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Photo Matting

:: Wednesday, December 3rd, 2003 @ 4:27:53 pm

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Why does it cost so much to get a photo matted? I normally buy them online, but for this coming photo show in San Diego, I just don’t have the time to do it myself. I called the local FastFrame here in Noe Valley, and they wanted $46 each for matting + backing my prints to 24″x18″. I managed to haggle them down to $40 each, but that’s still ridiculous. My normal San Diego FastFrame will go no lower than $24 each, even though just last January I managed to get them to do it for $15 each.

Anyone know of any local, inexpensive, high-quality matting sources (in SF or in SD)?

Popularity: 2% | San Francisco | link | trackback | Dec 3, 2003 16:27:53
  • Chester

    Framers have always seemed, to me, to be extortion artists. But, actually…I guess it’s just one of those crafts where real skill/art yields results…ones that are kind of hard for laypeople to distinguish…hence my dim view of their general pricing policies.

  • http://www.alexking.org/ alex

    My experience has been that no matter how much I pay, they do a somewhat shoddy job and I have to make them do it again. But admittedly I am very, um, ‘detail oriented’. ;)

  • http://www.paulwhkan.com/pqplus/ paul

    why don’t you use light impressions? they are very reasonable and i bet they can do rush orders… just order a hinged matting, and you can slip in your picture.

  • http://www.paulwhkan.com/pqplus/ paul

    btw, i think i paid about $10-13/matt for 8 ply hinged 11×14 with 8×10 openings. if you have several, you can cut them from a single board which makes things cheaper.

  • http://www.andybiggs.com Andy

    well, whatever you figure out, let me know, because I have a huge print show next spring!!!

  • http://www.dcebik.com Doug Cebik


    Eric, I’m interested in hearing about where you have purchased mats online, and your experiences. I have been hand cutting mats myself, to avoid the high costs you mention.
    http://echeng.com/journal/imag.....1121_1.htm

  • echeng

    I’ve had good luck with the FastFrame in Encinitas, North County San Diego.

    Online, I’ve been using AmericanFrame.com, which has been great, so far!

  • http://www.davidkatz.com David Katz

    Lately I’ve been working backwards, which is stupid, but if you think about it; its not so silly. I found that Nielson & Bambridge makes a nice series of 16 x 20 frames with 11 X 14 matts that have a black bevel around the inside opening. Total cost is $25 – $35 depending on where you find them. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bn.....amp;is=REG

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