One of two framed prints supplied by Borderpics. John Blair from Riddell near Selkirk searched high and low for pastoral scenes of the Scottish Borders. Coming from the USA, sheep are quite a novelty for John so he commissioned Borderpics to capture suitable landscape photographs complete with sheep!

Finished with the same moulding and matt colours, the above landscape print measured just under 38" wide. A 13 mega-pixel camera was used to ensure top quality and both photographs consisted of several images digitally stitched to give seamless panoramic views. All photography and framing was completed by Borderpics with the moulding and matt carefully selected to harmonise with the colours of the room where they are on display.

CLIENTS RESPONSE (from guest book on a2jlp.co.uk/photos)

"We're an American family living here just outside of Lilliesleaf and love the Borders. We had John put together 2 photos of Scottish countryside with sheep in the photo. We are so pleased, great photo shots, great framing, and very pleased! John & Susan Blair"

Info: Penielheugh stands on a hill over 700 feet above sea level. It was built by the 6th Marquess of Lothian to commemorate the battle of Waterloo.

A hollow pillar in design and about 150 feet high, built of whinstone with a spiral stair of 226 steps, leading to a wooden gallery recently refurbished. From this point on a clear day, panoramic views of the Borders unfold.

Penielheugh stands just outside the Royal Burgh of Jedburgh which is just 10 miles north of the border with England.

SMART MOVE - PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mass produced picture frames are cheaper to buy than bespoke frames but they tend to be available in a limited range of sizes with a ratio of sides which unfortunately, rarely mirrors negative or print proportions. Bearing in mind you should never place a print or photograph in direct contact with glass, many of us simply by a cheap frame from Woolworths or WH Smith, crop our print and slap it in a frame.

CAMERA CLUB AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITIONS

Many exhibitions require framed prints and if not framed prints then they often request photographs are always mounted. A framed or mounted print is much easier for exhibition organisers to handle and generally makes for a better looking exhibition all round.

Stock mounts or matt's as they are also known as, can be purchased from several suppliers but there is postage to add and often a minimum order value applies. You're still faced with attaching the print to the mount and providing suitable backing board. Why not ask Borderpics for a quotation to mount your photographs for the next club competition? The cost may be less then you'd expect.

BESPOKE MOUNTS / MATTING

If you want to avoid the expense of a bespoke picture frame, a cheaper alternative is to buy a larger stock picture frame and place a matt between the print and the glass. Borderpics will create custom sized matts with any aperture size to suit your print or photograph, and the print can be attached ready to place in your frame of choice (from Woolworths or WH Smith etc).

Matting consists of mounting a photograph to a mat board into which an opening the size of the photograph has been cut. The photograph is attached to the back of the mat with framing or archival tape.

Matting your photographs may be more important than you think especially if you want to sell your photographs either framed or unframed.

Matting a photograph provides three main benefits:

First, it insures that the photograph will not touch the glass once it is framed - the mat board acts as a spacer between the photograph and the glass.

Second, once the photograph is framed and displayed matting helps separate the photograph from its surroundings. It gives it its own unique space and presence.

Third, but not last, matting a photograph makes it more sellable. A matted photograph is a finished product ready to frame, since all your customer has to do is find a frame for it. If you sell your photographs matted your customers will not have to pay custom matting, which is expensive, and if you use standard mat sizes (which I recommend) they will not have to get custom framing which is even more expensive.

BESPOKE PICTURE FRAMING

Talking myself out of bespoke picture framing work, am I daft, don't answer that? Nobody wants to throw away money and I'm simply suggesting a cheaper alternative by providing a budget framed print.

Borderpics will provide budget picture framing in this way if asked but there is no comparison to a hand made picture frame where the moulding and the mount have been careful selected to enhance the print or photograph. Choice of materials can also be selected to match the decor or wall to support the frame - something you will miss out on with the standard issue stock frame.