MetalPrints are one of the most elegant and permanent ways you can present your images. I’ve explored the surfaces and treatments over the past couple of years and found it my go-to finish for so many products! It’s one of the first photo products I consider because of its many looks and styles (not to mention durability). The High Gloss, Mid-Gloss, Satin, Sheer Glossy, Sheer Satin, and Textured surfaces are only the beginning… there are so many treatments to add for edges, framing, hanging options, and even metal overlays like Gold, Rose Gold, Bronze and Silver! Here are a few Bamboo Stands with a Mid-Gloss finish, a Sheer Glossy Gold, and Sheer Glossy Rose Gold.
As a Family Historian we are the keepers of the stories and the makers of images that are passed down for generations. I take my role quite seriously and cherish the families and the images captured over my 35 years of photography. Yes, I have ALL my negatives/files in safe storage. And yes, I have been able to completely replace a whole family’s photo history after a fire. What a priceless gift we give our clients! So, before you stereotype MetalPrints as meant for art images only, think about this: sometimes old photos get damaged over time and MetalPrints are a great choice! Especially if they are a gift to a young family (like the 5x7 of the 50th Anniversary portrait of the grandparents, in the video below). Undoubtedly, the print will be shuffled around over the years, handled by the grandkids, and who knows how it will fare. MetalPrints are sure to look good even if they get wet, dropped, smashed, or even peanut butter-smeared!
MetalPrints are a great choice for creating fine art images, and I have been offering them as a wonderful surface option along with canvas gallery wraps. Metals are even more stunning with a modern acrylic top finish, but a whole new look can be created with the new Textured Metal. Its gorgeous rich matte texture has a perfect depth for the right image. I did a series of dried flowers in 2020 and I loved both the Textured finish and the Sheer with a Rose Gold overlay! Here is a combo of two similar images that look very different. Both are metal but the vertical is Gold Sheer and the larger square is Textured surface. Both gorgeous in the modern Bamboo Stand.
Curved Metals make a fresh and contemporary choice for shelf presentation, and of course I love any image with the water in it (like this couple at the marina) on the Sheer finish. The water just shimmers perfectly with the sheer metal giving it added depth!
Outdoor use might seem a bit “out there” but if you have a poolside patio or even a back porch patio like mine, it’s so great to have vivid art that you know will survive beautifully in the weather (and even in the sun if you choose the Performance EXT option, designed for extended life in the elements)! I love the fun and colorful art on my porch from one of my favorite artists, @RachelOliver who regularly makes metal reproductions of her palette knife paintings!
I think MetalPrints have the MOST variety of options and treatments and presentations; they can be printed in literally any custom size, PLUS cool corners, and unique cutouts! Their frameless simplicity is perfect for collages or collections and wall groupings too, but of course they can be Framed, Flush-Framed or dropped into dimensional Float Frames! Obviously, they make great keepsakes like Metal Ornaments, too. Honestly, MetalPrints are perfect for anything deserving a long image life… from classic family memories to valuable art for the business or home.
Suzette Allen, Lumix Ambassador, Bay Photo Ambassador and Adobe Influencer, is a long- time Photoshop instructor and Hybrid pioneer who continues to reinvent herself to stay current with the changing landscape of photography. Majoring on creativity and innovation, as well as embracing technology, has become a hallmark of her style and a continual driving force toward sharing her creativity with the world. She passionately creates and shares her vision, as a Photographer and Educator, since she loves to TEACH creativity as much as she loves people and photographic art!
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