Introduction
You have just had an incredible family photo session, capturing precious moments and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Now comes framing your beautiful portraits to display them proudly in your home. Framing your portraits is a perfect way to enjoy your pictures every day, but the framing process can feel very overwhelming. From selecting your frame, to framing sizing, to layout. I am here to offer you some guidance to help you transform your cherished family portraits into stunning wall art.
1. Tell a Story with Collages:
Narrowing down favorites from a portrait session can be difficult! If you are torn between favorites consider a trio. Trios not only allow you to display multiple favorites from your portrait session, but also all you to tell the story of your session. You can incorporate both your formal poses and candid/ natural posing to create visual interest and reflect the true memories of the session. When creating a collage, you can add visual interest by incorporating different sizes and using a variety of pulled back and tightly cropped portraits. When hanging your collage remember to leave some space in between frames to allow for some breathing room. This allows each piece to be able to shine individually as well as together as a unit.
2. Choose Frames that Complement The Aesthetics of Your Home:
When selecting frames, consider the overall aesthetics of your home. Are you going for a modern, minimalist look or a rustic, farmhouse vibe? Match the frame style and color to your existing décor, ensuring a cohesive and harmonious display. Sleek black and metal frames can add a contemporary and modern touch, while natural wood frames give the space a warmth and charm. Remember, the ultimate goal is to enhance the beauty of your family portraits, so be sure to pick a frame that compliments your portraits and does not distract the eye away from the precious portrait being framed.
3. Balance and Proportion
Balance and proportion is very important when displaying multiple frames in your home. When framing three portraits in a trio, have the portrait in the middle a larger size with the two on either size the same size to create balance. If possibly, as mentioned in tip 1, have the frame in the middle a pulled back shot, and the portraits on the side cropped in tighter. Want to draw the eyes of your visitors more to the center image? Then consider having the two poses on the sides angle inward. This takes the eyes of the viewer naturally to the center. It is also important for frames to hang at eye level. This helps them to quickly capture the eye as someone enters into the room. You invested into these portraits, so they deserve to make a statement and demand the attention from guests.
4. Matting Adds Elegance:
Matting is a great way to add an extra touch of luxury and elegance to your portraits. Mats not only make your portraits more high end and elegant, but they also add dimension as well as a clean look to your portraits. When selecting a mat, it is best to choose a neutral color such as white or cream. A neutral mat will compliment your portrait and draw the eye to the subjects.
5. Lighting and Placement
For our last tip, let’s talk about lighting and placement. Both these factors can allow your portraits to make a statement in the room. It is best to display portraits in natural light. Placing portraits in a well lit area of the room will allow for the colors to really shine. While placing portraits in a well lit area is great, it does come with a warning. Be aware of glares. Glares can cause your portraits to not be seen well from certain angles. For extra measures you can select a frame that has a a glare reducing coating on the glass.
Where you place your portrait is also a way to help your pictures to stand out. Placing your portraits over a focal point in a room such as a couch, dresser, fireplace, etc. helps to allow the portraits to make a statement. Placing a portrait at the end of a hallway is another way to really make them pop. Your eye will naturally focus right to your portrait.
Conclusion
Framing your recent family session photographs is a great way to enjoy your portraits each and every day. The framing process does not have to be overwhelming! Save this post and reference it after your next session to help with your framing process!
