"fake" border around picture

[ymc226]

Moving to a much smaller house with less wall space for traditional frames with matted photos.  I saw the Samsung Frame TV which has a nice frame to the TV and can display your own photos with "matting" so your pictures don't appear too screensaver like.  Speaking with an audio-video consultant at Best Buy, the downside is that this particular system uses a proprietary single cable that supplies power and communications connected to a VCR sized device that includes power supply and computing processors.  This seems a set up for issues.  Also, the Samsung TV quality for the Frame model is middle of the road.  Since this TV will be placed above the fireplace in my living room, there are several companies which can provide a frame around any TV to improve the aesthetic look.

Rather than having pictures fully displayed from side to side, is there a program that would export photos with a white border or even better yet with a virtual mat border?

[BobShaw]

I made an Action in Photoshop that frames photos.
You just increases the canvas area and paint it white or whatever colour that you want.
Then you save, resize to the required pixels, save and close
You can then do a batch on as many as you like.

[Eric Brody]

The DXO Nik set of software allows adding "borders" that are adjustable in size and smoothness. I use them for almost all my prints. I keep them pretty thin. Some viewers think they make a nice finishing touch, some  done, most do not notice or comment at all. As Charlie Cramer says, it's art, there are no wrong answers.

[fdisilvestro]

The DXO Nik set of software allows adding "borders" that are adjustable in size and smoothness. I use them for almost all my prints. I keep them pretty thin. Some viewers think they make a nice finishing touch, some  done, most do not notice or comment at all. As Charlie Cramer says, it's art, there are no wrong answers.

The issue with the Nik borders is that they "Crop" the image, they are not the same as extending the canvas in Photoshop (unless they changed this behaviour in the latest version)

[kirkt]

You can also make a PS action to expand the canvas a small amount (the width of the bevel you would like for your virtual mat) and apply a layer effect with a hard chisel bevel.  Then expand the canvas again to the final mat size.  This will produce a mat with a beveled edge.  If you set your units to "percent" (in PS Preferences) when you record and run your action, everything will be done relative to the length of the edges of each image, as opposed to absolute pixel or real unit values.  This is useful if the images you are batching have a large variation in edge dimensions.

Kirk

[ymc226]

Thank you.  I think PS is the way to go.  Too bad I never learned PS6 when I had it, now I have PS via subscription.  Will need to learn at least this function to get the results I desire.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

All you need of PS for this is this little list:
1.   How to open a file in PS,
2.   How to build an action to make the frame (as described in earlier posts),
3.   How to run an action on a photo.
4.   How to move back a step or two in "History" in case something doesn't look right, and
5.   How to save your framed masterpiece in the location of your choosing.

Good luck!

[Paul_Roark]

Slightly OT, but my experimenting with "fake" borders resulted in this:  https://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Carbon-on-Canvas.pdf .  All but the 1 1/4" black satin wood frame is printed onto the canvas, which is dry-mounted to an acid free substrate.

In fact, I don't do that anymore.  I prefer more image; that's the point of my work.  Also, while it works when viewed at a distance, up-close examination (which buyers often do) will allow too many to notice that the bulk of the "frame" is printed onto the canvas.  I don't want anything "fake" in my images or presentations.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com 

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Paul,
On screen it looks really nice. But I'm sure that directly on a wall the "frame" would be disappointing.

-Eric