# Film-style Borders In Lightroom



## jobrow (Apr 28, 2020)

I use Nik's Silver Efex Pro 2 in PS for a lot of my B&W processing.  Although I don't use them a huge amount, I do love the border function in this product, allowing me to add 'old style' film edges of varying types to my images.  I've been trying to find a LR plugin that emulates Nik's border system but, despite extensive Googling, have yet to find anything.  Is there anyone out there who can point me in the right direction?  Specifically, I want the ability to add a film border in the Print module, so the resultant JPEGs appear to have been 'printed' full-frame, with neg edges/sprocket holes showing. I suspect I may be searching for unicorn tears here, but shy bairns get nowt.      TIA for any help.


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## clee01l (Apr 28, 2020)

I believe this plugin has a "sprocket" border option: LR/Mogrify 2 - Add Watermarks, Border and Text Annotions to Images Exported by Adobe Lightroom


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## Rob_Cullen (Apr 28, 2020)

There is a 'work-around' in Lr-Classic, and you do not need a Plugin.
you do need-
1) A graphic image of the 'Border/Frame' that you want to overlay your photo to print.
2) The graphic needs to be the same crop 'Ratio' as the print (paper ratio) you are creating.
3) The graphic needs to be a PNG type file with transparency preserved to show the photo below.
4) The graphic needs to be used to create an Identity Plate in Lr
5) You Apply this Identity Plate in the Print module.
6) The Identity Plate can be resized 'up' by dragging the corners out to the print edges.

You can create any and many styles of border/frames in Photoshop! (as .PNG with transparent areas)
You can save several/many Identity Plates that use different graphic PNG images for use as borders/frames.




A 'Frame' graphic as an ID plate:



A thin Red Line graphic:


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## jobrow (Apr 29, 2020)

Thank you to both Cletus & I-S-L for your input.  I am familiar with the PNG method detailed and have also looked at Mogrify 2.  Whilst both go some way to achieving the effect I'm after, sadly they don't quite 'tick all the boxes'.

The Nik Silver Efex "plug-in" for PS (can also be used stand alone) gives a wealth of border styles, weights and sizes, all controlled using a simple slider system for fine control.  It also allows for any crop ratio.  I was looking for a similar LR plug-in but it looks like this is definitely in the "unicorn tears" category.  

I'm not a coder of any sort, but if Nik (software now Google owned and free - worth checking out for any B&W specialists out there!) can make it work I'm wondering if Adobe can adapt it in some way to use in LR?  Might drop them a line......not a lot else to do in these strange times.....!

Thanks again both for your help.


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## clee01l (Apr 29, 2020)

jobrow said:


> Thank you to both Cletus & I-S-L for your input.  I am familiar with the PNG method detailed and have also looked at Mogrify 2.  Whilst both go some way to achieving the effect I'm after, sadly they don't quite 'tick all the boxes'.
> 
> The Nik Silver Efex "plug-in" for PS (can also be used stand alone) gives a wealth of border styles, weights and sizes, all controlled using a simple slider system for fine control.  It also allows for any crop ratio.  I was looking for a similar LR plug-in but it looks like this is definitely in the "unicorn tears" category.
> 
> ...


The Nik Software is a Lightroom Plugin.  It is now owned by DxO and not free Online Store - DxO
You may have the older version from when it was absorbed by Google briefly.  Google never updated the app from the Nik people . This is not updated to current operating systems and could very well fail to install on Catalina or Windows 10.


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## jobrow (Apr 29, 2020)

Ah yes, thanks for reminding me; I do recall seeing something about DxO picking up the reins from Google.  I bought into the suite whilst it was still under Nik's control, so haven't paid much attention other than a small upgrade when Google took over.

Looking at the DxO web site, their tech specs say Mac OS 10.12, 10.13, 10.14 (Mojave) or 10.15 (Catalina) required, so should be OK to use the last Google version.  I'm on Mojave and it works fine, both stand-alone and from within PS.  Am resisting Catalina as there are a few other smaller apps that I use that won't work under Catalina.  

Might drop DxO a line and see what they reckon has happened OS support-wise since their ownership of the suite.

Thanks again.


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