MAT DETAILS: Matted Album mats are cut with an aperture window a 1/4 inch smaller on all four sides than the print measurement. Like a photo frame. This allows sliding the print under the mat and centering the print and even twisting the print to straighten horizon lines etc.

Most photographers worth their salt know this and shoot slightly loose to compensate for this. Photographers who don't do albums might not know this fact and shoot too tight since they don't assemble albums.

A workaround in this later scenario is to have a white or black border print made that gets covered up by the mat, but makes the "live" picture area smaller. Use www.imagexperts.com for such prints or any lab of your choice offering white or black bordered prints. Best if border is 1/8" on all four sides since mats do vary slightly betwen configurations and album companies.

We have had to trim off all the 1/4 inch borders using Zookbinders or Classic Albums. That hurts.

Below sizes are not exact as each manufacturer as their own specs, so make prints slightly larger than above specs if you are sizing digital images in PhotoShop.

GUIDE TO WINDOW OPENINGS:

• 8x10 Aperture has a live area of 7.5x9.5
• 8x8 = 7.5x7.5 use 8x10 and cut to square
• 7x10 = 6.5x9.5
• 5x10 = 4.5x9.5
• 5x7 = 4.5x6.5
• 5x5 = 4.5x4.5 use 5x7 and cut to square
• 4x6 = 3.5x5.5
• 4x5 = 3.5x4.5
• 4x4 Image Cut Out On Cover = 3.5x3.5 = use 4x6 and cut to square
• 3.5x5 = 3x4.5
• 2x3 = Renaissance MS872/MS873:
  Size of opening shows:
  2.125" x 2.625" of print.

If the image is too loose (has alot of extra room around the subject) you can slip under smaller aperture window size to effectively "zoom" in the print without reprinting.To visualize this simply cut these above dimensions out on paper and hold over print. This presents the "LIVE AREA" seen under the mat.

You might use a 4x6 print under a 3.5x5 window giving you a live area seen on the print of 3x4.5. It covers up the rest of the print. Makes the main subject appear closer! If need be you can take a scissors and cut the print when assembling if you can't position it correctly when taping in print. Since the print is covered by the mat, a rough edge cut doesn't matter since it is covered by the mat. If you are anal then use a paper cutter.... LOL...

If you make a mistake cutting the print...ooops you have to reprint it. Yes it happens!

If you have a 4x6 print and put it under a 4x5 aperture opening the live area that shows is 3.5x4.5. In some cases it cuts off important people! Bummer! So then reprint this image 3.5.x5 size so you get the whole image. Then use the 3.5x5 aperture size mat.

PROPORTIONS:

• 4x6 Proofs Have same crop as: 2.5x3.5 (wallet), 3.5x5, 5x7, 7x10, 8x12
  {Many Pro Labs make 7x10 prints and mats are made also}
• 4x5 prints have same crop as: 8x10
• Square Prints: To visualize this scenario: Take and cut a 3.5x3.5 window in a piece of paper. Hold against a 4x6 print. If you like what you see, you can make either a 8x10 print and later cut to 8x8 or make a 5x7 print and later cut to 5x5 print. Then order these mat window sizes. This often works great for reception candids, cake cutting etc.
• 5x5 = 4.5x4.5 use 5x7 and cut to square
• 8x8 = 7.5x7.5 use 8x10 and cut to square