PFD helps pros and consumers get framed
PFD, Phoenix, Ariz., has launched www.photoframed.com, an online framing “shop” for photographers and consumers.
The website offers two versions of FDI – the Framing Design Interface – for do-it-yourself or template-assisted design in the matting and framing of digital images. Users are able to visualize their images as part of complete frame packages incorporating a wide variety of mat colors, windows (mat openings) and frame mouldings. Once the user has found the preferred combination of size, colors and styles, he or she can order it immediately online from PFD.
Images to be framed can be uploaded directly from a computer or Flickr account. A cropping tool allows the user to send only the desired area of the image to FDI. It can then be placed anywhere within a user-dimensioned framing area and resized and/or rotated as desired.
In the “Design by Myself” version, up to three layers of matboards can be specified from a selection of more than 100 different colors and textures. The user has a wide variety of mat openings to choose from. These are clicked, dragged and dropped into the framing area, where they can be positioned, rescaled and/or rotated.
Advanced matting design techniques such as the use of top, side or bottom weighting, split mats, and tilted openings are available.
Choosing the frame moulding is achieved in the same manner as that of changing mat colors – click, drag and drop a thumbnail image onto the component to be changed.
The “Design with Template” version of FDI simplifies the framing visualization process by providing easy-to-use pre-designed layouts. These include classic presentations of one, two, three or four photos combined with one or two mats, as well as thematic templates that correspond to the subject or occasion of the photo (holidays, sports, weddings, pets, etc.). The user simply places the photo(s) in the pre-positioned and pre-dimensioned window(s), selects the mat colors/textures and then chooses a frame style to complete the package.
