UNIT 4 - AO3 (2/3) - Picture frames

Now that I've taken and processed all of my images from my trip to Ffestiniog for my final piece, the question remains on how to display my work. My initial thoughts for my final piece spawned with the idea of presenting it with the themes of the project, that being the exploration of the previous techniques and themes of documentary photographers during Post WWII Britain. And as the subject my photographs are the Ffestiniog Railway I couldn't just arrange and present these images on a clear-cut minimalist display as I have with my previous work. So I thought, as I'm using vintage methods and technologies, why not place the photographs onto antique frames? It would be far cheaper than buying new frames from B&Q, Dunelms and/or Homebase.

I walked down to the antiques quarter on Abbeydale Road to visit some of the various charity and thrift shops nearby. At some-point during my walk I went into a charity shop named St. Vincents where I found two crates filled with old antique frames. I picked up around 6 frames that would roughly fit 6x4 or 8x6 prints, when I came to buy them the cashier said that she would sell the whole lot to me for £3, I then bought them and walked back with some framing wire and hangers. I'm glad I bought my frames from there as shortly before, I was on the verge on spending £30 on five frames, three of which were in terrible condition.

When I got back I put some prints that I had left over and then put the frames on the wall. Here's what they looked like:

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When I was choosing my frames I wanted to have them be predominately be made out with a dark wood with a gold lining. As the the dark wood went well with the black and white images. I also bought a 1x1 frame to experiment with some square photographs incase I wanted to crop any from the railway to that size. I did get a more light-wooden frame, however I now heavily choose against it as it sticks out amongst the others and doesn't really go towards the theme of the rest of them.

If I were to use these antique frames for my final piece, I would have them hanging like they are shown here but have also have a small piece of card hanging below each frame which has a caption and description of the photograph, I would probably buy more frames as well, I would have somewhere around 12 or more frames on one wall to try allow me to display as many photographs as possible to present my "Day in the Life" idea for the railway.

However, the main problems with this idea is to do with the cost and placement of the frames. I would probably be spending over £30 in total for the all of the prints and frames, there are not many 6x4 frames either in many of the charity shops which only adds to the complication of spending more money on larger prints. Lastly, I think I won't choose this idea as throughout my A-Level Art course I have been producing a large final piece display for almost every unit and I don't want to get repetitive with my work. So in conclusion I am proud with the frames and the way that this project is looking however if its possible to do another project, then I'd be much more enthusiastic on that instead of this.