Printing images with perfect borders

[stephanie_vazquez]

<p>Hello, I'm new to photography and would like to know if anyone would be willing to share some tips on achieving a straight border on the finished photo, when printing. To elaborate, is it wise to utilize a thicker border as a beginner? What border measurements work for you?.. And anything else you could share would be great.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>The white borders come from the part covered by the easel. Some easels are better than others, but usually come pretty close. </p>

<p>Sometimes you can fix it with a paper cutter after development. </p>

<p>Otherwise, get a frame to cover it up.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>As long as you are using an enlarging easel and putting the paper in straight, I'm not sure how it's possible to get a border that is anything other than straight. Most easels have a couple of small slots, one or two each on two sides, that ensure that the paper is straight in relation to the blades. Make sure you're getting the paper properly seated in these.<br /><br />As for width of the border, the default size for most easels is about one-quarter inch. Most easels I've used have a fixed border that size on two sides and two adjustable blades for the other sides. There are four-blade easels that let you set the border any size you like. And I have speed easels that have a fixed border all the way around, also at about one-quarter inch.<br /><br />I have seen prints made with extra-wide borders as an artistic decision. But the more common technique is to print at normal size and normal borders and place the print into a wider matte. Not sure what purpose there would be for a beginner to print with wide borders unless maybe you want to write notes on the borders about what you did with the print.<br /><br />Along the lines of what Glen said, prints typically go under a matte or into a frame, so the precise size and straightness of borders becomes a moot point.<br /><br />When I worked at UPI, prints were made on 8x10 paper with a quarter-inch border on three sides and a border of about 1.5 inches along one side, which was were the caption was added to the photo with a large label that fit the space. The photo then went into a transmitter.</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>I am using a <em>Versamask system</em> with laser cutted frames.</p>

[stephanie_vazquez]

<p>Thank you for your responses, very helpful!</p>