that are coated with gesso or some other thick coating it will chip off over time if you ship or re-use the frames and before long they'll look pretty beat up.

I don't know what the venue is or if the prints are for sale, which may be a consideration. But I think it's hard to go wrong with a simple profile and a white or black frame.

[GPS]

Black frames for B&W is the common sense. Any other color brings a third color to the picture itself. Coloured frames are for color photography as black or white is again, an opposition to a color, in a certain way.

[Brian Ellis]

I use black because that's what I started with and I don't want to reframe things from my first few exhibits. If I were starting over I'd use some sort of nickel/silver looking frame. I've seen both black and nickel/silver over the years and I just like the way the nickel/silver looks. But I don't think the frame is really that critical, all I want in a frame is something that doesn't distract from the photograph. I want people to notice and look at the photograph, not admire the frame.