Photographs
On this page you’ll find information about framing my photographs.
Passepartout
A passepartout or mat is a thick card with a cutout opening that is placed on top of a photograph in order to avoid the glass of the frame from rubbing against the photograph. The passepartout gives the image room to breathe and in this way plays a central role in putting the finishing touches on a photograph when it’s displayed. Choosing a differently coloured passepartout for the same photograph creates really different styles for the display!
My photographs always include a passepartout and a backing card made by a local professional. One can of course buy a ready-made passepartout, but having them professionally made means I have a wider colour range to choose from and I can customise the opening so that it fits my photographs perfectly.
In my photographs the passepartout is either snow white, natural white or black, depending on the photograph. However, if you’re interested in ordering several photographs with a white passepartout and the photographs are meant to be displayed together, I recommend that only one shade of white be used throughout. Please leave a note at checkout or be in touch before placing the order!
Frame size
When a photograph is framed or a frame is bought, the frame’s size must match the outer measurements of the passepartout. All my photographs fit in various ready-made frames available in stores. You can of course also take the photograph to be framed by a local professional and get more choice as per the colour, texture and shape of the frame!
In my photographs the sizes are as follows:
When the photograph’s size is 15 cm x 23 cm, the outer measurements of the passepartout are 21 cm x 29,7 cm (A4)
When the photograph’s size is 20 cm x 30 cm, the outer measurements of the passepartout are 30 cm x 40 cm
Frame colour
Buying a black or a dark frame is quite straightforward, but when buying a coloured or a wood-coloured frame it’s a good idea to bring the photograph with you in order to see how the photograph, the passepartout and the frame go together.
I especially recommend taking the photograph with you when buying a white frame for a photograph with a white passepartout. You can also bring a piece of white paper/cardboard that matches the shade of the passepartout. A white frame bought without reference may end up being a different shade of white than the passepartout and some people may find this disturbing when the difference was not deliberate.
Please also note that plexiglass can sometimes tint the photograph and passepartout a little bit even though the plexiglass appears transparent. This is usually only noticeable once you place the photograph in the frame, so in this sense buying a frame with glass instead of plexiglass is a safe choice.
Framing
Wash and dry your hands carefully before removing the the photograph from the packaging. Avoid touching the photograph as fingerprints catch on very easily. If this happens, you can carefully remove them with a soft cloth meant for glasses/camera lenses etc. Even though the passepartout doesn’t catch fingerprints as easily I do recommend always holding the passepartout by the sides in order to avoid stains on the front surface.
If you buy a ready-made frame, please note that the glass in frames coming straight from a factory will need cleaning. Wipe the glass before framing, wash & dry when necessary. In order for the photograph to look its best, the glass needs to be completely clean.
Place the frame on a flat surface and place the glass in the frame. Check that there is no dust on the inside of the glass. Also check the photograph and passepartout for dust. Place the photograph in the frame and take a look at the front to see if there’s any dust inside. Remove dust if necessary and close the frame once everything looks good.
Questions?
If you have any questions about framing of my photographs, please be in touch—I’ll be happy to give more details! You can also contact me directly by email or WhatsApp!