Ready Made Frame Sizes for Digital Photographic Prints

[Kirstie]

The thread on giving classes to artists brought this to my attention:

One of my attendees gave me a list of typical aspect ratios for digital print sizes. She stressed 8 x 12, 12 x 18, 20 x 30 and so on. She said that artists cannot find ready made frames that fit their prints. I pointed out that once you put a mat on an 8 x 12, you have a 12 x 16 ready made, which we already stock. Same for 18 x 24 for a 12 x 18 with a 3" mat. But they seem to want the actual photo sizes. I plan to cover this whole issue in my next class for photographers.

For those who build ready made frames for photographers, what non-traditional sizes are you selling the most?

Thanks.

 

[Jeff Rodier]

I began to head down that road and quit very quickly. 11x17, 12x18, 13x19, 16x24 would be natural sizes but photographers rarely print the same size since many own larger printers. These customers were also looking for complete frames with glass and backing for $20 or less.

I now have a large number of photographers printing to sizes that fit current frame sizes with mats. I sell a good number of 12x24, 15x30 & 18x36 frames and many of the photographers call and ask what size the print should be to allow mats and finish with a custom framed look.

Most photographers are cropping every image so it is easy enough for them to print any size they need to fit the frame. When I am printing for them I ask that they provide a file with the full image and I crop it while they stand there so it fits properly.

 

[DVieau2]

For every photographer with a camera that takes the 2:3 aspect ratio (8x12) there are 10 who use a camera that takes a 4:5 aspect ratio (8X10).

http://www.digicamguides.com/print/aspect-ratio.html

These is no uniformity so there is no easy solution.

On our in house ready mades we are quick to point that we can cut down a bigger frame (11x14) to make a (8x12).

Doug

 

[Kirstie]

I now have a large number of photographers printing to sizes that fit current frame sizes with mats. I sell a good number of 12x24, 15x30 & 18x36 frames and many of the photographers call and ask what size the print should be to allow mats and finish with a custom framed look.

So Jeff, if these are frame sizes, are they for small matted panoramics? What is the usual print size for these? Is a 12 x 24 for an 8 x 20? Seems like a really odd size.

Is anyone producing frames for Instagram photos?

 

[Jeff Rodier]

I have them print 7x19 for the 12x24. I also sell the Fredrix canvas in these sizes so I am the only local source for both the frames and canvas.

The new gallery that the art guild has opened has very specific space restrictions since there are nearly 70 spaces for the artists and photographers. The long narrow frames have really picked up in popularity.

 

[Julie Walsh]

Instagram and Hipstamatic are square format. I have ready mades in 10"x10", 8"x8" to hold 4"x4" or 5"x5" prints. I have seen an increase of people bringing 24"x24" square frames in for mat cutting, so I may consider larger squares to have on hand.

 

[Jeff Rodier]

I make square ready mades in 12x12, 16x16 & 20x20 and I sell the Fredrix canvas in those sizes. I have never seen an Instagram print.

 

[FrameMakers]

For every photographer with a camera that takes the 2:3 aspect ratio (8x12) there are 10 who use a camera that takes a 4:5 aspect ratio (8X10).
Doug

Doug, I respectfully disagree. 4:3 and 3:2 are by far more popular than 4:5. As a matter of fact, I don't know that I have ever taken in a native file that was 4:5.

 

[DVieau2]

Yes your right. 4:3 is the most common digital camera aspect ratio. I should read my own link!

I had my brain wrapped around the aspect ratio of the print sizes we make. ie: 8x10

In the photo lab we tell customers that an 8x10 is full frame from their 4:3 size camera. The cropping is very close and most will just roll their eyes at any attempt to explain cropping issues.

If these customers wanted to be real picky they would ask for 4 x 5.25 frames and 8 x 10.5 size frames.

Doug

 

[Baer Charlton]

Our (framers) stock sizes are not photo formats.... they are the paper sizes
that used to be used by photographers.

And real photographers rarely if ever print the whole format.

That is where the term "cropping" came from.

Next time you have one of those "I paid $500 for a camera - -
that makes me a photographer" people in, tell them this info
and watch them swallow their tongue.

 

[artfolio]

I, too, gave up on making and stocking ready-mades long ago after a very brief sortie into that area.

Most people seem to equate "ready-made" with "cheap" but they expect me to produce custom quality at K-Mart prices. Then, if I try to upsell to a custom job I have to explain why the custom frame is going to cost twice as much as the ready-made. Virtually, I am competing with myself.

Nowadays custom is all I sell - K-Mart and Ikea are welcome to the ready-made buyers.