Shopping Guide

Okay, so now you are ready to buy one of my photos, but you feel bombarded with the many selections I have to offer. Have no fear, the shopping guide is here!

Prints

For prints, I mostly sell through Fine Arts America; however, you can also purchase the photos through Viewbug. The photos on Fine Arts America also appear on their sister site, Pixels. I highly recommend purchasing through Fine Arts America since I have experience working with them the most and I believe they have exceedingly quality printing services. I currently have not purchased prints through Viewbug, as I mostly use this website as a source to enter in photography contests. They just happen to allow me to sell prints through them.

Both sites provide print-on-demand fulfillment. I use this type of services since I am an artist with a single employee business.
The shopping guide for purchasing prints is mostly focused on the Fine Arts America selection.

Canvas: Canvas is a plain-woven fabric that is known for its durability. This material can be stretched or framed. If you choose not to do one or the other, there is a 2.5” border for future framing. FAA offers two choices for canvas, glossy and matte.

  • Glossy canvas is designed for pigmented inks. This is recommended if you wish for the photo to appear reflective like oil paint on a canvas.
  • Matte canvas appears like the original image and is not reflective.

Prints: Photo prints are on quality paper and are meant to be framed. If you order the photo without the frame, then the photo comes with a 1’ border. I must warn you, the frames provided by FAA are pricy. If you wish to save a few bucks, I recommend purchasing the frame separately. You can purchase frames through many department, art, or online stores. FAA provides multiple choices for paper prints.

  • Archival Matte Paper: This is a heavyweight, acid-free, smooth, long-lasting, matte finished paper. This paper allows for the reproduction of high resolution images. This paper is recommended for black and white photography.
  • Glossy Photo Paper: This paper has an ultra-gloss finish, which means the surface is highly reflective. It is perfect for the reproduction of vivid colors in a photograph. The paper has a high ink saturation for high quality. This paper has a high D-max, which means that it would display a deeper color black, which would prevent it from looking pale.
  • Luster Photo Paper: This neutral tone paper is perfect for portraits due to its sheen and sparkle. The luster finish allows the photo to emit light rather than reflect it. It has high D-max and ink saturation. The texture of this paper hides minor scratches and scuff that is caused by wear and handling.
  • Semi-Matte Photo Paper: This paper has a natural tone and is perfect for high presentation quality with minimal glare. Like the glossy paper, it also has a high D-max and ink-saturation.
  • Picture Rag: This paper is made from 100% cotton rag. It holds vivid and true colors but is also preferred for black and white photography. The paper is thick and produces prints with a soft feel. This is an acid-free paper.
  • Somerset Velvet: This paper provides vivid colors and deep blacks for a high contrast. The texture softens the effects of the image. I do not recommend this paper for photography, as this paper is a warm tone which can make the image appear dull and flat.
  • Watercolor Paper: This paper is acid-free, neutral tone, 100% cotton rag, and thick. The rough surface of this paper has been described as pebbly. I do not recommend this type of paper for photography unless you want the image to be textured.
  • Metallic Paper: This paper is highly durable and provides a shimmer of metal. This is recommended for white and flesh tone images. It resembles the look of Cibachrome prints from film cameras. I recommend this paper, especially for black and white images.

Poster: The selection of materials for posters is the same for prints; however, the colors won’t be as vivid and could fade over time.
Just to let you know, if you purchase a print or a poster with no frame, the product ships rolled in a tube.

Metal: The image on a metal print is created by infusing dyes on a coated aluminum sheet. The colors are vibrant. The material is luminescent and reflective. This choice is the longest lasting photo medium and can last three times longer than prints. I highly recommend this for photography.

Acrylic: The image is printed on a quarter inch thick sheet of clear acrylic. This material is highly reflective and can reproduce more colors than a canvas printed photo. It has a high contrast, which allows the image to pop. It is perfect for prominent contrast and color while maintaining a smooth finish. It provides stylish lines and an added depth to the photograph. Fine Arts America offers two mounting choices:

  • Hanging Wire – the acrylic is attached to a quarter of an inch board with a wooden frame and hanging wire. This is perfect for quick installation on your wall. The image will be separated from the wall by an inch and a half.
  • Aluminum Mounting Posts – This is used for when you want to screw the acrylic print to the wall by all four corners. The cylindrical cap of each post can be removed, allowing you to screw the post into the wall shown in the picture below. When all four corners are attached to the wall, reattach each cap. If you choose this option for mounting, the four circular aluminum post will be visible on the front of the image. The print would be separated from the wall by an inch.

mounting for acrylic print
Wood: For this material, the image is printed on a sheet of ¾” inch thick maple wood. The wood provides a nice texture; however, the colors may appear dull compared to other mediums. This is connected to the wall by using D-clips on the back of the print.

Shipping

Manufacturing and shipping facilities for Fine Arts America are in the United States, Canada, Scotland, Australia, and Netherlands.  Production time typically takes around three to four business days.  The cost of shipping is determined by the product’s weight and your location.

Viewbug only ships to Canada and the United States.

Returns

If you are not happy with your prints for any reason, you can return the item within 30 days of the order date.  Fine Arts America will issue a full refund when it arrives at their facility.  Fine Arts America will not reimburse shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.  To request a refund, please visit the Fine Arts America’s return page and input your email address and order number.  If you are uncertain if the product is from Fine Arts America or have any question, feel free to contact me.

Image Licensing

I do provide limited image licensing through Shopify. When you purchase image licensing, you agree to not reproduce the image for wall-art or to resell as another form of merchandise. You also agree to not state that you were the artist of the photograph. Images can be used for advertising, publishing, educational, and editorial items.