Film border

[Kbk24]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum. I've noticed for quite some time that a lot of photographers have this border around their photos. Is this achieved from a specific way of developing/printing?

Best

K

 

[JBrunner]

It can be an added as an affectation of artistic intent, or it can be an artifact of process (or both). The latter preceded the former. Borders are inherent in processes like Polaroid transfer and alternative process but can be masked during creation or matted out as well. Some people like to display them as evidence of the process, others don't care. Also, because a lot of work here is scanned, the rebates are more often left showing because the person doesn't bother with cropping them out. You'll see more "real' borders here than anywhere else, I think. Most of the time it's a subjective individual preference.

Warmest welcomes to Photrio

 

[awty]

Theres probably an app.

You can do it using an enlarger in the dark room if the negative mask is slightly larger than the negative. I like my masks to be slightly larger so I dont miss anything.
You can do it which ever way you chose, hard borders or not. I often do away with borders all together when doing alternative contact print.

 

[Pieter12]

If these are darkroom prints and not photoshop additions, then the first one looks like it might be a cardboard mask/negative carrier in the enlarger, cut slightly larger than the negative image area (Diane Arbus used this method a lot). The second is a metal negative carrier that has been filed to be larger than the negative image. Both are printed within the area that is usually masked by the enlarging easel, or using a borderless easel.

 

[MattKing]

When I used to print with light or bright metal coloured negative holders in my Ilford Multigrade 400 equipped Omega D6 enlarger, there would be an area of reflection and refraction outside the image area, which I rather liked, and would often include in my prints.
This is the full frame of the negative carrier, which does slightly crop the image area of (in this case) a 35mm negative. The easel arms are placed on the paper outside the imaged area, leaving some white paper between the image and the easel arms. No filed out carrier necessary:

The effect is slightly different, but still present, when larger medium format negatives are printed in the same full frame way. I expect that it is at least partially related to using a larger than necessary 4"x5" diffuser in the Multigrade head.

 

[JBrunner]

When I used to print with light or bright metal coloured negative holders in my Ilford Multigrade 400 equipped Omega D6 enlarger, there would be an area of reflection and refraction outside the image area, which I rather liked, and would often include in my prints.
This is the full frame of the negative carrier, which does slightly crop the image area of (in this case) a 35mm negative. The easel arms are placed on the paper outside the imaged area, leaving some white paper between the image and the easel arms. No filed out carrier necessary:


The effect is slightly different, but still present, when larger medium format negatives are printed in the same full frame way. I expect that it is at least partially related to using a larger than necessary 4"x5" diffuser in the Multigrade head.

Fantastic image, Matt.

 

[MattKing]

Thanks Jason.