Giclee Prints

How much time, energy, and money does it take to hang a photograph on a wall? The answer will surprise you. Photographs are made from paper onto which ink or light sensitive gelatin is applied. But, paper is too delicate to affix to a wall. To make a photograph rigid, the paper is taped or glued to a piece of cardboard reinforced with a layer of plastic known as foamcore. To hide the tape and glue, a special thin piece of cardboard mat is placed on top. A rectangular opening is cut to reveal the image. Mats come in a variety of colors to compliment the image. Finally, a sandwich of mat, photograph, and foamcore is framed with a piece of acrylic or glass to protect the work. Frames are available in hundreds of styles, colors, and materials. I chose to use a black mat and silver frame for this photograph of Amsterdam's Red Light District. If you click on the photograph, a new window will open to allow you to select a frame and mat which suits your taste. Go ahead. Try it. I'll wait here for you to return.

For this photograph of boats, I chose a purple mat which compliments the primary colors. Mats are available in over 200 styles and you can choose a mat color which fits your style. The gold frame was chosen to compliment the purple, being the color of royalty. I was able to use a decorative frame since the photographic composition was simple. For complex images, such as the photograph of Amsterdam, a simple thin metal frame worked better. If you click on the boats, a new window will open. Try it.

My favorite color is blue. The cold winter sky at the tip of Long Island was deep blue without a hint of clouds. I chose a blue mat which matched the blue sky. This left the image a bit too flat, being just blue on blue. So, I wanted a really wild frame to shake things up a bit and to compliment the motion of the birds. The frame is also blue, yet it draws your eyes to the center of the image like a magnet. You can click on this photograph as well.

Printing services are now available exclusively through Fine Art America. You can order prints directly through this link. Images are available in a wide variety of papers and canvas and will be custom matted and framed to your specifications. All the frames and mats you see here are available. Fine Art America has a 30 day no-questions-asked return policy. If you are unhappy with your print for any reason, they will refund your money and pay for return shipping. They have over 40 years of giclee printing experience. All prints are created on state-of-the-art Epson printers. Contact me if you are unable to locate what you need. Even if you choose not to purchase a photograph, you can freely experiment trying out different mat colors and frame styles. There is no obligation. Click on the logo to your right to view over a hundred photographs available for immediate sale.