Film strip photo border

The tell of a drawn film strip is a sprocket hole cut in half at one end. This one divides the strip into a whole number of holes and spaces them evenly, so the gap before the first hole and after the last is the same at both corners whatever the photo’s shape. Sprocket spacing and Hole size are controls rather than fixed numbers, because 35 mm, medium-format and toy-camera strips all look different and none of them is the only right answer.

Real negatives carry frame numbers along one edge, and this page opens with them on: a number and an arrow mark, drawn in a typewriter face, along the top. The bottom edge takes a caption — the roll, a date, a place — in one of four bundled faces. When a caption is set, the bottom row of holes moves outward to give it room, and the text is clipped to the strip so it can never run across the photograph.

1. 1Open the photograph. It is set in a film strip with frame numbers along the top.
2. 2Adjust Sprocket spacing and Hole size under Border.
3. 3Type a caption for the bottom edge, and choose its face and size.
4. 4Save as PNG, JPG or WebP at full size.

• A strip of three photos side by side, each in its own frame, is not offered: this page frames one photo at a time.
• On a very thin border the frame numbers and caption get too small to read; widen the border, or turn them off.

Can I change the number of sprocket holes?

Yes. Sprocket spacing sets the distance between holes as a share of the band, and the count is then rounded to a whole number across the strip so the first and last holes sit the same distance from the corners. Hole size makes each hole larger or smaller.

What are the numbers along the top?

Frame numbers, the way a real negative strip carries them: a number and a second mark with an arrow and a letter. Turn Frame numbers off under Border for a clean strip. They are drawn in a typewriter face that travels inside the saved file.

Can I write on the strip?

Yes. Type into Caption and the text sits on the bottom edge of the strip, with the bottom row of holes moved outward to make room. Font, size, alignment and colour are all controls, and the text never covers the photo.

Does it work with a black-and-white photo?

It works with any photo. A black strip with pale holes is the classic negative look; Match photo under Colour suggests a strip colour taken from the picture itself if you would rather it matched.

• Polaroid frameAn instant-print style card in square, wide or mini proportions, with the deep bottom margin.
• Vintage photo borderA cream deckled border with a paper texture, for an old-print look.
• Photo frame editorAll 39 frames drawn on your own photo, recoloured from the picture and saved at full size.