How to put a simple frame border around photos

Five
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

I get asked a lot how to put a simple frame border around images, like this one. It is very simple.

These instructions apply to Photoshop, but also work in Elements and no doubt you can work out a similar way if you use some other software. For Elements and others the menu locations may be different but the commands similar.

1. Prepare your photo as usual - the border is the last thing to add.

2. Click the Image Menu and select Canvas Size

3. Make sure the 'Relative' box is ticked

4. In the Height and Width box enter a figure - I work in metric so I usually first put in, say 0.2 cm in each box

5. Make sure the centre box in the icon below this is selected (the one with arrows all round it - you will see what I mean when you are there!)

6. In the Canvas Extension drop down box select a colour - in this example above, I chose White - usually, depending on the colours in the image, white or black work best for this inner pin stripe.

7. Click Okay

Now you will see the fine border around your image.

Repeat the process above to add the thicker, outer frame but increase the dimensions to suit what you want - I often use 7, 9, 11 or even 13cm - I find odd numbers work best.

You can experiment with several borders of varying thicknesses - it sometimes looks good to put a 0.2cm white, then a 0.2cm black followed by a 11cm White and finish the outer edge with another 0.2cm black border.

If you are uploading to Flickr and want a white outer border it is always best to put a fine black border around as the page background on Flickr is white and this fine outer pinstripe defines your white border - otherwise it is lost on the page.

Combine a border with a signature - the instructions for which I blogged here a few days ago, and you are developing your own signed piece of artwork!

In my next blog, I will suggest a method of adding Text to the border to title your pictures.

Let me know if you find this useful.